The opening of Harden Bearing Service in Murrumburrah, with Brenden, Amy, Maryanne, Sarah, and Ken
The Local Legends for this week are a family that have deep roots in the town, both historically and in their involvement in its activities today. They are also a family who do everything together, including establishing a successful business. This is the story of the McKays of Harden Bearings & Hardware. Kenneth McKay was born on the 26th of June, 1957 to Bob & Bessie McKay. He is the youngest of four, with three older sisters Helen, Sue and Margaret. Despite being born and bred in Sydney, where his father worked on the Railways, he always had a strong connection to Harden-Murrumburrah, and in particular, to Currawong. “My great-great uncle was James Roberts, who founded Currawong,” said Ken. “He gave shelter to the Chinese miners after the Lambing Flat Riots.” Ken’s great grandfather was the renowned W.C.H. Roberts, a founding member of the former Demondrille Shire Council. Roberts Park is named in his honour. As anyone who had a parent working on the Railways would know, one of the perks of the job was free rail travel. It was through these means that Ken and his sisters were able to maintain links with the town.
“During school holidays we’d often go back to visit my grandparents,” said Ken. “The trip from Harden back to Sydney was eight hours on the train, so my parents would meet us at Goulburn instead.” Ken went to school at Newington College in Stanmore, an education which Ken’s grandfather paid for as a tax deduction. Former students of the school include Sir Ian Clunies Ross, who was featured on the $50 note prior to 1992, members of the Tongan royal family, NSW Roads Minister Duncan Gay, former Wallabies Nick Farr-Jones and Phil Kearns, and ABC current affairs host, Tony Jones. But in 1974, he’d had enough of school. “I told my grandfather that he was wasting his money,” said Ken. After leaving school, he came to Harden where his parents had returned to retire. Ken’s first job in Harden was hay carting with Oxton Park. “I worked with the likes of Cliff Ellison, Keith Maher, as well as Colin and Kevin Maher,” he said. “Peter O’Connor had left school in the same year, and was driving the truck.” But for the job that would determine Ken and his future family’s fortunes, he had to do a lot of badgering.
“There was one mechanic apprenticeship going at the Shire, and I hassled Frank Cullen everyday asking him whether I had gotten the job. It was in the same year that the Shire depot was opened,” said Ken. Frank obviously relented, because Ken was offered that four year apprenticeship. It was during his apprenticeship that Ken met his future wife, Maryanne, the daughter of Jack & Eunice Price. Born and bred in Harden, and also the child of a Railway man, Maryanne worked at Moses’ Cornerstore. “During lunchtimes, Ken would always ride past the shop,” said Maryanne. Maryanne’s boss would always ask, “What is that young man doing?” She suspected that her boss new exactly what Ken was doing. In the same way as he got his job, Ken had to hassle Maryanne to get her to go out with him as well. The two were married at St Mary’s Catholic Church in Murrumburrah on the 2nd of October, 1976. “We were married on the same weekend that Bathurst was held at the time,” said Ken. But prior to marrying, he had to do a bit of bargaining with Fr. Frank Keogh first. “Fr. Keogh asked me whether I was going to convert to Catholicism, and I said I wasn’t,” said Ken. A threat was made to get married in the Church of England with Maryanne converting, so Fr. Keogh, Ken and Maryanne agreed that the children would be brought up in the Roman Catholic Church, with Ken remaining the Church of England. Either way, it appears Fr. Keogh got his way in all but name.
In 1977, their eldest child Brenden was born, followed by Sarah in 1979, and Amy in 1981, and they were all raised Catholic. In addition, by the late 1990s, Ken, although still an Anglican, would be playing the lead role as Jesus in a re-enactment of the Last Supper at St Anthony’s Catholic Church. As in current times, the rental market was fairly sparse in the town for the newlyweds. As a result, the McKay’s first house after marriage was a house out of town on Bede and Rose Davis’ property, ‘Fairview.’ Ken finished the last ten months of his apprenticeship at Ronny Reid’s Garage, which was located next to Reg Potts’ salon in Neill Street. He spent nearly two years there, working alongside the likes of Bernie Parker. In late 1978, the young family took over the lease at the Golden Fleece service station in Murrumburrah (now the Metro). It marked the beginning of a tough period in the lives of the McKay family. “The more money we made, the more rent the oil companies wanted,” said Maryanne. For example, the weekly rent for the McKays on one occasion jumped from $580 per week to $640, a phenomenal amount in the late 1970s and early 1980s. To try to make ends meet, Ken drove buses for Fearnes. But this wasn’t enough, and the family walked out of the service station in debt. The early to mid-1980s were a hard time for the McKays. “We worked and worked, and we sold everything,” said Maryanne. In addition to working as a mechanic for Fearnes Coaches, Ken and Maryanne operated two trucks that they used during the harvest season. But to pay off their debts, they had to get their hands dirty. Both Ken and Maryanne got in underneath the shearing sheds of the district and cleared them of sheep manure, which they then carted off to be sold to the nurseries at Pialligo in Canberra as fertiliser. It proved to be a profitable enterprise, and it helped to pay off the debt left over from the service station. But it was not without its dangers. “We were clearing out underneath the old woolshed at Nimby West, and as we were cleaning it out, the shed began to collapse around us,” said Maryanne.
Despite the hard work, Ken still found the time for sport, and played for the Red Devils from 1975 to the mid-1980s, as well as playing soccer. “We had some good times,” he said. “I was driving the Devils to West Wyalong for a game, and I hadn’t been playing for a while due to my bad back. We were pulling up at pubs and picking up players as we went along. Polly Thurkettle realised that we didn’t have a prop, and I got roped in. On the way home, I was so stiff and sore that I could only look straight ahead. The boys had to tell me if anything was coming from either side.” The situation wasn’t helped by them ‘having a few’ at Temora on the way home. Ken eventually left Fearnes, and reinforced his family’s long connection to Currawong by working for Ian Hubble for nearly four years. This was followed by a stint at Nimby West, which ended up with him virtually running the property. “It was a bit of a challenge,” he said. In 1995, the McKays found the winning formula after they bought Harden Engineering from Bob Smith in Murrumburrah. After extensive renovations to the building, which was originally used to build horse-drawn coaches and sulkies, the family opened Harden Bearing Service. Brenden joined the team seven years later in 2002. Within a decade, the company was looking to expand, and made an offer for Murrumburrah Rural in Station Street. The offer was not accepted. “I didn’t want the debt,” said Maryanne. “I was relieved.” Unfortunately for her, minds were changed and the offer was accepted. “S**t!” said Maryanne, when she heard the news.
In 2006, Harden Bearing Service moved to its current site, with all three children and son-in-law Steven, now working at the shop. The benefits for Maryanne is that she now gets to have all of her five grandchildren around, which secured her support. “It was the great con job,” she said. “But that’s what keeps me going.” Now the business, known as Harden Bearings & Hardware, includes a hardware shop, a timber yard and a garage. In July 2015, the company celebrates 20 years in operation, a tremendous milestone.
Both Ken and Maryanne have been heavily involved in the community. Ken spent 17 years with the Apex Club, which included holding the Presidency twice. Examples of some of the work that they did included painting the Senior Citizens’ Club and the CWA, and erecting the green shaded shelter at the Harden Pool. They have also been involved in the Harden Red Devils Rugby Union Club, the Harden Soccer Club, the Catholic Church and Trinity School, where Maryanne still covers books. Ken has been the chairman of the Kite Festival for the last six years, however he believes this will be his last year. Ken, along with his son Brenden, was also integral to establishing the Bendigo Bank branch in Neill Street and re-forming the Harden Chamber of Commerce. For both initiatives, Ken worked closely with the late Ralph Hawkins, the founding manager of the Harden Bendigo Bank branch. “He is sadly missed,” he said.
Both father and son have an avid interest motor sport, having raced Alfa Romeos from 1995 onwards at circuits such as Catalina Park, Amaroo, Oran Park and Eastern Creek. He is a member of the Alfa Romeo Club of Sydney, the Cootamundra and Young Car Clubs, and is also a founding member of the Harden Historic Truck & Tractor Club. He currently owns an old Fearnes bus that he first saw come into service when he worked with Fearnes in the early 1980s. The McKays love Harden-Murrumburrah and are immensely proud of the town. When the family was given the opportunity to join Silver’s Circus after Ken repaired a diesel generator for them, the family refused. Despite the good money and the prospect travelling around Australia, they wanted to stay in Harden-Murrumburrah “because this is where we belong.” Ken & Maryanne McKay, your contribution to the community is immense. Your family have done the hard yards and have come out the other side to make this town a far better place. You are truly a credit to this town through your involvement and your dedication to it.
Thank you for being Local Legends
