Shire of Derby / West Kimberley Library - local studies collection

Muddy Waters

Named after the Earl of Derby, the town has a rich colonial history as the first regional and administrative centre, supporting the sheep and cattle stations of the west Kimberley. Keeper of this history is the Derby library and its Local History Collection which is a trove that includes thousands of photographs, archived newspapers and a variety of books that visitors are welcome to view on demand. Like the namesake of one of the Derby tabloids, the Boab Babbler, the West Kimberley Library is the place to find out what’s been happening in the region. Providing a sanctuary from the Kimberley heat, the library also exhibits many of the acquisitions from the Kimberley Art Award, an integral part of Derby’s annual Boab Festival.

Address:

Clarendon Street
Derby WA 6728
Australia

Opening Hours
Mon, Tues, Wed & Fri 9.30am - 12pm; Thurs 1 - 5pm; Sat 10am – 12pm
Valued skills

Larry Kunamarra, a Bunuba man, once ran with Jandamarra and his gang through the Napier and Wunaanim-Miliwudi Ranges. After finally being shot and captured, Larry, like Jandamarra, became a valued...

Sheep on the run

Few may remember that it was sheep, not cattle, that were brought to the rich pastures along the Fitzroy River in the 1880s. Since that time Derby has been the regional centre and port for the west...

Two in one

A favourite pastime of many locals was to carve whatever enduring materials were at hand—turtle shell and catfish bones for the saltwater people, and cow horns and boab nuts for those from the station...

More North West collections

Collecting the Kimberley through art

Since its inception as an educational campus for Kimberley communities, the University of Notre Dame’s campus in Broome has also been committed to collecting and exhibiting the art generated from...

This is the place of Yawuru

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Growing pearls

More than a ‘pearl shop’, Cygnet Bay Pearls reveals the history of pearling in Broome and the mysteries of how pearls are made. With films, impressive displays and live tours, visitors are taken step...

Shells galore

This extraordinary shell collection is one of the largest in Australia. Collected over the last 70 years by fisherman and boat builder Neil Baker, the shells come from all over Australia and the...

While you're in the area

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Mt Elizabeth Station Stay
Accommodation
Mt Elizabeth Station Stay
Mt Elizabeth Station is about as close to the heart of the Kimberley...
Derby-Gibb River Road, Derby, WA 6728
Manning Gorge
Attraction
Manning Gorge
For camping under a star-filled outback sky and immersing yourself in...
Derby-Gibb River Road, Mount Barnett Station, Derby, WA 6728
Derby Lodge
Accommodation
Derby Lodge
Derby Lodge welcomes you to their oasis in the heart of the Kimberley's...
15-19 Clarendon Street, Derby, WA 6728
Pigeon Heritage Trail
Attraction
Pigeon Heritage Trail
Discover the intriguing story of the legendary Aboriginal tracker and...
Derby Gibb River Road, Derby, WA 6728