Vale Simon Harvey: a generous voice for Kensington

Kensington has lost one of its most thoughtful and generous advocates.

Simon Harvey (pictured right with former City of Melbourne councillor Rohan Leppert), a passionate local resident, former chair of the Kensington Association and a regular contributor to North West City News since its establishment in 2021, passed away suddenly on February 26, 2026.

He was a longstanding Robertson St resident and a deeply respected community leader whose quiet determination and careful words helped shape local conversations for years.

Simon served as chair of the Kensington Association from 2019 to 2023, guiding the group through a period of rapid change in the suburb. He was a tireless champion for community voices and good planning, particularly in the Macaulay urban renewal precinct — a fast-growing part of Kensington that he believed demanded both ambition and balance.

In column after column, Simon returned to the question of how to “get it right” in Macaulay. He was neither reflexively anti-development nor blindly supportive. Instead, he asked difficult questions about affordable housing, public open space, building height, liveability and the long-term character of the neighbourhood. He understood that growth was inevitable – but that good growth required scrutiny, participation and care.

His advocacy was grounded in detail. He read planning amendments, logged into consultation sessions, and showed up – always prepared, always measured. He wanted residents to understand what was at stake and to feel empowered to contribute. His writing on the Macaulay Structure Plan, the pursuit of more open space, and the push for affordable housing was as informed as it was accessible.

But Simon was far more than a planning voice.

He was an active member of the Kensington Community Network and the Kensington Reconciliation Action Group, and he cared deeply about Kensington’s role in reconciliation with First Nations Melburnians. He believed community was built not only through buildings and parks, but through relationships and respect.

As Lord Mayor Nick Reece noted in a condolence statement at the March 3 Future Melbourne Committee meeting, Simon was a “tireless champion for his neighbourhood” and a strong advocate for green space, particularly along the Moonee Ponds Creek corridor. His long efforts are reflected in the forthcoming Chelmsford St park and ongoing discussions about expanding open space in Stubbs St and beyond.

During the COVID-19 lockdowns, Simon went above and beyond, setting up themed online programs to help people stay connected. It was typical of him – thoughtful, creative and community-minded.

For North West City News, Simon’s contribution was immeasurable.

Since 2021 he penned dozens of columns, each one crafted with care. He wrote with a historian’s curiosity and a neighbour’s warmth. In his final column, “Reflecting on the Kensington Story,” he traced the suburb’s transformation from a “struggle town” to a multicultural community still in transition. He had a gift for connecting past and present, reminding us that so much of what we enjoy today rests on the hard work of those who came before.

Editing Simon’s columns was always a pleasure. You could tell he loved writing. There was rhythm in his sentences, thoughtfulness in his structure and generosity in his tone. Even when tackling contentious issues, he did so without rancour. He invited readers in rather than pushing them away.

He was also always available – ready to provide context, background or a steady voice when we were exploring a local issue. It is through the support of contributors like Simon that community newspapers like ours exist. He believed in the value of local journalism and gave his time freely to strengthen it.

On a personal note, I am grateful for my last happy memory of Simon – sharing breakfast at The Premises café on Macaulay Rd in his beloved Kensington. We talked widely and warmly about planning, politics, history and the future of the suburb he loved. It was the Simon I had come to know: engaged, curious and hopeful.

Simon cared deeply about people and place. Kensington is stronger for his commitment, and poorer for his absence.

He will be greatly missed by his partner Moira, his family, friends, colleagues and the many residents whose lives he touched through advocacy, conversation and connection.

Vale Simon Harvey – a reliable voice, a generous neighbour, and a great guy.