Bluebird Discovery Centre

One Man, His Dream, Our Lake

A New Year’s Eve to remember: Breaking the world water speed record at 444.71 km/h. Blink and you would miss the moment! On 31 December 1964, on Lake Dumbleyung, in his hydroplane Bluebird K7, Donald Campbell broke the world water speed record. The Bluebird K7 with a 4000lb thrust Beryl engine used 49 litres of kerosene a minute. Campbell is the only person to break the world water speed record and land speed record in the same year. He broke the land speed record at Lake Eyre, South Australia on 17 July 1964. The Bluebird Discovery Centre, located in the old Post Office and current Dumbleyung Community Resource Centre, pays homage to this historical world recording - breaking moment. Also look out for Mr Whoppit the mascot. Make sure you visit the Bluebird K7 replica located just across the road and there is also a self-led exhibition of early settler history, at the old railway building.

Address:

28 Absolon Street
Dumbleyung WA 6350
Australia

Opening Hours
Mon 9:30am - 4:30pm; Tues to Fri 9am - 4:30pm
Married to Danger

Tonia Bern was a cabaret singer who graced the stages of Paris, London and New York when she married Donald Campbell in December 1958. Tonia describes Donald in this way, “He grew up in a boy’s dream...

Mascot

Mr Whoppit was Donald Campbell's mascot, who accompanied him during his water and land speed record attempts. Mr Whoppit also had a Bluebird patch stitched onto his little red jacket. The Mister...

Journey of a win

This is an album of photographs from Donald Campbell's 1964 record-breaking event. The album includes photographs of the very brief moment he broke the water speed record at 276.33 mph (444.71 km/h).

More Golden Outback collections

A collection of rail carriages in a disused wheatbin

Have you ever wondered what was inside the large silver wheat bins which litter the Wheatbelt landscape? Wonder no more! Step inside a decommissioned wheatbin which houses a collection of rail...

The largest museum collection outside Perth

You will need more than one visit to take in this impressive collection. The museum is a short stroll from the foreshore, in a historic railway building. Get lost in the large collection of items...

A Wheatbelt town named after an Antartic explorer.

The Shackleton Hall houses a collection which tells the history of settlement in the area. It also includes information related to Kwolyin, a ghost town, located approximately 9km to the west of...

A taste of Europe in the WA bush

Enter New Norcia and you’ll feel as though you have stumbled upon another era. The magnificent buildings, monastery, olive trees and church bells feel as though they would be more at home in Europe...

While you're in the area

Filter
Wuddi Cultural Centre
Attraction
Wuddi Cultural Centre
The Wuddi Cultural Centre is located 3 hours south of Perth in the...
66 Absolon Street, Dumbleyung, WA 6350
Lake Dumbleyung
Attraction
Lake Dumbleyung
The picturesque Lake Dumbleyung was made famous in the 1960s when Donald...
Wagin Road, Dumbleyung, WA 6350