After touching many hearts, Bunbury’s ‘dingo at the harbour’ Marley has died

After touching many hearts, Bunbury’s ‘dingo at the harbour’ Marley died at the weekend, aged 15.

Born sometime in 2010 on a mine-site in the Pilbara, Marley was found as an orphan with two other pups — their mother dead after being hit by a vehicle.

Marley was the only of the three to survive, taken in by a worker who had the pup join him on site as he grew.

The worker took Marley home to his farm in Harvey, where his mischievous and playful nature with the golden Labrador in the movie Marley and Me his namesake.

He spent the next three years on the farm, stealing shoes, chewing on all the wrong things and doing what mischievous dogs do.

In 2013, Marley and his rescuer moved Casurina Boat Harbour, living onboard an old navy vessel from World War II.

Over time, Marley began to explore his surroundings roaming the Bunbury Outer Harbour area where people noticed him and word spread of ‘the dingo at the harbour’.

However in 2022, Marley and his rescuer moved to a yard in the Australind industrial area — a change Marley was not happy with.

Spending his days pacing, howling and whining about being away from his territory, the man who rescued Marley from the Pilbara more than a decade prior, made the decision to return Marley to his home at the Bunbury Outer Harbour.

Over the next few years, people’s love for Marley grew, setting up a feeding station for the pooch, giving him fresh water daily and giving him ‘dens’ across the harbour for when the weather turned.

In a post shared to Facebook on Tuesday night, Marine Rescue Bunbury shared the news Marley died on June 8, 2025.

The crew said the pup was “truly loved”.

“He was a regular at Marine Rescue Bunbury where we looked out for him,” the post said.

“We even named our latest rescue vessel after him — Dingo Marley.

“If anyone was concerned for Marley’s welfare, we were often the first point of contact and would ensure necessary action was taken.”

The post said Marley’s remains would be cremated, with thousands passing on their sympathy for the community’s immense loss — and calling for a statue in his honour.

“To all that loved him, he was our Red Dog”, community members said while sharing the way Marley brought them joy amid rough seas.