Peter Carey is brought to tears when he recounts the generosity of his rural neighbours.

While the 70-year-old was being flown to hospital in a Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) plane, his friends were working together to ensure the harvest would still go ahead on his farm.

Rose Duckett and Peter Carey at home on their Tambellup farm. ( ABC Great Southern: Ellie Honeybone )

More than 20 locals put aside their own harvest plans to make sure Mr Carey had one less thing to worry about while he recovered from a serious car accident brought about through illness.

It turned into one of his best harvest yields ever and Mr Carey's neighbours refused to take any payment.

The first day of harvest

It was December 2, 2018, when life was turned upside down for Peter Carey and his partner, Rose Duckett.

Mr Carey was driving alone on a remote stretch of road near the town of Tambellup, 320 kilometres south-east of Perth, when he suddenly crashed into a harvesting chaser bin that was about to turn off the road in front of him.

He had been feeling ill earlier in the day but after a short rest, had decided he was ready to tackle the first day of harvest for the season.

"I had everything ready to go for harvest and the next thing I remember is all of the emergency services around me and people I know dressed in their ambulance uniforms," he said.

The wreckage of the ute Peter Carey was driving when he fell unconscious and crashed into another vehicle. ( ABC Great Southern: Ellie Honeybone )

"A lady was holding me in the car because the door had smashed open and the police were asking me if I had hit anything.

"I said no, but it turns out I had and we found out later I had been unconscious at the time."

One less thing to worry about

On a flight to Perth for treatment, Mr Carey was so concerned about his impending harvest schedule that he tried to tell staff on board the RFDS plane that he was fine and needed to go home.

Little did Mr Carey know that, while being treated, a group of his neighbours were busy organising the perfect way to help him out.

Within days of his accident, 26 people had joined forces to complete his harvest.

Trucks and headers were lined up across Mr Carey's paddocks, fresh food was hand-delivered to the workers, and it was not long before 280 hectares of wheat and canola was collected.

"I was in and out of consciousness while the organising was going on, but by the time I was really comprehending things, the harvest had started," Mr Carey said.

"They all got into it, they really enjoyed the comradeship of doing something, and it only took them a very short period in time to do the whole lot.

"It was the quickest harvest I've ever had."

Very special neighbours

His partner, Rose Duckett, wanted to oversee the harvest and expected to employ workers and pay them for their services.

Instead, she had farmers and their partners dropping everything to come to her aid for free.

"Many of the helpers were meant to be in paid employment but they weren't having a bar of it," she said.

"They just threw themselves into it and were sending photos the whole time.

Tambellup is known throughout the Great Southern region of WA as the "Town of Friendship". ( ABC Great Southern )

Justin Taylor is one of Mr Carey's neighbours and was among the first on the scene of the accident.

He helped organise the contingent of volunteers who completed the harvest and is reluctant to describe what they did as anything out of the ordinary.

"It was just a display of what has been happening forever in country life," he said.

"A neighbour had a bit of a problem, one that was over and above the everyday sort of stuff, so it's only natural the people around him rallied to help.

"The joy is in the giving and we are thrilled that Peter is okay."

Mr Taylor said he was sure that one day, if the roles were reversed, his neighbours would come to his aid.

"One day it is quite possible that I could be that vulnerable person and be totally reliant on the goodwill of a stranger or someone you know," he said.

"It's important to think about the way you treat people in the meantime.

"From politicians all the way down, we need to treat each other well.

"Certainly learning to do a first aid course is also very important."

A town of friendship

Large signs that read "Town of Friendship" greet drivers who enter Tambellup and this motto really hit home for Mr Carey.

While he lay trapped in his smashed ute, he was calmed by the sight of friends and neighbours standing guard over him.

"The escort vehicle for the chaser bin was driven by a retired nurse, and she was on the scene straight away, talking very calmly to me," he said.

"People I knew were dressed in their ambulance uniforms and that was so comforting to see.

"They were familiar faces yet they were so centred and stoic."

Ms Duckett said the cordoned-off crash site surrounded by vehicles with flashing lights was intense.

"The shock of seeing friends in a disciplined frame, as ambulance officers, was impactful and really beautiful," she said.

"From then on, the community just embraced me so that I was protected as well all the way through."

Back on his feet

Peter Carey is now recovering at home with the help of partner Rose and their pet sheep Miles. ( ABC Great Southern: Ellie Honeybone )

Mr Carey and Ms Duckett did not know where to begin to thank their neighbours so they started with a four-page thank you note which was printed in the community newsletter.

"It restored my faith in humanity," Mr Carey said.

In typical farmer style, and despite being told not to drive by doctors, Mr Carey spent his last few days in hospital searching for a replacement ute online.

Ms Duckett picked up the new vehicle on the way home, along with a walking frame to help with his recovery.

She plans to celebrate with the volunteers she dubbed "The Mighty Angels" by hosting a party in the coming months.

"When Peter's full strength is back, and when all the neighbours are back from holidays, we are going to throw a huge party," she said.

"We have all known each other forever but there's almost a formal point that was hit and everybody now says 'we are family'.