© Chris Bishop, 2026.
Donald Eckersley was born in Harvey in May 1922, to Walter Roland (Roy) Eckersley, Secretary-Engineer for the Harvey Road Board, and Ada Gladys Moss. The family lived on the corner of Third Street and Korijekup Avenue, Harvey. He had six siblings. His older sister Mary Gladys died at 13 years of age, when Don was six.[1]
Don attended the Harvey State School from 1928 to 1937, where he gained his Junior Certificate. He continued his studies at Muresk Institute of Agriculture, where he graduated in 1941.
Harvey Primary School Classes 7,8 and 9
Back Row (L to R): Mayo Logue, Ted Charman, Jim Gibbs, Lloyd Pimlott, Don Eckersley, Max Keynes, Reg Parker.
Second Row: Ailsa Charman, Irma Robinson, Nell Combes, Eileen Bennett, Dorrie Maidment, Connie Beauclarke.
Third Row: Judy Eckersley, Judy Horrocks, Ivy Hennison, Mabel Snell.
Front: Ernie Taylor, Max Chambers, Russell Latch, Charlie Snell, Tom Lofthouse. Photo courtesy Harvey Districts Historical Society, Federation Display.
At the time of the Harvey School Centenary in 1999, Sir Donald contributed as follows:
AD Hill was the headmaster in 1928, he was a great disciplinarian. One day he caught me fighting behind the bike shed and called a school assembly. He put boxing gloves on self and opponent and made us fight 6 rounds in front of the whole school. It was very humiliating but also very effective punishment.
Harry Barton was my teacher in Grade 4. He was the first teacher to give me the cane (six of the best) for mucking around during an arithmetic lesson. Punishment again was very effective and I became top of the class in maths. Harry Barton came back to Harvey to start the Agricultural Wing after World ll and later became Director General of Education.
Mr Hill was replaced by Mr Meredith in 1934, followed by Mr Thornbury in 1936. I was one of the first students to sit for the Junior Certificate at the Harvey State School. Seven students sat the exam in 1937. We were specially tutored by Mr Thornbury.[2]
After service with the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) in World War II (Service Number – 415409) and finishing as a Warrant Officer, Don returned to Harvey with then wife Patricia Waddingham. They had married in Victoria in 1944 while Don was still in the RAAF. According to a newspaper article they separated in January 1947, and subsequently divorced.[3]
Don then married Marjorie Rae Clarke at St John’s Church, Burekup, Western Australia, on 23 July 1949. They had three children.
Don commenced dairy farming in the Harvey District in 1946, first managing his father’s farm. He gave a lifetime of service to primary producers’ associations in and beyond Western Australia. His offices included the Presidency of the Farmers Union of Western Australia (1972-75); the inaugural President of the Australian Farmers’ Federation (1975-79), and the inaugural Presidency of the National Farmers’ Federation (1979-81).
He also served for ten years as President of the Harvey Shire Council, was Chairman of the South West Development Authority (1989-1994), Chairman ex officio of the South West Development Commission (1994- 1995) [4] and Chairman for three years of the Artificial Breeding Board. He was also a member of the Western Australian Waterways Commission and a member of the Senate of the University of Western Australia. (Relative to the latter and the University inaugurated radio station 6UVS-FM that he chaired in 1982, a committee of review,‘to assess the record since its inception of 6UVS-FM, including its current operations, and in particular to report on the extent to which the assurances given to the Australian Broadcasting Tribunal in 1978 by Universities Radio Ltd have been met’.[5])
Donald Eckersley’s experience, foresight and judgement relative to agriculture were recognised by the award of an OBE (Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) in 1977, a knighthood in 1981, and selection as ‘Australian Man of the Year in Agriculture’ in 1979.[6] He was awarded Western Australian of the Year for 1977, in the category of Industry and Commerce.[7]
He was inducted into the Royal Agricultural Society’s Hall of Fame in 2000. In 2001 he was awarded the Centenary Medal for ‘service to the community through primary industry in Western Australia’.[8]
Following his death in 2009, Nola Marino, Federal Member for Forrest, in a tribute to Sir Donald, said in Parliament that Eckersley’s main achievement was the formation of the National Farmers’ Federation, which brought a diversity of farmer representatives and bodies together. He was its inaugural President in 1979 and it was that achievement that earned him his knighthood.[9]
Sir Donald Eckersley’s key character attributes, derived from various sources and the author’s own knowledge, can be summarised as follows:
Having strong leadership qualities, being a team player, persuasive, community-minded, a ‘gentleman’, with the ability to relate to people from all types of background.
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[1] As per ancestry.com research. The middle name Payze is derived from the surname of his maternal grandmother.
[2] Marion Lofthouse (ed), Harvey Primary School, 100 Memories 1899 – 1999, published 1999.
[3] ‘DAIRY ROMANCE WENT DEEPER THAN CALF LOVE’, Mirror (Perth, WA : 1921 – 1956), 4 January 1947, p.11., viewed 7 January 2026, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article76027182
[4] Note: ‘ex officio’ means ‘as a result of one’s status or position’, which is relevant to Sir Don’s perceived status.
[5] B K de Garis (ed), Campus in the Community: the University of Western Australia, 1963-1987, 1988, p 38, viewed 13 February 2026.
[6] Royal Agricultural Society of WA, Hall of Fame, Eckersley OBE Sir Donald Payze, viewed 15 January 2026.
[7] Hall Of Fame, Celebrate WA, Western Australian of the Year Hall of Fame, viewed 17 February 2026.
[8] Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, Sir Donald Payze Eckersley, viewed 15 January 2026.
[9] Nola Marino- Hansard, Parliament of Australia, Constituency Statements, Wednesday, 27 May 2009, p 4584, viewed 17 February 2026.