An online art and history collection is bringing together the history of the City of Stirling, from black-and-white photos of the earliest days of the northern suburbs to today’s colourful contemporary artworks.
There are already around 2000 items in the online database and that number will continue to grow as more of the existing collection is catalogued and new items added.
A search for “Osborne Park” produces a range of results about market gardening, with interviews, old tools, video footage and other items donated by local families.
Historical photos linked to Osborne Park include Osborne Park residents travelling by horse and cart for their annual picnic at Scarborough Beach in 1910 and the winners of the Best Dairyman’s Turnout at the inaugural Osborne Park Show in 1919.
There are also oral histories of surfing and popular culture at Scarborough and photographs of Trigg from as far back as 1897.
A series of interviews with residents who give first-hand accounts of local history and experiences in areas across the city is also available.
Some of these interviews were recorded decades ago with people who lived through the world wars, while others were conducted in the past year with swimming champion Shelley Taylor-Smith and Mt Lawley historian Barrie Baker.
Mr Baker, one of many prominent local figures who has their own profile on the new online platform, died just months after the interview.
There is a section dedicated to Mooro Nyoongar culture and heritage, a civic section with items related to the City of Stirling — formerly Perth Road District and Shire of Perth — and information on the city’s natural history, such as an audio walk around Herdsman Lake.
Hundreds of artworks can be found in the database, from large sculptures in prominent public places to paintings by the likes of the late Nyoongar artist Meeyakba Shane Pickett and Academy Award winner Shaun Tan.
The online catalogue features more than 50 permanent public artworks, which are now searchable on a map, and more than 230 visual arts pieces on display in the city’s buildings, including winners of the city’s long-running art awards.
The city’s growing body of Aboriginal art spans the mediums of painting, sculpture, ground-based artwork and more, and is now showcased on one platform.
The new online format enables the art and history collections to complement each other.
Results for public art at Charles Riley Memorial Reserve, for example, link people to the story of Charles Riley, who drowned during the rescue of three girls at Watermans Bay.
“The City of Stirling is a diverse community with a rich cultural history shaped by Mooro Nyoongar and migrant heritage,” mayor Mark Irwin said.
“This project is not only about preserving our cultural history, but also sharing it and making it more accessible to the community.
“This is a great resource for students and for anyone looking for inspiration or looking to learn more about where they live.”
To learn more, visit collections.stirling.wa.gov.au/.
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