Bunbury Historical Society - King Cottage Museum

17/09/2026

📜 FROM THE ARCHIVES

🎾 Anyone for tennis?

Take a look at this wonderful photograph of Bunbury tennis players from 1896.

From the racquets to those incredible outfits, there’s plenty to take in — we can only imagine playing a match dressed like this! 😄

👀 Do you know who any of these people are?

We’d love to hear from you in the comments.

11/09/2026

🎉 40 years of Bunbury Wildlife Park!

What wonderful memories from a much-loved part of Bunbury’s history. 💚

Do you have an old photo or memory of the Wildlife Park? The City would love to hear from you. 👇

09/09/2026

🎶 COLLECTION SPOTLIGHT: CARLO MAZZOLETTI’S PIANOLA 🎶

Behind this beautifully decorated pianola is the story of an Italian craftsman, a dream of a new life—and a family left behind.

Carlo Giacomo Mazzoletti was born in Delebio, near Lake Como, Italy, in 1886. Together with two of his brothers, he made pianos by hand. Carlo later married Berta Gusmeroli, and the couple had two daughters, Edita and Carmen.

For several years, the family lived in Belgium, where Carlo continued making pianos. This remarkable pianola is believed to be one of the instruments they produced.

On 1 September 1928, Carlo arrived in Fremantle aboard the Caprera, bringing two pianos with him. He hoped to establish a factory and build more pianos in Western Australia, but sadly, his plans never came to fruition.

Carlo remained in Australia while Berta and their daughters lived in Italy. Although he never returned to them, he continued sending letters, photographs and money home. Berta reportedly established a bed and breakfast to help provide for their children.

Carlo worked as a carpenter in the coal mines and was interned in Australia during the Second World War. He later lived at 173 Aberdeen Street and became an Australian citizen in June 1948.

Remembered as a kind and honest man who made many friends, Carlo died at Royal Perth Hospital on 26 July 1949.

Family history tells us that his brother burned the remaining pianos for firewood during the war in Italy—making the survival of this instrument even more remarkable.

When the pianola was opened, several Italian 10 centesimi coins were discovered hidden inside. Bearing the image of King Vittorio Emanuele III and a honeybee resting on a flower, they provide another small connection to the country where Carlo’s story began.

Today, Carlo Mazzoletti’s pianola is preserved at King Cottage Museum—not only as a beautiful and ingenious musical instrument, but as a lasting reminder of the man who created it and the dreams he carried with him to Western Australia.

Did your family ever own a pianola—or do you remember hearing one play? 🎼

02/09/2026

Meet the Kings – Part 3: Susannah King

In 1855, a young Susannah King arrived in Western Australia with her husband Henry, just months after their marriage in England.

Born Susannah Ruskin in Essex in 1834, she and Henry went on to raise their family in Western Australia, eventually making their home here in Bunbury.

While Henry's working life is well documented, some of the loveliest glimpses we have of Susannah come from her grandchildren.

Living close by in her later years, they would visit their “Granny” almost daily. They remembered being given tarts and liquorice straps, climbing the ladder to play in the loft above the stables, and Susannah herself as a short woman dressed in black who often laughed.

After Henry died in 1899, Susannah remained at the family homestead, surrounded by her children and grandchildren.

In 1911 she suffered a severe stroke and was cared for by her son John and daughter-in-law Eliza. Susannah died on 16 November 1912, aged 78.

More than a century later, the home where Granny welcomed those grandchildren is the place we now know as King Cottage Museum. ❤️

📷 Bunbury Historical Society Collection

Do we have any King descendants following along who have stories of Susannah passed down through their family? We'd love to hear them.

31/08/2026

📜 From the Archives

Take a look at Stirling Street around 1880, looking west from Arthur Street towards the sandhill later known as Boulters Heights.

The building with the curved verandah roof was a store owned by Ephraim Mayo Clarke.8

It's incredible to see just how different this familiar part of Bunbury looked nearly 150 years ago — wide unsealed streets, small buildings and the largely undeveloped hillside beyond.

And we particularly love the message preserved on the old photograph:

“Wishing You A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.”

What do you recognise in this view? We'd love to hear any memories or stories you have of Stirling Street and the surrounding area. ❤️

📷 From the Bunbury Historical Society collection.

25/08/2026

We love this piece of Bunbury history from Memories of Bunbury! 🌸

Their page does a wonderful job of keeping our community's memories and stories alive, and this one was too good not to share.

Bunbury – City of Gardens 🌿 Who remembers this?

Following our post today regarding the everlasting flowers planted along Ocean Drive, we remember that one of our 1979 logos was BUNBURY - CITY OF GARDENS. See the shirt in this photo from the South Western Times 1979. We had competitions for the best presented street. Wouldn't this be great to do again!

23/08/2026

🚨 THE REVEAL!

A lot of you knew this one! 👏

Our mystery photo was taken inside Bunbury's old Police Station, on Wittenoom Street facing Stephen Street.

Bunbury's police history goes back to the earliest days of the settlement, with a lock-up recorded as early as 1838. James Blythe, one of Bunbury's early policemen, was appointed in 1841 by Governor Sir James Stirling.

Following the arrival of convicts in 1850, a police station was established on the site, with the station facing Stephen Street and the old Wittenoom Street cell block behind it. There were also two houses for police quarters, with a track leading around to the stables at the rear.

The police station pictured here was built in 1852 and remained part of Bunbury for more than a century. These photographs, mostly taken in 1969, give us a fascinating look inside shortly before the old buildings were demolished and replaced.

Swipe through to see the main office, main cell block, Cell #1, the cell block dining room and day room.

And one piece of the old station still survives with us today — the old gaol door is now at King Cottage.

The replacement station remained on the site until it too was demolished, with the South West District Police Complex opening in December 2001.

Thank you to everyone who had a guess — we were very impressed by how many people recognised it! 👏

📷 Bunbury Historical Society collection

19/08/2026

🔎 Can you guess where this is?

This photo might look familiar to some long-time Bunbury locals… 👀

Do you recognise it? Tell us your guess in the comments!

14/08/2026

🏡 Meet the Kings — Part 2: Henry King

In Part 1, we introduced the King family, whose home would eventually become the King Cottage Museum.

Now it's time to meet the man who built it — Henry King.

Henry was born in Essex, England, in 1832. In August 1854, he married Susannah Ruskin, and just months later the young couple left England for a new life in Western Australia, arriving at Fremantle in March 1855.

At the time of his marriage Henry described himself as a labourer, but after arriving in the colony he joined the police force, serving in Perth and Toodyay.

By the mid-1860s, Henry and Susannah had made their way to Bunbury, bringing their growing family with them.

Here, Henry established a brickworks near what is now the corner of King Road and Austral Parade. Clay was taken from the nearby swampy ground and turned into bricks that were used in buildings throughout Bunbury and the surrounding district.

Then, in 1880, Henry purchased five acres of land on what was then known as Blackwood Road — today's Forrest Avenue.

It was here that he built the family home we now know as King Cottage.

By the early 1890s, Henry had left brickmaking behind and established a market garden on the property. He remained at the cottage until his death in January 1899.

More than 125 years later, Henry's home still stands — preserving not only the story of the King family, but a piece of the Bunbury community they helped build.

And Henry's story isn't finished yet. We'll be returning to his brickmaking days in a future post.

📍 King Cottage Museum, Forrest Avenue, Bunbury

11/08/2026

🌿 WHAT’S HAPPENING AT THE COTTAGE?

It was all hands on deck at King Cottage today for our garden working bee!

Our volunteers spent the morning weeding, pruning, planting and giving the gardens around the Cottage a well-earned tidy up. We’ve also been busy establishing a new native garden bed, with plenty more growing to come. 🌱

It takes a lot of work behind the scenes to care for King Cottage and its grounds, and we’re very lucky to have volunteers willing to roll up their sleeves and get stuck in.

While you’re visiting, don’t forget to have a look at our little plant and book stall too — plants are $4 each or 3 for $10, with books available by donation.

A huge thank you to everyone who helped out today. ❤️

There’s always something happening at the Cottage!