Eyre Bird Observatory Museum

Get directions

A cosy natural history museum and bird observatory on the Great Australian Bight.

Visit a museum and bird observatory in one of the most isolated places in the world. Unwind, relax and take in the natural beauty and the natural history collection. The one-room museum includes skeletons of sea creatures and bird life, and items from the weather observatory and original telegraph station. The location is named after explorer Edward John Eyre, who surveyed the area in 1841. A number of the early buildings at the Eyre Bird Observatory, now covered in drifting sand, were erected for the Inter-Colonial Telegraph Line. The Eyre Telegraph Station started operations on 17 July 1877. Access to the Eyre Bird Observatory is by high clearance four-wheel drive. Contact the Observatory to book accommodation, or register as a day visitor.

Visit website

Address:

PMB 32 Cocklebiddy via Norseman
Cocklebiddy WA 6443
Australia

Tel:

(08) 9039 3450

Email:

eyre@birdlife.org.au

Opening Hours

Mon to Sun 9am - 4pm. It is essential to contact the Observatory before your visit.

Eretmochelys imbricata

Hawksbill turtle skeleton

This critically endangered turtle was once hunted for its ‘tortoiseshell’. This specimen is a juvenile measuring approximately 15 centimetres, however, they can grow up to 1 metre and weigh around 80...

Leafy sea dragon skeleton

Mythical sea dragon

The leafy seadragon (Phycodurus eques) is native to the southern and western coasts of Australia. It is related to the seahorse and pipefish. Leafy sea dragons are often washed ashore during storms.

Major Mitchell’s cockatoo skull

Quite a hairstyle

You can't tell from the skull, but this bird has one of the best ‘hairstyles’ of the bird world: a bright red and yellow crest. Major Mitchell’s cockatoos (Lophochroa leadbeateri) frequent the...

Dowerin District Museum

A charming museum in an old house built by a saddler.

This charming museum is built upon the legacy of one family: the O’Shaughnessy’s. It is housed in the original home built in 1915, for Eugene O’Shaughnessy the local boot maker and saddler. The...

Mangowine Homestead

A glimpse of early pioneering life at this remote Wheatbelt outpost

The stunning landscape surrounding Mangowine is a powerful reminder of people's relationship with the environment. The place represents a story of resilience and tenacity. In the 1870s, Charles and...

The Windmills Shed

A farmer's love of windmills

A collection not to be missed! The extremely rare Steel Wings windmill at the entrance to Wimera Farm signal that this is a special visitor experience. The windmill collection, developed by local...

Wongan Hills and Districts Museum

A local history archive in an old hospital

Walk through this old converted hospital,which houses an extensive array of local history items. The maze of rooms include themes and include a 'telephone room' with items from the old telegraph...