Annual Report 2010-2011 - Western Australian Museum

A major priority for the WA Museum
is to deliver its services across
the whole of the State. It was
appropriate, therefore, to begin
with the improvement of our own
regional sites with major upgrades
of exhibitions in both Albany and
Kalgoorlie-Boulder. Geraldton
Museum has secured funding
to develop a master plan for the
extension and development of its
site and this was preceded by it
winning a silver award for Best
Tourist Attraction in the Western
Australian Tourism Awards.
Of course, our important research
and collections management
work continues apace behind the
scenes. Another 61 new species
of animal have been described by
Museum staff and 62 new holotype
specimens added to our collections.
There have also been conspicuous
successes through our partnerships
with other organisations. Following
the completion of the first phase
of our Marine Life of the Kimberley
Region project with Woodside, a
further five-year research project for
the Kimberley has been developed
with the same company. Meanwhile,
a new molecular lab is under
construction at Welshpool courtesy
of environmental offset funds from
Rio Tinto.
The receipt of significant Dutch
shipwrecks material from the
Government of the Netherlands
under the auspices of the Australian
Netherlands Committee on Old
Dutch Shipwrecks (ANCODS) was
also an extremely important event in
the history of the Museum.
Key to our current and future
success has been a deep and
broad review of our business, our
operations and our plans. This has
resulted in the production of a new,
confident and inclusive strategic
plan that crystallises our vision and
aspirations and sets our business
model for the next three years.
Importantly, as we progress planning
to develop a brand new museum
on the Perth site, the concept of
‘new museum’ must be embraced
to describe the whole of the WA
Museum, not just its buildings. In a
rapidly changing world we have both
a need and a responsibility to adapt
and respond to the many challenges
that face our State, its people and its
environment.
Our achievements are the result of
commitment and hard work from
Museum staff and supporters. I
particularly wish to acknowledge
the work of our staff who, despite
the pressure and uncertainty of
organisational change, have worked
tirelessly and with huge loyalty and
commitment to ensure our success.
I also want to thank all our
corporate and individual supporters
without whom we simply could
not function: their generosity is
greatly appreciated. We continue
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Western Australian Museum ANNUAL REPORT 2010/2011
to be grateful to the WA Museum
Foundation for its support and we
welcome its new Director, Jane
Harris.
I extend my personal thanks to the
Museum’s Board of Trustees and its
Chair Tim Ungar for their support;
also, of course, to our colleagues at
the Department of Culture and the
Arts through their Director General
Ms Allanah Lucas.
Finally, my particular thanks go to
the Minister for Culture and the Arts,
the Hon John Day MLA. There can
be no more passionate supporter of
the Museum and we are grateful for
his commitment to our work and, of
course, his determination to secure
a new museum building in Perth.
Alec coles
Chief Executive Officer,
Western Australian Museum
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