‘Mower man’ reaches Port Douglas during heartfelt journey
SPREADING HOPE

In a heartwarming journey spanning over a month, Claude Harvey, affectionately known as ‘the mower man’, arrived in Port Douglas with his trusty lawn mower to collect donations and raise awareness of child protection issues.
Undertaking a remarkable journey, the spirited 77-year-old ventured from Charleville, traversing the rural expanse of Queensland, having raised in excess of $24,000 so far.
With Cairns as his ultimate destination, he embarked on a town-by-town journey in his cherished beagle van, generously donated to him, all in pursuit of his goal to reach $30,000.
Due to a knee injury that limits his ability to walk long distances, this mode of transportation became an invaluable asset for his noble mission.
Upon arriving in each town, Mr Harvey brings out his trusty lawn mower, tirelessly collecting donations for Bravehearts; an organisation dedicated to the prevention and treatment of child sexual abuse.
Personal motivation
Over the course of many years, Mr Harvey has been an unwavering champion for Bravehearts, raising an impressive sum of just over 1.6 million dollars by walking all around the country pushing his lawnmower.
In his own words Mr Harvey “vows to do everything possible to make a difference in the lives of child sexual assault survivors and want to raise 2 million dollars before I die”.
He continued to share the deeply personal reason behind his mission.
“I became an active and dedicated Bravehearts volunteer because my two granddaughters suffered the unimaginable, they were sexually abused by a 16-year-old boy.

“Back then, my granddaughters did not receive the help they needed, and we were unaware of Bravehearts.
But now, I recognize the vital importance of Bravehearts' educational programs for children aged 3 to 12 across Australia.
“These programs empower children, teaching them how to stand up for themselves and say no. Additionally, Bravehearts provides counseling for children who have experienced sexual abuse.”
His motivation to embark on his latest journey was primarily inspired by his late wife.
“My wife was an extraordinary and compassionate person. We were together for 51 years, married for 48. The last words she said to me were: “keep doing what you do for the children”.”
The lawn mower
When asked how he came up with the idea of using a lawn mower, he fondly recalls his days running a lawn mowing and landscaping business on the Gold Coast.
“One day as I was watching one of my workers pushing the lawn mower, I thought to myself; If I were to walk alone, I might go unnoticed, but by pushing a lawn mower, more people would take notice of my cause.”
Catch Mr Harvey in Port Douglas until Sunday 25 June, donate cash in person or contribute online to help him reach his $30,000 goal by Tuesday.
Thank you!
Newsport thanks its advertising partners for their support in the delivery of daily community news to the Douglas Shire. Public interest journalism is a fundamental part of every community.
Got a news tip? Let us know! Send your news tips or submit a letter to the editor here.
* Comments are the opinions of readers and do not represent the views of Newsport, its staff or affiliates. Reader comments on Newsport are moderated before publication to promote valuable, civil, and healthy community debate. Visit our comment guidelines if your comment has not been approved for publication.