Former Nelson Bay rugby league stalwart Bill Harvey

Port Stephens Committee secretary Peter Arnold made a wellbeing visit to former Nelson Bay rugby league stalwart Bill Harvey who was recovering from recent knee surgery. As part of his rehabilitation, Peter was able to supply a peddling machine donated by fellow Men of League Foundation member Kevin Baker.

Bill has had an action packed life. After joining the army he went on to become a parachute instructor and racked up over 500 jumps and did two tours of Vietnam before finishing at Williamtown air base in charge of parachute instruction. He then left the service as a warrant-officer, on the rugby league front.

Bill played 52 games with the RAAF Williamtown team when based there. Moving to Nelson Bay, he went on to play 100 games with the Bay club, he remained involved with the game and was a volunteer with the Northern Blues Rugby League Club. The highlight of his time there was winning the Newcastle rugby league competition in 2005 under coach Peter ‘Spider’ Walsh for his services to the greatest game of all where he was awarded life membership.