The private road to a new water reservoir has been named after a four-year-old big truck and construction enthusiast.
Harry Butler was two years old when construction began on Unitywater’s Harmony Water Project in 2022. Harry, who was non-verbal at the time and autistic, became captivated with the hive of activity happening on the other side of his fence at Tanawha.
Parents Jeanette and Troy encouraged Harry’s fascination with the big trucks and diggers at work by building a climbing platform for him so he could scramble up and watch what was happening.
Jeanette said Harry’s first word was “truck”.
Over the past three years, construction partner McConnell Dowell has kept the Butler family informed of works and crews have always made time for Harry.
“They would give Harry ‘truck toots’ and ‘bucket waves’ with the excavator – the whole team were wonderful,” Jeanette said.
“Harry would build rock piles when we’d go on walks and the ‘boys’ never knocked them over – they knew they were Harry’s and they’d move their safety fences around the piles.
“They always had Harry’s interests in mind and if they thought the construction works would be too loud, they would make me aware so I could manage Harry in the way that I needed to. That was really special and really important.”
Describing her reaction to Harry’s very own ‘street’, Jeanette said: “It’s his little stamp on Tanawha. It’s going to be one of those forever stories.”
Like stories that inform, connect and celebrate the Sunshine Coast? So do we. Join an independent local news revolution by subscribing to our FREE daily news feed at the bottom of this article.
Unitywater executive manager strategic engagement Joshua Zugajev said Harry’s story had filtered through the organisation and it was a pleasure to name the slip road to the new water reservoir ‘Harry’s Lane’.
“Harry has truly captured our attention and hearts and this has been a beautiful example of how we’ve worked with our local community through a substantial infrastructure project,” Mr Zugajev said.
“We’re in the process of putting ‘Harry’s Lane’ into our GIS mapping system. It’s been wonderful to see this outcome through our collaboration with our construction partner McConnell Dowell.”
McConnell Dowell stakeholder and communications manager Purdey Wikman said: “Little Harry – who is now getting really big by the way – Jeanette and Troy have been such a wonderful family to work with side by side at the Tanawha Reservoir, we honestly don’t think we could have done this project without all their amazing support.
“Like all good relationships, it started small and has grown to something so special, it will leave a spot in our hearts for a long time to come.
“We remain hopeful of recruiting Harry into MCD when he finishes school, given his amazing aptitude for all things construction.”
The Harmony Water Project will help meet the Sunshine Coast’s growing population demands, both now and into the future, including the 21,000 residents who will live in Harmony by 2036.
