The Albany Historical Society administers three of Albany’s premier tourist attractions; the Albany Convict Gaol, Patrick Taylor Cottage the oldest dwelling in WA and the Brig Amity. No visit to Albany can be complete without visiting these three wonderful venues that tell the story of Albany and it’s history.

Open 7 days per week, closed Christmas day.

Albany’s Historic Whaling Station was the last operating station in Australia and provides a fascinating insight into Albany’s colourful past. Recognised as a heritage site, the whaling station is an engaging and educational tourism attraction for all ages to enjoy.

Find yourself immersed in the sights and sounds of the whaling industry. Enjoy short films within the converted whale oil tanks. Climb aboard the Cheynes IV, the world’s only preserved Whalechaser ship; see our giant blue whale skeleton; enjoy our world-renowned marine animal art collection and view our precious scrimshaw art. Visit our museum exhibits filled with authentic, whaling artefacts and memorabilia or relax in our café overlooking one of Albany’s most picturesque bays.

Our unique, biodiverse location is also home to over a 100,000 species of native plants which are now displayed in our Regional Wildflower Garden. Families can enjoy free BBQ’s in the gardens and learn about our friendly collection of native animals at our Australian Wildlife Park. Join us for a memorable day on The Amazing South Coast.

Historic Whaling Station, open 9am to 5pm (last entry 4.15pm). 

Australian Wildlife Park & Regional Wildflower Garden, open 10am to 5pm

Café opening hours: 10am – 4pm (lunch meals 10am – 3pm)

Open every day excluding Christmas (25th Dec)

History is brought to life through dioramas, soundscapes and audio-visual at the Army Museum of Western Australia.

Several impressive galleries display various periods and themes. These are located within the main museum building. There is a substantial collection of vehicles, artillery field guns and other military hardware located around the perimeter of the parade ground outside the main museum building. And in some of the adjacent sheds vehicles are also on display.

The museum's collection includes a substantial amount of archival material in the way of documents, letters, diaries, photographs and art work. The reference library is accessible by arrangement.

Download our app and enjoy a self-guided audio tour.

We offer school programs in line with the national curriculum and can tailor them to your needs.

Visit our website to find out more armymuseumwa.com.au

The City of Busselton’s ArtGeo Cultural Complex is a creative hub for the visual and performing arts housed in heritage-listed buildings on Queen Street, close to Busselton’s much-loved foreshore. Once linked to the Jetty, the heritage-listed Courthouse, built in 1860, is one of the oldest buildings in Busselton and played an important role in its settlement history.

Walk through the buildings and feel the history within their walls. Explore the gaol cells and imagine being locked up for 14 days for disorderly conduct in a public place behind one of the heavy wooden doors.

The Courthouse Gift Shop reflects the transition from colonial courthouse to modern-day art house. Once inside, you'll discover a tempting range of high quality locally crafted art, jewellery, pottery, cards, photography and woodwork.

Set in the rear courtyard of the complex, there are two artist in residence studios featuring ceramic artist Tracie Anderson and jewellery designer Nalda Hoskins. The general public are welcome to visit these studios, which were once stables, to see the artists at work.

The cultural precinct is also home to the Busselton Art Society, the Busselton Woodturners' Association and the children's theatre group Acting Up. A sheltered courtyard, bush food garden and life-size bronze sculptures augment the ambience of the precinct.

Open daily 10am to 4pm, free entry. 

A fascinating collection of artefacts, photographs and books documenting the rich history of the Augusta-Margaret River Region. Displays include details of families involved in the settlement of Augusta in 1830, which was the third European settlement in Western Australia, artefacts from local shipwrecks, from the MC Davies timber empire (1880s to 1915); the local environment, personal effects of early settlers, details of the 1920s group settlements, commemorative china, coins and medals, garments from various eras, church organs and the whale rescue events which put Augusta on world news headlines.

Tracing its origins back to 1959, the Museum draws its purpose from its parent body, the RAAF Association 'to foster aviation in every possible way to preserve our nation’s proud aviation heritage’.

Concentrating on Australian and West Australian aviation history the Museum houses more than 30 aircraft, pride of place goes to the Avro Lancaster, one of only 17 left in the world today. Other aircraft in the Museum’s collection include a late model Spitfire, two Tiger Moths and a replica Bristol Tourer, the first aircraft to fly commercial flights in Australia.

In addition the Aviation Heritage Museum has built up an extensive collection of documentary, photographic and other research resources over the 25 years it has existed. They are used by Museum staff in preparing displays and publications and are available by appointment to those researching aviation histories.

The Aviation Heritage Museum is located in Bull Creek, a 20 minute drive south of Perth.

Little is known of the history of the Balingup area pre European settlement , other than that the name ”Balingup” is an alleged corruption of an Aboriginal name – Balingan, a noted Noongar warrior said to have been born in the district. The name was first recorded by a government surveyor in 1850.

The first European explorers traversed the area in 1842 on an expedition to find an overland route from the colony at Albany on the South Coast to the colony at Vasse on the West Coast. The expedition came across the Blackwood River at Southampton and Wrights Bridge.

The Balingup District was first settled by Europeans in 1854 when Richard Jones took up 10 acres, built a mud brick homestead and named it ”Southampton”. This holding prospered to grow to 28,000 acres by the turn of the 20th century. Sadly the historic 1862 built Southampton homestead was razed in a bush fire in 2013.

Balingup was declared a township in 1898 and is now part of the Donnybrook Balingup Shire.

After World War 1, the Government acquired the “Brooklands” estate and subdivided it into 130 acre (54ha) blocks and sold it to returned servicemen. 

The orchard industry became established in Balingup in 1895 when a Swiss nurseryman named Jacob Hawter established what was then the largest orchard in the State.  He also created the first purpose built cool store in the state.

Tin mining commenced in 1888 in the nearby area of Greenbushes which is now recognised as the longest continuously operated mining area in Western Australia. The fortunes of the miners having waxed and waned as the various minerals in the ore body became economically important as new technologies developed. The Greenbushes pegmatite is the largest and highest grade hard rock lithium minerals resource in the world. The lithium bearing mineral, spodumene, is currently being mined and processed, to be used in lithium batteries, ceramics, glassware, and other products. Both the open cut mine lookout and the Greenbushes Discovery Centre are well worth a visit.

Progressive farming methods and the introduction of improved pastures, superphosphate and subterranean clover saw dairy farming become the major rural industry in the district, and in 1933 a cheese factory was established.  However the lack of land suitable for irrigation eventually caused the dairy farms to become uncompetitive and the factory closed in 1977; later to open as an arts and craft centre.

The dairy cows have been replaced by beef cattle and farming is still the mainstay of the Donnybrook – Balingup Shire. Market gardens producing a wide variety of vegetables occupy the fertile valleys and gentle slopes alongside vineyards and orchards of pome, stone, avocado fruit, protected by native forests and tree plantations.

Tourism is becoming an increasingly important industry for the Balingup district with festivals and events drawing thousands of visitors to the area each year. Visitors to Balingup enjoy the beautiful scenery and friendly atmosphere of this quaint town year round.

Find out about the Aboriginal people that have always lived in the area, the pastoralists, Afghan cameleers and the construction of the Eyre Highway. Hear the story of the crashlanding of NASA's Skylab in 1979.

Over 200 square metres of colourful and unique display area, with shells and corals collected from all around the world. Over 30,000 rare and beautiful specimens are on display, and shells and shell jewellery are available for sale. Shells, corals and jewellery consigned anywhere in the world.
Special showings by appointment for group bookings.

Entry Fee:
Adults: $8
Kids: $4

Discover the Howitzer, learn about the rising sun badge, explore the medal collection and see artefacts made from spent artillery shells.

The RSL is constantly sourcing relics to add to the collection, recent additions include a handmade periscope gun used at Gallipoli and a Spandau gun used by the enemy during WWI.

The Birdwood Military Museum is arguably the finest regional military museum in Western Australia. Funded largely by public donations, it is run by volunteers, most of whom are ex-Service personnel.

With hundreds of artifacts (uniforms, photos, medals, weapons, personal effects) on display, and many more in storage, the museum is a constantly-evolving depiction of Geraldton’s and the Mid West’s military history.

One of the special items is a homemade Australian flag, which went into battle with two soldiers from the Chapman Valley district – at Gallipoli and in France, England, Lebanon and Egypt.

We run school excursions and group tours and other times can be made by arrangement with the curator.

Take a walk through the charming 1890s former general store, which is now the town’s museum. Check out the well presented visual displays, photographs and artefacts to learn all about the history of Broome.

Find out about the town’s interesting pearling history which has developed into a world class export industry today. Learn about the terrifying Japanese attacks on Broome during World War II and the impact it had on the local residents and allies who had taken refuge there.

You will be intrigued by the tales of shipwrecks and missing diamonds which takes you on a journey of discovery into the development of a culture that has melded from a diversity of origins. Examine Aboriginal artefacts and memorabilia from the area and discover how the town of Broome became the first truly multicultural district in Australia.

Regarded as one of the best regional museums in Australia, it is located in the town centre of Broome which is a two and a half hour flight north of Perth. Check opening hours prior to visiting.

It’s the first museum to be developed in the area for many decades. The City of Bunbury gave the go-ahead in 2010, and since then a magnificent building has been fully restored with Lotterywest support to preserve and showcase a newly developed collection. New, contemporary exhibitions reveal all Bunbury’s key stories and objects, many never seen before in the South West.

Professional staff care for the museum, which is owned and operated by the City of Bunbury, with significant community funding support organised by longstanding heritage supporter, Stephen Craddock.

The Bunbury Museum and Heritage Centre, opened in November 2016, tells the unique stories of how the South West's regional centre was developed, and the colourful characters who made it the vibrant port city that it is today. Shipwrecks, the struggles of early settlers, convicts, the Bunbury port, and the people of the town have all contributed to this city’s rich history.

The museum cares for a new collection focused on the history of the Bunbury area, and displays the highlights of that story with objects, interactive displays and events designed for all ages and imaginations.

Also part of the museum team is the Local Studies Collection department, established about 30 years ago to safeguard Bunbury’s documentary history, with an emphasis on council records.

The new Bunbury Museum and Heritage Centre meets the needs and interests of the Bunbury community, visitors to the city, and school students through its education programs, developed in line with the Western Australian Curriculum. 

The museum focuses on two parts. The Carnarvon Tracking Station and the OTC Satellite Earth Station, for which each station played separate roles in the early space industry.

The Carnarvon Tracking Station was located 10 kilometres south from Carnarvon. The station was built to support NASA’s Gemini, Apollo and Skylab programs. It was commissioned in 1964 and operated for 11 years. It was the last station to communicate with the space capsules leaving the earth orbit, and the last to make contact before splashdown in the Pacific Ocean. At the height of the operation it had a staff of 220 people.

The OTC Satellite Earth Station (and now museum site) is situated at the northern end of Browns Range, about 6 kilometres from the centre of Carnarvon, and 4 kilometres north of the Tracking Station. The OTC Satellite Earth Station was opened in1966, initially with the 12.8 metre wide Casshorn antenna as part of the global satellite communications system. The Casshorn antenna has interacting parabolic and hyperbolic reflectors in a characteristic ‘sugar scoop’ form.

On 21 July 1969, the day of the Apollo 11 moon landing, the Casshorn antenna relayed Neil Armstrong’s first steps on the Moon from NASA's Honey Suckle Creek Tracking Station to Perth's TV audience via Moree earth station - the first live telecast into Western Australia. Later in 1969, the larger 29.6 metre wide steerable antenna was built to facilitate better communication between the NASA Tracking Station and the USA.

History House explores the history of the City of Armadale from pre european settlelment through to today. The museum has a selection of permanent exhibitions as well as regular temporary exhibitions meaning there is always something new to see on your visit. 

Located next to the relaxing Minnawarra Park and close to Memorial Park, the Bert Tyler Vintage Machinery Museum, local cafes and the Armadale train station, History House Museum is a great part of any visit to Armadale. 

History House also offers a rang of events and programs ranging from school programs, holiday activities, history talks as well as special and unique events. 

As the capital city of one of the world’s most significant mining regions, Perth is rapidly growing in both population and economic prosperity.

 
The strength of our economy, especially our capabilities in the resource sector, ensures that both the city and the state are competitively placed for future investment and growth.

Perth's close proximity to Asia opens great potential for investors in energy, minerals, tourism and hospitality, education and agriculture and food.

Perth is in the midst of an exciting period of expansion and new developments. The large-scale capital works projects throughout the city and surrounding areas means Perth will change dramatically over the next ten years, better reflecting the growing global importance of the city.

These developments provide great opportunities for investors and will drive further economic growth, creating more jobs and stimulating commerce in all industries.

While the state of Western Australia is fortunate to have world-class reserves of natural mineral and energy resources, the city has become home to an equally impressive resource - a highly educated, skilled and productive workforce – gathered here by the strength of our tertiary institutions, economic climate and world-class lifestyle opportunities, making Perth the state's leading destination for creative innovation and cultural diversity.

For more information on Perth’s greatest strengths as an investment destination visit the Economic Development section.

No matter who you are, everyone is welcome to join the Library. Plus, membership is FREE!

Joining is super-easy, and to do so you’ll just need to bring in a few items:

Current proof of your name and address
The name, phone number and address of an alternative contact who doesn’t live at your address
If you’re a kid under 16, you’ll need mum, dad or your guardian to sign your membership application.

Cola Cafe Memorabilia
The historic town of Toodyay, situated 90 kms from Perth in the Avon River Valley, has a unique café for those with a hankering for nostalgia.

The Cola Café and Museum is a 1950’s style Café serving retro tucker, foot-tapping music and features a unique collection of Coca-Cola memorabilia collected over a 45 year period.

The extensive menu covers breakfast, brunch and lunch, with quality coffee, beautiful cakes and good old fashioned friendly service.

Experience breakfast on the terrace! Sit and watch the world go by, or keep warm in winter by our cosy gas fires and enjoy our fantastic Omelettes, Eggs Benedict or the famous Combo.

We serve only Silvana Coffee and proudly make:

Caffe Latte
Mocha
Vienna
Flat White
Short and Long Black
Capuccino
Macchiato
Mugaccino
Opening Times

Open every day of the year with the exception of Christmas Day and Boxing days, from 8 am to close Monday to Sunday. On a hot day keep cool under our Mist Fans. We give friendly country service and have excellent disabled facilities.

Our Coca-Cola Memorabilia Collection was started over 45 years ago in Zimbabwe and has now expanded to over 6,000 items.

Wherever you sit you’re surrounded by Brian Dawes’ Coke obsession; everything from the conservative to the quaint to the quirky. Many items have a story - like the Coca- Cola sign that once advertised a Louis Armstrong Concert or the red plastic chairs for the café’s al fresco diners, snapped up from the Sydney 2000 Olympics. There’s a model-T open delivery truck; coca-cola transistors; a miniature vending machine; clocks; bottle and can collections; and a lot more besides.

The Cola Cafe Collection

Started over forty-five years ago in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) with miniature glass bottles of Cola-Cola in a yellow crate.

Frequent trips to South Africa and three years’ study in England saw the collection gradually grow.

In 1978 the collection rapidly expanded, with trading partners in all states.

Trips to Hong Kong, Singapore, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Vietnam and Bali have all added to the collection.

Connor's Mill is accessed through the Toodyay Visitors Centre next door.

There are three floors to explore, with the top two being accessible by stairs. Interpretations tell of the use of the building first as a flour mill, then as a power house and lastly as a tourist information centre.

On the ground floor is the 1940s era Brotherhood steam engine that once generated power for the local Industrial Extracts factory, which extracted tannin from timber. Today the engine is powered by an electrical motor, and cut-out sections display the moving pistons inside.

The Brotherhood engine is connected by a series of pulleys operating the historic milling machinery on the floor above.

On the top floor more milling equipment is on display, along with artefacts and information about other historical agricultural activities from the area, including pastoralism, honey, viticulture, timber and Ballardong Noongar practises.

In 1974 the No 3 Pump Station was classified by the National Trust (WA) and in 1999 it was permanently entered on the Heritage Council of Western Australia’s State Register of Heritage Places. The following statement of significance was prepared by the Heritage Council of Western Australia:
“No 3 Pumping Station, a brick and corrugated iron building in a Federation industrial style, constructed to house a pumping station, has cultural heritage significance for the following reasons:
the place is of international importance as a key component of one of the greatest engineering and infrastructure schemes of the late nineteenth century, the Goldfields Water Supply Scheme, which was completed in 1903;
the place has rarity value as Australia’s greatest engineering scheme, and is the most tangible infrastructure result of the discovery of gold in Western Australia;
part of the Goldfields Water Supply Scheme, the place was a key element in the pattern of social, demographic and economic development and resource exploitation in the State. The whole enterprise is an indication of the importance of gold to the regional and national economy at the end of the nineteenth century;
the place has important associations with Australian technological innovation, as well as social and political imagination and ambition. The place is associated with a number of notable figures including the scheme’s designer C. Y. O’Connor and Premier Sir John Forrest, as well as Director H. W. Venn and the architects and engineers of the Public Works Department;
the place has aesthetic value as a well designed purpose built industrial structure expressive of the public importance and ambition of the Goldfields Water Supply Scheme; and,
the place has the potential to communicate its history and historical context and thus improve public understanding of the Goldfields Water Supply Scheme.

Port Hedland's origins aren't in mining as some may think; in fact, Port Hedland started out as a port town (hence the name!). One of the key players was Dalgety and Co and the current Dalgety House Museum was the company manager's residence. It has since been transformed into a historical interactive museum managed by the dedicated volunteers of the Port Hedland Historical Society.

Dalgety House Museum provides an opportunity to gain an insight into the impact that white settlement had on the Kariyarra Aboriginal people of the Pilbara. Explore the extensive collection of artefacts & documentation presented in the enlightening displays, complete with photographs, throughout the house.