Private Noel (Stewie) HaraldPrint Page

The park was established in memory of indigenous soldier Private Noel (Stewie) Harald who died from wounds on 11 October 1967 while serving with the 2nd Battalion Royal Australian Regiment in South Vietnam. 

The original plaque was stolen in 2005 and has been replaced.  The park was rejuvenated by the Livingstone Shire Council working alongside the Vietnam Legion Veterans Association in 2019. 

Stewie was a member of the 2^nd Battalion RAR. With other members of the unit they were in a convoy of personnel carriers when they were ambushed by the Viet Cong. A hand grenade or some similar weapon was thrown into the carrier occupied by Stuart. Two other diggers were killed and Stuart was seriously wounded. He received shrapnel wounds to the right arm and leg and stomach and as a result died several days later.
 

Private Noel Stewart ‘Stewie’ Harald will be honoured at a commemorative service at the park named in his honour on Saturday, 10 October.

On 30 September 1967, in Phuoc Tuy Province, South Vietnam, the Viet Cong ambushed Australian soldiers from the Second Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (2RAR) as they were setting up a checkpoint north of the village of Dat Do. One of those soldiers, Stewie Harald, was seriously wounded and died on 11 October 1967 at 3 Field Hospital, Saigon.

Vietnam Legion Veterans Association secretary Ian Cavanough said at age 30 in 1967, Stewie was 10 years older than the average soldier at the time.

Known as a boxing champ, Stewie perfected his craft in Borneo and Malaya where he served with 4RAR and he and about 100 others joined 2RAR for their tour of duty in South Vietnam.

“He was a highly experienced specialist soldier, what they call an Assault Pioneer, they’re the blokes that clear minefields, set-up mine minefields and assist infantry soldiers with specialist tasks,” Cavanough said.

It’s hoped the commemorative service will be an annual event, with Saturday’s memorial at Yeppoon’s Stewie Harald Park a “toe-dipping” exercise for the Vietnam Legion. “A lot of people don’t even know this park’s here as it’s out of the way. “We’re very happy with the response from Stewie’s family and I think we should do this every year now.”

Stewie’s cousin Sheryl O’Connor said she was expecting a big turnout from the Stewie’s large South Sea Islander family. “We have about six family members coming from Caboolture as well as four or five from Brisbane,” she said.

“A lot of relatives live in Rockhampton, there’s six generations at the moment in town.” Ms O’Connor said the RSL and Vietnam Legion had always honoured Stewie’s memory, including with a “beautiful plaque” at the park.

RSL president Bill Tahu said former New Zealand infantry soldier John Hunt would be travelling from South Mission Beach especially for the service. “John Hunt knew Stewie well, they were in Malaysia together and went to 2RAR on to Vietnam,” he said. “John actually had Stewie’s Rising Sun medallion and he gave it to his sister Patrice, who will be travelling from Brisbane to attend.”

Livingstone Shire Council mayor Andy Ireland said the council was pleased to be involved with the event and hoped to further utilise the park in the future. “In terms of recognition for our veterans it’s something that I think needs to continue,” he said. “My father and my uncle were veterans and they never spoke about the war. I never really figured out why, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t celebrate and commemorate them.”

The commemorative service will be held at Stewie Harold Park in Melbourne Street Yeppoon, opposite Yeppoon High School, at 11am.
CQToday, 9 October 2020. 

Location

Address:	Melbourne Street, Stewie Harald Park, Yeppoon, 4703
State:	QLD
Area:	AUS
GPS Coordinates:	Lat: -23.136007 Long: 150.736214 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate.

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Details

Monument Type:	Park
Monument Theme:	People
Sub-Theme:	Military
Approx. Event Start Date:	11-October-1967
Approx. Event End Date:	11-October-1967

Dedication

Approx. Monument Dedication Date:	2005

Source: MA