Bridgetown Police Station Museum Overview

Bridgetown Police Station Museum

Get directions

A South West highlight - compelling insight into local history

Bridgetown Historical Society curates the museum within the original Bridgetown Police Station and Lockup 1880. The graffitied cell walls and the well-worn floorboards of this 1880 building speak of the many people that have spent time here, either as police or as prisoners. The early settlement was called ‘Geegelup’, taken from the Pibulmun/Wadandi people’s term for the freshwater crustaceans in the local brook (now known as gilgies). In 1868 the town was proclaimed as Bridgetown. The Aboriginal history is not lost, however, in fact it is incorporated as an important part of the story of this building and the district. In recent years, the Historical Society has consulted with local Elders to develop the current displays. Changing exhibitions draw on the extensive photographic collection of more than 1500 items.

Visit website

Address:

148 Hampton St
Bridgetown WA 6255
Australia

Tel:

0487 592 704

Email:

info@bridgetownhistoricalsociety.org.au

Opening Hours

Sat 10am - 1pm; Other times on request.

Lock Up Chain

Imprisonment was an inhumane experience. Only Aboriginal prisoners were chained to this heavy chain which was anchored through this gap in the wall of the lock-up. Chains were secured to neck braces...

Dog Tag

The Dog Act 1883 required that owners register their dogs with their local Road Board. This rare metal dog tag was issued by the Nelson Road Board in 1907. This was the name of the district which was...

Suitcase Stories

The story of arrival is told through this display of suitcases. Each case tells a different story: a Group Settler’s wooden trunk from 1925; a leather trunk of a family of means who created the farm...

Busselton Public Libraries

The local Studies Collection within the Busselton Public Library is a vital stop for anyone investigating Busselton's history. Council minutes, ratebooks, historic maps, and collections of oral...

Denmark Historical Society

Preserving the Heritage of Denmark, Western Australia'

Once a place where prisoners were locked up, this old Police Station is now the home of the Denmark Historical Society which works hard to unlock the history of this picturesque town. The history of...

Waroona Museum

The Waroona Museum occupies the old Roads Board Building for the Drakesbrook District, as Waroona was known prior to 1946. This smart wooden building on the South West Highway was built in 1932. The...

Ngowanjerindj - Gnowangerup Aboriginal Corporation Cultural Heritage Centre

A place where the local history of Noongar people in Gnowangerup is shared and looked after.

Ngowanjerindji is the local Noongar word for Gnowangerup, home of the mallee fowl. The Gnowangerup Aboriginal Corporation and Cultural Heritage Centre shares stories of local Noongar heritage, culture...