Now available on the Museum’s website, or wherever you get your podcasts, the series invites listeners to experience stories of local identity, community, and history through voices of historians, and community members, including Menang Noongar Elders.
This three-episode series brings the histories of Albany, Eclipse Island and the global Entangled Knowledges project into focus, uncovering the many layers of WA’s Great Southern region, and the City of Albany, in the lead-up to Albany 2026.
Episode one, Fragments of Light, Eclipse Island brings to life the experiences of lighthouse keepers, capturing the isolation, determination, and sense of duty required to guide ships safely along WA’s rugged southern coast.
Episode two, Pride of Place, explores the significance of Menang Noongar place names, which hold deep meaning for the region’s identity.
Episode three, Entangled Knowledges, reveals how precious cultural items, once separated from their communities, are being reconnected with the Menang people. Through collaboration between Menang Elders and researchers, efforts are being made to restore lost knowledge and bring these stories back to where they began.
WA Museum CEO, Alec Coles, explained how important it was for museums to explore all forms of story-telling, and how podcasts are an important part of the mix.
“Stories of the Great Southern reveals important stories through a variety of voices and perspectives, reminding us of our distinct identities, but also our shared experiences.”
WA on Display: Stories of the Great Southern was made possible by a Foundation for the WA Museum Minderoo Grant, funded through the Discovery Endowment Fund. Produced by Barking Wolf, with narration by Jessica Machin and sound design by Tom Allum, the series features contributions from Menang Elders, historians, and curators who share their knowledge of WA’s cultural landscape.
For further information, please visit https://visit.museum.wa.gov.au/episodes/wa-display
Episode Details
- Fragments of Light, Eclipse Island takes place on the shores of Eclipse Island, a small, uninhabited parcel of land 17 kilometres south of Albany. Situated at the mouth of Menang Koort, the Menang Noongar name for Albany’s welcoming natural harbour, Eclipse Island was once a brutal playground for gangs of sealers and later a secluded home for lighthouse keepers and their families.
- Pride of Place takes listeners to the deep south of WA, in a regional centre known by many names across history: Kinjarling, Frederick's Town, Albany. How has the coastal city of Albany been influenced by its place alongside the Southern Ocean and what can be learned from history as we approach its bicentennial year of 2026 and beyond?
- Entangled Knowledges follows the global connections to Albany’s stories and shares how these stories are coming home today. Entangled Knowledges is a locally-driven international research project that is rediscovering and reinterpreting museum collections by bringing living cultures into the mix. It's combining colonially curated material from UK museum collections with knowledge and insights from Menang Noongar cultural custodians and community members.
