You will find stories about the historical buildings and places around the Cockburn district as well as information about the traditional owners of Beeliar Boodjar (Cockburn), the Beeliar Nyungar.
Note: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are warned that some of our Local History resources may contain images, audio or video of people who are now deceased.
Cockburn Reflects Facebook page
Ever thought you’d like to know more about the house or area where you live? Find out more about our Nyungar history? See photos from days gone by?
Would you like to share information about your family?
Check out the Cockburn Reflects – a public Facebook page for people to find and share Cockburn photos and stories.
Cockburn History website
Our Cockburn History website has stories about places and people, covering topics such as wartime, industry, business, Aboriginal Cockburn, migration, social lives, and the Azelia Ley Museum.
There is also an archive of photos, audio (oral history), videos and documents.
Azelia Ley Museum
Discover the past at Azelia Ley Homestead Museum.
Explore Cockburn’s history: exhibitions of clothing, furniture, photographs, paintings, toys, market garden machinery and much more!
Open Sundays from 1:30 to 4:30pm and for group bookings on Mondays and Wednesdays.
Find Locations and more information about the Azelia Ley Museum on our Azelia Ley Museum page.
Use the search field or check out all of the artefacts in the Azelia Ley Museum collection.
Search for Azelia Ley Museum artefacts
Cockburn: The Making of a Community
While our Cockburn History website provides a recent history of Cockburn, we also have a digital copy of the well-known history book Cockburn: The Making of a Community.
Picture Cockburn
Use the search field or check out all of the images in the Picture Cockburn collection.
Search for Picture Cockburn images
Local History videos & oral history podcasts
For more Local History videos check out our Local History & Event Videos page.
For more Local oral history podcasts check out our Local & Indigenous Oral Histories
History of the City of Cockburn. Part 1
History of the City of Cockburn. Part 2
Local History posts from our blog
Local History items in our collection
Have you checked out the local history and other Cockburn related books at Spearwood Library? They range from personal stories of Nyungar and migrant...
Davilak Ghost
An interesting tale about the Davilak Ghost from the early days of the Azelia Ley Homestead.
Homecoming by Elfie Shiosaki
Homecoming by Elfie Shiosaki is an exquisite book. It stays with you long after you have read it. Gentle, sad and intimate.
More information
Cockburn’s Local History Officer is based at Spearwood Library and can help with your Cockburn research.
They can also copy photos you would like to share or record an oral history with someone who has great memories of Cockburn. (Ask if you need high resolution copies of photographs in our collection too.)
Contact 9411 3306 or history@cockburn.wa.gov.au