Wharfinger House Museum

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Muddy waters

Situated on the edge of the Derby marsh, surrounded by the iconic boab trees of this region, stands the Wharfinger House Museum. Built in the 1920s, it is situated in the former home of the manager of Derby’s jetty (Wharfinger). Its eclectic collection, developed from donations by West Kimberley residents and government departments, reflects the changing history of the region with a focus on the importance of Derby as the former primary port for exports and a regional administrative and communications centre of the north west. As a consequence, many Aboriginal groups came to live and work at Boodolar, the Warrwa and Nyikina name for Derby. In its modest way, the Museum seeks to honour their cultural stories and contributions to the region.

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Address:

3 Elder Street
Derby WA 6728
Australia

Tel:

(08) 9191 1426

Email:

libmanager@sdwk.wa.gov.au

Opening Hours

Accessible by collecting the key from the Derby Visitor Centre at 30 Loch St

Portrait of Sam Lovell, artist unknown

Innovator and leader

One of the museum’s most dedicated supporters is Sam Lovell OA—songman, drover, croc hunter, stockman, saddler, gardener, road maker, tour guide and passionate resident of Derby and the West Kimberley...

Bark canoe and mangrove raft

Aboriginal watercraft

The Saltwater people of the Kimberly made this canoe, from locally sourced bark. It was suited to the calmer waters of the north Kimberley inlets and bays, whereas the more stable raft was adapted to...

Derby airport console

Connecting the Kimberley to Australia

Hands on! This is one of the most popular items on display. Many may have forgotten that Derby, not Broome, was the regional administrative centre for the West Kimberley, including host to the...

Karijini Visitors Centre

Karijini - history, culture and nature

Twisting through the Hamersley Ranges, now famous for iron ore deposits, lies Karijini National Park, with Karijini being the Banyjima name for this area. Visitors can explore the ancient country of...

Wangka Maya Aboriginal Language Centre

Keeping language strong

Servicing over 30 language groups of the Pilbara, Wangka Maya was the first Aboriginal language centre in the north. Established in 1987, elders committed to preserving their language, culture and...

Kununurra Museum

Kununurra stories

For a town that was only gazetted in 1961, the Kununurra Museum has amassed an amazing amount of information, objects and stories about the town and the history of the surrounding region. From 2,000...

Ganalili Centre and Juluwarlu Aboriginal Corporation

Ganalili - A Place of New Beginnings

Ganalili is the Yindjibarndi word for the light in the morning before the rising of the sun. Living up to its name of new beginnings, the centre is set in Roebourne’s old Victoria Hotel, a site of...