Contribution by a community-based organisation

Bus Preservation Society of Western Australia

The Bus Preservation Society of Western Australia (BPSWA), based in Whiteman Park, is a self-funded community organisation dedicated to the conservation and promotion of WA’s motor bus public transport heritage. The organisation has a collection of more than 35 historic buses and a comprehensive bus related archive and artefact collection. The group’s mission is to operate a nationally recognised working collection of buses for the enjoyment and benefit of the public.

Friends of Anzac Cottage Inc.

Located at 38 Kalgoorlie Street in Mount Hawthorn, Anzac Cottage was the first memorial to the Great War to be constructed in Western Australia and the second in Australia. Built in 1916 by the community in one day, Anzac Cottage has been faithfully restored to its original appearance both inside and out. The Friends of Anzac Cottage Inc. is a not-for-profit incorporated organisation dedicated to ensuring that the Anzac Cottage story continues to be told and that the cottage is accessible to the community.

Lock Hospital Working Group

The Lock Hospital Working Group (made up of representatives from the Shire of Carnarvon, researchers, community members and direct descendants) has been working for five years to tell the story of the Lock Hospitals that were established on Bernier and Dorre Islands, off the Carnarvon coast. These hospitals operated between 1908 and 1919 and almost 200 Aboriginal prisoner patients died during that time.

The group’s major achievement has been as a platform for those who still experience the trauma of this history to connect, share their story and start the healing process.