Family in battle with council to reinstate brothers' memorial plaques

The McCurdy family from Mandurah is locked in a battle with the local council to reinstate memorial plaques honoring two brothers lost to separate accidents. The plaques, attached to a beachside bench about 15 years ago, were washed away when storms damaged the infrastructure.

Ryan McCurdy, 22, died in 2008 after falling from a tree, and his brother Wade, 19, a state champion bodyboarder, died on Christmas Eve in 2009 after jumping into an estuary. Their brother, Matt McCurdy, stated that while friends recovered the plaques after the benches were lost to the sea, the City of Mandurah has denied their request to reattach them to new infrastructure.

“

It's such a small thing in the scheme of things, but those plaques are a massive part of our lives.

"It's such a small thing in the scheme of things, but those plaques are a massive part of our lives," Matt McCurdy told ABC Radio Perth, describing the council's stance as "a little heartless." He emphasized that the memorial spot was a place for family and friends to connect with the brothers, who were deeply involved in the Mandurah community and loved the water, their family, and animals.

“

I think it's a little heartless to be honest.

The City of Mandurah cited a new memorial policy implemented at the end of 2024, which no longer supports the installation of memorial plaques. The council had previously offered the family the option of planting a tree instead. The family is pleading for reconsideration, arguing that storm damage should not disqualify the memorial under the new policy.

Anne Mulley, the brothers' mother, confirmed the council's denial of her initial request. The family hopes the council will approve reinstating the plaques once new infrastructure is built, allowing future generations, like Matt's daughters, to connect with their uncles' memory.

“

The City of Mandurah's Memorial Policy changed at the end of 2024 and the installation of memorial plaques is no longer supported.