How we became Wild Harry
We have been manufacturing mostly crocodile products for a few clients for over 25 years, without the end customers knowing that we made these products. As the crocodile skin is so expensive and the manufacturing and hardware have to be to a very high standard, we developed and designed a wide range of products from small to large to ensure that our clients have efficient use of their skins.
We have a high standard of manufacture and a reputation within the industry, all from our small factory on 100 acres of dry land outside Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia.
We thought that it would be nice to have a brand of our own as we had the product range and the experience in design. We wanted to create products that are individual and one of a kind, so as not to repeat the same thing over and over again. The same style in a product can look so unique with different skins, fittings and design.
What we needed was a name that would reflect the unique aspect of our designs as well as our location. There were discussions back and forth between all of us here for over a year, a name would be suggested mulled over and rejected.
We had a small dog who was picked up by a truck driver out near Capella (out West). He brought the dog to the Rockhampton pound where we found him. He was 8 weeks old or so and a dingo crossed with goodness knows what.
We named him Harry.
Harry became so entrenched in our lives, he worked in the factory, helped with the gardening and the pulling out of the lantana. Harry did not kill snakes but he would always growl when one was around. He lived his life at a million miles an hour. Harry loved presents, he would go through the shopping looking for his next toy, help everyone with their birthday presents and the blowing out of candles. Harry's special love was for small children - especially babies - but his lifelong passion was for rocks. We still find them in strange places in the factory and the garden.
Yet he had a cranky side. He did not like to be yelled at, he would not talk to you for days if you yelled at him. He also had a wild side, he was only 20kg but he would catch rats and rabbits, and only once a wallaby. He was the boss of two other dogs who weigh over 60kg, he took no nonsense from anyone.
So the name Wild Harry was a unanimous decision.
Harry passed at 9 years from cancer last Christmas.
We send out thank you cards with every purchase that have our Wild Harry on them. The cards show Harry living his life at full speed, running through the bush, and his all time favourite, swimming, he so loved to swim.
