Tracing WA’s Coastline Through Historic Collections
Along the vast stretches are small town museums showcasing seaside collections and objects from WA’s history. Discover a coastal road trip from the Kimberley hotspot Broome down to the South West favourite Busselton, told through objects from shells and ships, messages in bottles, pearl-shell carvings, and old jetty posts. Each stop reveals how life by the ocean has shaped Western Australian communities, livelihoods and local history.
Take Flight at the Broome Bird Observatory
At the Broome Bird Observatory, the Clive Minton Discovery Centre immerses visitors in Roebuck Nay’s avian migration through interactive soundscapes and science displays. Among the specimen exhibits, a pelican jawbone, representing Australia’s heaviest flying bird, draws on Yawuru respect and Nyikina artistic homage to the majestic pelican, bridging natural science with local story. Bird enthusiasts will also appreciate the observatory’s library of bird books, a resource curated for both first-time bird watchers to experts.
Visit Broome Historical Museum
The Broome Historical Museum, once the customs house and lockup for imprisoned Asian labourers, now sits home to artefacts of the pearling era. A particularly interesting item is the pearl-shell postcard, etched with a sentimental message sent on Christmas Day 1911, a shimmering gift from “Roger” to his future bride. The delicate pearl queen crown is another crowd favourite, crafted with Japanese cultured pearls and velvet, which symbolises Broome’s annual Shinju Matsuri festival, blending community celebration and beautiful craftsmanship.
Discover Pearls and Ports at the Cossack Museum
Housed in the historic courthouse on the Harding River, the Cossack Museum is home to many objects dating back to the time when Cossack became WA’s first northern port. Artefacts like the shiny pearlshell buttons that were once a treasured substitute for plastic reflect the frontier pearling industry and the impact this had on Aboriginal divers. Discover a Chinese-style ceramic head, nestled among reclaimed vase fragments, that sits as a reminder of the strong presence of Asian labourers and shopkeepers in the frontier towns of the north.
See Giant Shells in Onslow
The Neil Baker Shell Collection near Onslow is a beachcomber's dream, a treasure chest of more than 5,000 shells collected over decades from reef flats and low tides. One of the largest shell collections in Australia, this collection stems from Neil’s childhood fascination with collecting shells and now tells the extraordinary, diverse range of our favourite beach molluscs. The iconic giant bailer shell is a highlight which was once used by Aboriginal people to bail out canoes, and now sits as both a functional tool and a cultural relic.
From the Coast to Space
Who would expect to find space relics by the coast? The Carnarvon Space and Technology Museum reveals WA’s pivotal role in the Gemini and Apollo missions. Marvel over a fragment of Skylab, the first working laboratory in space that still bears the marks of in-orbit repair! Discover the OTC satellite dish that helped broadcast the moon landing across the country. Inside, the Apollo mission console showcases the tension and triumph of space exploration.
Head Down the Coast to Greenough Museum Gardens
Set in the Maley family’s 19th-century homestead, the Greenough Museum and Gardens showcases life in early rural WA presented through interactive displays and hidden nooks for the younger visitors! A restored rocking horse, once a beloved children's toy with its amusing backwards saddle, offers glimpses into what family life once was like. The flood painting, a historical piece of artwork, captures the region’s periodic deluges and adds another layer of place-based storytelling to the gardens.
Take a Dive at the Busselton Jetty
A visit to the iconic Busselton Jetty in the South West is not complete without a trip to the Busselton Jetty Museum. Explore the interactive touch screens that guide visitors through the jetty’s many lives, through construction, collapse, and resurrection. A standout item includes the original diving board, which was once a playful accessory on the long jetty. There is a showcase of tools used by the workers who built and maintained the timber structure and its railway over the years. In case you weren’t aware, the Busselton Jetty is the longest timber-piled jetty in the Southern Hemisphere, and we are very proud to have this here in WA!
As you travel along Western Australia’s vast coastline, you’ll be blown away at what you discover in the towns and museums. These places are now home to history that occurred both on the land and in the oceans too. If hugging the coast is something that piques your interest for a road trip, but these places on your next WA road trip bucket list, and create your own itinerary using our itinerary builder.
