Lightkeepers Museum opens at Margaret River-Busselton Tourism Association’s Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse

Families and descendants of lighthouse keepers travelled to Cape Naturaliste on Tuesday for a very special occasion. The Margaret River-Busselton Tourism Association unveiled its long-awaited new interpretive offering focused on the history of lighthouse keepers throughout the years of the Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse’s operation. The Lightkeepers Museum brings to life the experiences, isolation, and resilience of lightkeepers and their families who once tended the site, the association said. “This exhibition hosts several key features,” Capes Foundation inaugural director Steve Harrison said. “The focus of the centre is to provide insight and stories from the perspective of the children of keepers who lived at Cape Naturaliste. “Some of the experiences visitors can expect to find include a number of audio and visual interactives, a bespoke animation film telling the story of the Carnarvon Castle Ship that caught fire at sea and the survival stories of those on board who managed to get ashore at Cape Naturaliste.” Among the crowds on hand to enjoy the unveiling were the Keenan family, with lighthouse keeper’s son Stewart bringing his personal experience to the occasion. His father Edward took up duties at Cape Naturaliste in 1922 and was adopted by the Keenan family who lived nearby. “Dad drew the map you can see displayed in the museum when he was 13 years old,” Mr Keenan said. “He had a love for art and a very good knowledge of the Cape area. Seeing it transformed into an interactive display makes me very proud. “As a family, we all feel very proud. I know he would have felt a lot of pride too,” he said. “I hope everybody that comes enjoys it and gets a deeper understanding of what things used to be like.” The lighthouse had served the Cape for more than 120 years and continued to be a vital maritime asset. The new museum also delves into the region’s broader history, including the years of French exploration and mapping in the early 1800s as well as the 60,000-year custodianship of the Wadandi people. Environmental themes such as weather and whaling also feature in the displays.