Bunbury Museum and Heritage Centre hosts Pictureing Bunbury exhbition

A special exhibition at the Bunbury Museum and Heritage Centre is zooming in on those behind the camera lens.

The Picturing Bunbury – 100 Years of Photography exhibition opened on Sunday, featuring some of the first photos of Bunbury from during the early colonial period to the 1960s.

The exhibition focuses on the legacy left behind by some of the city’s most renowned photographers while also providing a visual record of Bunbury’s history.

A highlight of the exhibition is a 1920s camera and tripod from Restella Studio, which was on Wellington Street.

The antique item is one of many items on loan from the Bunbury Historical Society at the King Cottage Museum.

The Bunbury Museum’s heritage curatorial coordinator Rachael Wedd said the exhibition was a celebration of Bunbury’s rich photographic history.

“It’s just a little snapshot of some of the absolutely amazing photographers that Bunbury has had in its past and we wanted to pay tribute to them,” Ms Wedd said.

“It’s an amazing display of things that people just don’t see anymore.

“We wanted to, firstly, highlight how amazing these early photographers were but also just to give people perspective that photography was a rare and special thing.

“It’s not like people walking around with their digital phones like people do now ... so actually capturing history, how special it was, how amazing some of these early items really are.

“It’s about the whole significance of photography and how it’s helped Bunbury develop as well.”

Along with photographs in the collection is a variety of objects, including glass-plate negatives, a magic lantern and stereographic cameras.

Dating from the late 1850s, the exhibition also focuses on notable photographers in original Restella Studio owner George Cox, Wesley Meyer and Stephen and Eleanor Stout.

“Stephen and Eleanor Stout took some amazing photos of early Aboriginals that were local and many people didn’t get those photo opportunities,” Ms Wedd said.

“We’re really impressed with the interaction we’ve already had with the exhibition, it’s already generated a lot of business.

“Bunbury Historical Society based out at King Cottage – they’ve been very generous with some very, very special items that they’ve loaned us for display for this exhibition.

“The beautiful Restella camera, the old stereoscopes, one of the magic lanterns and some of the cameras and the plates are all from the historical society, so we’re very, very grateful for the relationship we have with them and the help they’ve given us.”

The exhibition is on display until July 2.

Entry to the museum is free.