Published on Friday, 19 June 2026 at 10:33:17 AM
The Esperance Museum will celebrate a significant milestone this October – 50 years of welcoming community and travellers into the Goods Shed! This historic building was retired from working life in the late 60s, reopening in October 1976 as the Esperance Museum. It has served since then as a much-loved space for locals and visitors to discover and explore extraordinary and everyday objects telling the story of Esperance and our wider region.
A program of creative activities and events will be rolled out to mark these 50 years of service. Dedicated Museum staff are using the anniversary to celebrate, and to offer meaningful opportunities to contribute for all those connected to Esperance.
At the heart of all the celebrations and activities is a simple question: what has happened in Esperance over the past 50 years, and what do we want future generations to know about it?
Whether you’ve passed through our region, lived here all your life, or moved away but have bright memories of this place, we will all have the chance to share memories, stories and photos; to become part of a living record showcasing our past and inspiring future generations.
The highlight of the 50th anniversary program, and our first opportunity to reach out to the future, is 50 Voices for 50 Years – nominations are now open for this powerful community storytelling project, slated to record the tales, memories and hopes of 50 people from across the community. These collected voices will create a lasting audio-visual archive capturing a 50-year snapshot of Esperance life, safeguarded for the future.
You can nominate yourself or someone else for participation in 50 Voices for 50 Years, with interviews to be professionally recorded and added to the Museum’s archive. The Museum, Council and the Shire are grateful for the generous support of the Rotary Club of Esperance Bay, whose financial contribution has made this project possible. Without this assistance, a project of this scale and quality would not be achievable.
Museum staff expect many names to be nominated for this project, with 50 to be chosen for participation - no need to worry if you don’t make the list, however! The plan is to record all nominations and follow them up later when resources allow. Our resourceful Museum staff and volunteers will find other ways to collect these valuable stories in the future.
It’s easy to see recent years as ordinary, not worth capturing or reflecting on. This has left a gap in our local history - something all the anniversary activities are designed to address. Looking ahead, it’s likely that in 2076 people will view the past 50 years with the same curiosity we bring to the Roaring Twenties, the Great Depression, Australia’s role in two world wars, and the social changes of the 1960s. This perspective is great motivation to contribute our own information that we might otherwise think of as unremarkable.
Across the Esperance district, special photos, documents and memories are tucked away in homes and private collections. These everyday moments matter - they help us create a richer, more complete picture of our shared history.
Help the Museum celebrate this fantastic milestone – and at the same time, help capture the unique spirit of Esperance, bringing together stories, images and voices that reflect life in our region over the past five decades. Think about who you can nominate for 50 Voices for 50 Years, and keep an eye on the Museum Facebook page and website for details of more exciting activities and events, all designed to bring local stories forward and pass them on to the future.
As we celebrate 50 years of the Esperance Museum in the Goods Shed, we’ll reflect on the past – while together, we’ll help to shape something meaningful for the future of our community.
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