Spotlight on Camp Cove’s former Marine Biological Station for History week

In addition to being amongst the earliest buildings constructed at Watsons Bay, the station has the distinction of being the first research facility of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere. Today, it is a private residence and, as such, is not open to the public regularly.

Our new exhibition – The Story of Camp Cove’s Former Marine Biological Station – makes the Commonwealth Heritage landmark accessible to a wide audience online. It is hosted on the Google Arts & Culture platform and is a free experience that can be enjoyed by anyone at any time. 

The exhibition recounts the story of not just the station but also its original tenant Nikolai Nikoleavich de Miklouho-Maclay. It also provides people with a sneak peek at the building's charming interior and grounds – courtesy of photos captured during our Marine Biological Station Open Day, held in February 2025.  

The theme for History Week, this year, is ‘Water Stories'. Aptly, our exhibition explores the significance of Camp Cove’s sheltered waters for the traditional custodians of Watsons Bay: the Birrabirragal people. It also touches on the emergence of a ‘village of fishermen, mariners and merchants’ at Camp Cove plus the contributions Miklouho-Maclay made to the field of marine biology.

The exhibition is accessible below. We hope you enjoy it.