Region on show — Great Southern stories shine at WA Museum Boola Bardip

Oyster Harbour’s ancient fish traps and the story of an Englishman’s mission to break the world water speed record on Lake Dumbleyung are some of the Great Southern stories waiting to be found at the new WA Museum Boola Bardip. The $400 million museum opened two weeks ago, with thousands of West Australians flocking to discover something new about their State. The Great Southern is well represented — from the region’s Anzac history and local artefacts to rich storytelling capturing the Menang Noongar history behind some of the region’s most significant natural assets such as the Stirling Range. Oral histories from local elders tell the story beyond the geographic history of the ancient area, weaving together the traditional history of the site. New museum project director Trish McDonald said there was a huge range of materials and stories stemming from the Great Southern in the museum. “I hope locals will be surprised and delighted at the way the stories from the Great Southern are woven throughout the whole museum,” she said. “There is such a wealth of stories across the whole of the State. “But because Albany is such an important part of the history of WA, it does take a fair amount of pride of place.” The museum team worked closely with Menang Noongar elders through the Albany Heritage Reference Group to understand the history behind the Oyster Harbour fish traps. The traps, first noted by explorer George Vancouver in 1791, date back thousands of years before European settlement. The story has been captured in a multimedia display exploring the sustainable fishing practices observed by the Menang people. Among the wildlife gallery is the native pitcher plant, a small carnivorous plant that grows only on the moist sands near Albany. There is much to be discovered about the peculiar plants, which are more closely related to apples than any other pitcher plant species. Ms McDonald urged locals visiting the museum to book free tickets online, as spaces were limited due to COVID-19 restrictions.