Women knowing fire
Stories
Aboriginal stories
Photographs and films
Podcasts
A podcast and short film exploring the fire knowledge of Aboriginal women. Such knowledge has been essential to the survival and cultural practices of Indigenous communities across millennia.
Stories
Photographs and films
WA history
Agnes Hyland (1878-1939) was a professional horse trainer and circus performer that travelled the world in the early 1900s. She performed at the coronation of King George V, was a part of the Barnum and Bailey Circus and became the star act in Hyland's Circus.
Stories
Aboriginal stories
Photographs and films
WA history
A film exploring the rich knowledge held by the Whadjuk women of the Nyungar nation about the trees of southwestern Australia who understand their specific qualities, uses and value to the Nyungar people.
Australia’s Perfect Boy
Stories
Photographs and films
WA history
Billed as "Australia's Perfect Boy", Effie Marion Fellows (1893 - 1977) led an extraordinary life and incredible career as a male impersonator. She toured the world, married twice and was described by a New York newspaper as "one of the greatest boy impersonators in her line".
Stories
Photographs and films
WA history
Douglas "Dick" Perry helped open the first pine nursery in Gnangara. Dick cultivated the finest seedlings after examining over 250,000 from the Forest of Leiria, Portugal. The State Library collection has hundreds of his exquisite wildflower photos and slides.
1, 2, and 3
Photographs and films
SLWA on ABC Radio
WA history
Heritage Librarian Peter Edwards discusses on ABC Radio Perth the history of the iconic Barrack-Beaufort Street bridge from its first iteration built in 1880 through to its third iteration built between 1906 – 1908.
Halls Creek Photos 1950s
Stories
Aboriginal stories
Photographs and films
Small towns & regional cities
WA history
Sam Lovell OAM, is a stockman, boundary rider, and is regarded as the father of Aboriginal tourism in Western Australia. This collection of photographs shows the communities who lived at the Kimberley Stations during the 1950s.
Photographs and films
WA history
Five mini documentaries creatively use the State Library's heritage collection items – including letters, diaries, journals, photographs and oral recordings – to bring to life and share uniquely Western Australian stories from our State's history.
Stories
Photographs and films
SLWA on ABC Radio
WA history
Adam Trainer joins Sam Longley on ABC Radio to discuss a recent acquisition of rock legend Bon Scott's letters to the Library collection.
Aerial landscape photography
Stories
Photographs and films
SLWA on ABC Radio
WA history
Richard Woldendorp AM (1927-2023) was a renowned Australian photographer known for his shots of Australian landscapes that have a painterly quality to them.
King Neptune reigns
Stories
Photographs and films
WA history
When King Neptune's reign came to an end in 1990, it was a sad day for his subjects and fans of the once popular theme park. Images from Atlantis Marine Park in Two Rocks from the 1980's.
1926 -2022
Stories
Photographs and films
WA history
Queen Elizabeth ll was the first reigning monarch of Australia to travel the country, first visiting WA in 1954, with her last visit in 2011. See a gallery of images and a video of her visits to WA.