Latest News

  • Attenborough’s goblin spider

    4 Aug 2012

    New species named for Sir David Attenborough

    • New species of spider named in honour of Sir David Attenborough
    • Presentation made to Sir David Attenborough at the WA Museum
    • Prethopalpus attenboroughi is only found on one island in Queensland

    Chief Executive Officer of the WA Museum Alec Coles today announced a new species of spider will be named after eminent naturalist and broadcaster Sir David Attenborough.

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    Western Australian Museum

  • Close-up view of an assassin spider on a branch

    2 Aug 2012

    New discoveries in the world around us

    Discover which new species of creepy crawlies have been found lurking around the State’s South Coast in the next In the Wild West lecture at the Western Australian Museum – Albany on 16 and 17 August.

    ‘New discoveries in the world around us’, presented by WA Museum Head of Terrestrial Zoology Dr Mark Harvey will reveal some of the new species of spiders, reptiles, frogs, scorpions and insects recently found in WA.

    Dr Harvey said the cool climate of the Great Southern region provides a perfect ecosystem for the persistence of many ancient lineages of species.

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    Western Australian Museum

  • A model house made for an exhibition

    30 Jul 2012

    Clem Burns Heritage Awards winners announced

    Following an outstanding array of entries from local primary school children, the Western Australian Museum - Geraldton awarded the winners of the 23rd Annual Clem Burns Heritage Awards on Friday, 27 July 2012.

    WA Museum Education Officer Mary Callaghan said this year’s awards; open annually to primary school children in years 3 to 7 from the Mid-West region, focussed on creating models showing the many varieties of sustainable energy in use today.

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    Western Australian Museum

  • A large brown scorpion on the sandy soil

    26 Jul 2012

    New Scorpion celebrates renowned conservationist

    A new species of scorpion discovered on Western Australia’s Barrow Island has been named in honour of renowned conservationist Dr Harry Butler.

    The Urodacus butleri is unusually dark in colour and believed to be native to the Island off the State’s North-West, and small parts of the mainland Pilbara bioregion.

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    Western Australian Museum

  • A massive solar power farm

    24 Jul 2012

    Geraldton’s abuzz with energy for National Science Week

    Exploring energy will be the focus of the many activities taking place at the Western Australian Museum – Geraldton for National Science Week this August.

    WA Museum – Geraldton Regional Manager Catherine Belcher said the first event in the lead up to National Science Week will be a public lecture on the Greenough River Solar Farm on Thursday 2 August at 7pm.

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    Western Australian Museum

  • A bat flying over a body of fresh water

    23 Jul 2012

    ANZANG set to amaze Perth audiences

    The popular annual ANZANG Nature Photography exhibition will return to the Western Australian Museum – Perth on 27 July.

    The ANZANG Nature Photography exhibition celebrates the depth and diversity of nature in Australia, New Zealand, Antarctica and New Guinea through the eyes of a photographer.

    WA Museum Chief Executive Officer Alec Coles said the extremely high calibre of the photography in the exhibition had attracted strong audiences in the past, and he expected this year’s exhibition to be just as popular.

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    Western Australian Museum

  • Two children sifting through gravel

    16 Jul 2012

    Museum to share educational excursion expertise

    The Western Australian Museum – Kalgoorlie-Boulder will host a group of local primary school teachers for an Association of Independent Schools WA professional development event on 23 July.

    The teachers will take part in a Primary History Excursion Workshop exploring the living conditions, cultures and social lives of the people living in the Goldfields through the WA Museum – Kalgoorlie-Boulder’s collection of objects, photos, furniture and memorabilia.

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    Western Australian Museum

  • Harry Butler working on specimen preparation

    12 Jul 2012

    Harry Butler heading to Karratha

    The people of the Pilbara will receive a rare insight into the life of one of Australia’s most celebrated conservationists as part of the Western Australian Museum’s Harry Butler Lecture Series: In the Wild West.

    On Wednesday 25 July Dr Harry Butler, WA Museum Fellow and recently appointed Officer in the Order of Australia, will present ‘Museum collectors and carers: one collector’s story’ at the Tambrey Tavern and Function Centre in Karratha from 6:30pm.

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    Western Australian Museum

  • A close-up photo of a pseudoscorpion specimen

    9 Jul 2012

    New discovery honours Darwin descendant

    A new species of pseudoscorpion found in Western Australia’s Wheatbelt region has been named Synsphyronus christopherdarwini in honour of the great-great-grandson of Charles Darwin.

    Western Australian Museum Head of Terrestrial Zoology, Dr Mark Harvey led the arachnid-focused team that discovered the new species.

    “The pseudoscorpion was found during a Bush Blitz expedition to Bush Heritage Australia’s Charles Darwin Reserve, 355km north-east of Perth, which documented plant and animal species” Dr Harvey said.

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    Western Australian Museum

  • A crowd of people in front a large grass hut

    4 Jul 2012

    Revisiting the old Goldfields

    Take a trip back to old Kalgoorlie and explore the houses and gardens of yesteryear in a special lecture at the Western Australian Museum – Kalgoorlie-Boulder on 18 July.

    WA Museum Regional Manager Zoe Scott said the lecture, presented by local history enthusiast Robyn Horner, will provide a backstory to the classic federation style houses that line the Goldfield’s streets today.

    “Paddy Hannan’s discovery of gold in 1893 saw a sudden influx of people coming into the Goldfields,” Ms Scott said.

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    Western Australian Museum

  • Dr Mikael Siversson, Western Australian Museum Curator of Palaeontology, next to a cast of a Tyrannosaurus Rex

    3 Jul 2012

    Dinosaurs of the 21st Century: masters of the skies

    The surprising relationship between dainty neighbourhood ducks and the terrifying T-Rex will be revealed in the next In the Wild West lecture at the Western Australian Museum - Albany on 12 and 13 July.

    ‘Dinosaurs of the 21st Century: masters of the skies’, presented by Curator of Palaeontology Dr Mikael Siversson, will explain how 125 million year old raptor dinosaur fossils from China have confirmed the long-held belief birds and dinosaurs are closely related.

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    Western Australian Museum

  • A silhouette of a child playing violin

    29 Jun 2012

    Post-World War II Australia in Pictures

    The iconic images of one of Australia's most renowned photographers, Max Dupain will be exhibited at the Western Australian Museum – Albany from 7 July.

    Dupain was famous for his modernist, documentary style of photography and his images of post-World War II Australia are widely regarded as important records of a changing society.

    Western Australian Museum – Albany Acting Regional Manager Catherine Salmaggi said his images, spanning from the 1940s to 1970s, offer a visual record of the ideology and culture of the time.

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    Western Australian Museum

  • A drilling expedition in remote WA

    27 Jun 2012

    Downunder down under: collecting in the dark zone

    PLEASE NOTE: Please note this lecture will now be presented by Dr Mark Harvey, Head of Terrestrial Zoology.

    Discover the intriguing fieldwork of Western Australian Museum curators in some of the State’s most remote and diverse environments in the next In the Wild West lecture at the WA Maritime Museum on Friday 6 July.

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    Western Australian Museum

  • 20 Jun 2012

    Congratulations Dr. Harry Butler

    The honours and recognition keep coming for WA Museum Fellow and naturalist Dr. Harry Butler.

    On Monday 11 June 2012, Dr. Butler was appointed an Officer in the Order of Australia, in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List.

    This achievement follows on from Dr. Butler’s recent appointment as a National Living Treasure (March 2012) and reinforces the contribution that he has made to the conservation and restoration of Australia’s environment over the past 50 years.

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    Western Australian Museum

  • Dinosaur stuffed toys under a tree in a garden

    20 Jun 2012

    Museum gets crafty with dinosaurs

    The Western Australian Museum is hosting a free community craft day on Sunday 1 July and encouraging Perth sew-ers to come along to make toy dinosaurs.

    WA Museum Project Officer Renae Woodhams said the craft day was a great opportunity for Perth’s creative community to showcase their talents and to celebrate dinosaurs in all their forms.

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    Western Australian Museum

  • A bright yellow box fish with striking black spots

    15 Jun 2012

    Free underwater photography seminars

    Western Australian diver and 2011 ANZANG Nature Photography category winner, Tammy Gibbs will reveal the secret to making the most of underwater photography in two free seminars at the Western Australian Museum- Geraldton this month.

    Ms Gibbs, the President of the Western Australian Underwater Photographic Society, said underwater photography offers a unique opportunity for its partakers and admirers to experience a whole new world beneath the sea surface.

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    News
    Danny Murphy

  • Professor Lyn Beazley in front of large stromatolite formations

    12 Jun 2012

    Western Australia: a Geological and Biological Wonderland

    The Western Australian Museum’s Harry Butler Lecture Series: In the Wild West will return to Geraldton this month with a lecture celebrating the wonderland that is Western Australia.

    Presented by Chief Scientist of Western Australia, Professor Lyn Beazley, ‘Western Australia: a Geological and Biological Wonderland’ will highlight the reasons our State is internationally recognised for its unique and diverse plant and animal species.  

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    Danny Murphy

  • Zuytdorp exhibition display as it was installed in Kalbarri

    5 Jun 2012

    Artefacts to commemorate Zuytdorp anniversary

    • Artefacts lent to the Shire of Northampton to commemorate 300 year anniversary of the Zuytdorp shipwreck
    • Artefacts include rare porcelain and coins
    • Excavating the Zuytdorp exhibition part of Zest Festival; a five year event leading up to the 400th anniversary of the landing of Dirk Hartog.

    The Western Australian Museum has loaned 43 artefacts to the Shire of Northampton to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the wreck of Zuytdorp - a Dutch East India Ship lost in the winter of 1712 en route to Batavia (now Jakarta) from The Netherlands.

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    News
    Danny Murphy

  • Dr Ian Godfrey inside the living quarters of the Main Hut in Antarctica

    31 May 2012

    Exploration and conservation: the Australasian Antarctic Expedition 1911-1914

    The Western Australian Museum’s Harry Butler Lecture Series: In the Wild West will return to Albany this June with a lecture to celebrate the centenary of the first Australasian Antarctic Expedition.

    ‘Exploration and Conservation: the Australasian Antarctic Expedition 1911 – 1914’, presented by Western Australian Museum Senior Curator Dr Ian Godfrey will bring to life the lesser known aspects of this heroic era of Antarctic exploration.

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    Danny Murphy

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