A new online collection of historical images means that residents of the City of Armadale in Western Australia can learn about and contribute to knowledge of the region’s past.
Members of the public can now access more than 1700 photographs from the Birtwistle Local Studies Library, simply by visiting the City of Armadale website and clicking on the ‘Picture Armadale’ link.
All of the images, some of which date back to the 1880s, can be downloaded or printed for private use and links shared on social media. In addition, people can post online comments and information about individual photos.
Armadale Mayor Henry Zelones encouraged community members interested in local history to view the collection and contribute to the Birtwistle library’s knowledge base.
“We’re very keen for more information on the pictures we already have catalogued and for more photos of the Armadale area that could be added to the Birtwistle’s collection,” Councillor Zelones said.
“The ‘Picture Armadale’ project allows people all over the world to access the images and share them with others, thereby opening up the collection to far more than just visitors to the library.
“The comments that are added to photographs could provide valuable information we aren’t yet aware of.
“Those who access the ‘Picture Armadale’ collection can also learn a lot about this historically significant part of Western Australia and perhaps use images for their study or research.”
The Birtwistle Local Studies Library image collection captures the development of the wider Armadale region from a small farming community to a thriving city centre, featuring a wide variety of photographs, including those of family members, buildings, animals, vehicles and events.
The number of images showcased by ‘Picture Armadale’ is set to grow, with photographs from the City of Armadale archive to be added in the near future.
