Albany 2026: Wellstead residents share history of their beloved town in Between the Mountain and the Sea show

A comprehensive deep-dive into the history of a tiny Albany town has been accumulated by its residents in an effort to showcase the importance of their small, but mighty district.

Between the Mountain and the Sea is an exhibition comprising photographs, artefacts, personal stories, a film and a stuffed bird or two, with one topic in mind — Wellstead.

Located at the eastern-most edge of the City of Albany near Bremer Bay, the agricultural town had a population of 78 in the 2021 census, a figure that likely hasn’t swelled hugely in the following years.

Included in this number is Sylvia Leighton, who represents the Wellstead historical and heritage committee which organised the showcase.

“The history of the area extends back tens of thousands of years, beginning with the traditional custodians and continuing through centuries of encounters, settlement, agriculture and community life,” she said.

“From the appearance of this coastline on Dutch maps and the visits of British and French expeditions to the arrival of whaling and sealing vessels and George Cheyne’s establishment of a trading post and farm at Cape Riche, Wellstead has a remarkable and complex story.

“We believe these histories have an important place within Albany 2026, and we invite people to visit the exhibition and discover more about this extraordinary district.”

The star of the exhibition, which will run at the Vancouver Arts Centre until September 21, is a 30-minute documentary featuring recordings of the town’s residents describing their memories and experiences of the area.

These firsthand accounts of life in Wellstead, even those that didn’t make the film’s final cut, will be preserved to form part of the Wellstead District Historical Archive.

Albany 2026 co-ordinator Adam Gregory said the community-led exhibition demonstrated the value of towns documenting and sharing their own histories.

“Between the Mountain and the Sea has been shaped by the knowledge, memories and generosity of the Wellstead community,” he said.

“It offers visitors an opportunity to understand the district through the voices of the people who know it best, while creating an important historical record that will endure well beyond 2026.

“Albany 2026 is proud to support this thoughtful community-led project and help bring the stories of Wellstead to a wider audience.”