Out of the Box

90 years of collecting at Eden Killer Whale Museum

until 20 February 2022

On 17th September 1930, the body of the locally well-known orca, ‘Old Tom’, was found floating in Twofold Bay. With great foresight, local residents preserved the skeleton of ‘Old Tom’ and 90 years later, people from across the world visit the Museum and reflect on the remarkable working relationship between killer whales and the whalers of Twofold Bay.

On 17th February 1931, the first public meeting was held to form a volunteer committee with the aim of establishing a museum to house the skeleton of ‘Old Tom’ and share the incredible (but true!) stories.

Ninety years on, Eden Killer Whale Museum continues to collect stories and cultural materials that represent the rich history of Eden and its immediate surrounds. Reflecting on the growth of the Museum’s collection, Out of the box brings together over 90 artifacts, documents and photographs revealing the broad nature of the collection. Themes include natural history, working on the land, blacksmithing, domestic history, weddings, sport and local commerce.

In a nearby gallery, ‘Greetings from Eden‘ further reveals the expansive nature of the collection.

title image: Bob Egan (1901-1956), the ‘Last of the Drovers’. EKWM Collection