Berndt Museum Rock Art: The Western Desert Collections

The Western Desert cultural bloc occupies an area of approximately 670,000 sq. km. and extends across much of Western Australia as well as parts of South Australia and the Northern Territory. One of the last areas to be explored by European-Australians, it remains the homeland of about 7,500 Aboriginal people, many of whom live on former government and mission stations and local outstations, where they are largely responsible for the management of their own affairs. The Museum has more than 1,400 objects from the Western Desert region, mostly from Western Australia. They include weapons, tools, toys and objects used in love magic. The Museum has an extensive photographic collection. It contains photographs, negatives and colour slides, and consists of many small collections donated to the Museum.