The new exhibition, which opens on Thursday, October 29, tells the stories of early settlers, the development of the region's industries such as whaling and fishing, boatbuilding, woodcutting and farming, and the role of the navy in the area, through to the development of area as a tourist and holiday destination, and the story of environmental activism in the region.

It recounts the history of the indigenous people in the area, their struggles to survive European settlement, their struggles for land rights, and the pride they take in their contemporary communities.

The new exhibition is called 'Munggura-Nggul', which means 'home-belong' in the local Dhurga language.

Read more:

The new exhibition replaces an old history-based exhibition previously housed in the same galley but which, according to museum's director, Diana Lorentz, needed a complete refresh of its displays and to incorporate new ways of telling stories.

"The exhibition features some fascinating objects, including one of the few complete Seibe Gorman diving suits fully assembled as well as some significant objects from the local Aboriginal community," Ms Lorentz said.

The new exhibition was designed by Queanbeyan-based design company Thylacine Design, with input from the museum's staff, volunteers and the Bay and Basin community.

Funds for the construction of the new exhibition, and alterations to the gallery to house it, came from a NSW government Create NSW, Regional Cultural Grant Fund, awarded to the museum last year.

The exhibition features a bark canoe (or 'garidja' as it is known in the local Dhurga language) which was made on museum grounds for the exhibition by members of the Jerringa people, with the assistance of a grant from Bendigo bank.

The exhibition also features a possum skin cloak, objects from the numerous shipwrecks on the treacherous South Coast over the years, and photographs of the families, holiday makers, colourful local identities, and buildings, that are now long gone.

The new exhibition will be open to the public from October 29.

Admission (which also includes entry to the rest of the museum's galleries) is $10 ($8 concession) with children under 16 free.

Museum hours are 10.30am to 3.30pm each day, including weekends.

The museum is located at Woollamia Road, Huskisson.

We depend on subscription revenue to support our journalism. If you are able, please subscribe here. If you are already a subscriber, thank you for your support.

Did you know the South Coast Register is now offering breaking news alerts and a weekly email newsletter? Keep up-to-date with all the local news: sign up here.