A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A MUSEUM PREPARATOR

Kirsten Tullis has an attention to detail and a creative vision like no other.

When she was 5, she furnished her dollhouse from scratch.

“I used to love making things as a child. I made a miniature book and some pyjamas for my teddy bear,” says Kirsten.

Kirsten is now the senior preparator at the Western Australian Museum.

Kirsten started at the museum in 1981 after studying biology at Murdoch University. She was taken under the wing of renowned naturalist Glen Storr, where she learned the meticulous art of taxidermy.

45 years on and Kirsten has carved out her own path behind the scenes – crafting new techniques, preserving countless creatures and designing exhibits to stop visitors in their tracks.   

MODEL CITIZENS

Kirsten’s talents extend far beyond the realms of taxidermy. Her true passion is making models.

“It can involve all sorts of different techniques and materials. And sometimes you’re making something that no one in the world [has] ever made before,” says Kirsten.

From clay and wax to 3D printing, the world is her (replica) oyster.

The sprawling sponge garden lining the walls of the Wildlife Gallery at WA Museum Boola Bardip is Kirsten’s magnum opus. 

This 6-metre-long display showcases more than 300 specimens in an immersive underwater wonderland.

Each exhibit is complex, and finding the best approach takes time. 

“It’s a lot of trial and error,” says Kirsten.

“I make copious notes and take photographs of my work so that I remember how I’ve done something, and I can go back to it or it’s good for someone who’s coming along later like Teori.”

BIRDS OF A FEATHER

Teori Shannon has been a taxidermist at the museum since 2011 and is following in Kirsten’s footsteps.

“As a kid, I was constantly collecting bones, rocks, feathers – anything natural I could find,” he says.

After working as a wildlife carer, his passion for preservation flourished at the museum.

Teori pulls an Australian ringneck out of the freezer to defrost.

Forget frozen peas – the museum’s icy cabinet of curiosities holds rows upon rows of animals great and small.

“We’ve got them all stored, labelled, and then we can just choose from our spreadsheet,” says Teori.

Specimens are ethically sourced from all walks of life, from the unfortunate fate of roadkill to zoo animals that pass away from old age.

Together, Kirsten and Teori create pieces to be shared across WA.

The defrosting ringneck is being prepared for an exhibition at the Museum of the Great Southern in Albany.

“In the 1800s, Indigenous people would collect parrots and … trade them with the soldiers or other settlers,” says Teori..

“This [Australian ringneck] will represent that time in history.”

Teori dusts the parrot with borax and explains his plan to mount it on a Victorian era perch to convey its story.

Once the parrot skin is prepped, the specimen gets a bubble bath and blow-dry before being mounted and shipped off to Albany.

CRAFTING CRITTERS FOR COUNTRY

In the north of the state, a cryptic lizard sits on the banks of Kumpupintil Lake (previously Lake Disappointment).

This species was discovered in 2007 and is rarely seen by the Indigenous Martu people, whose Country encompasses the lake.

Few people have ever seen the reptile, so Teori is perfecting a model to give back to the community. 

“We’ve only got two holotypes of these dragons,” says Teori. 

“[The curator of herpetology] wants replicas done of them so we can give one back to the mob up there, so they’ve got something for education.”  

By positioning a trial lizard with pins, he can fine-tune the procedure before moving onto the real deal.

Each creation that leaves the lab carries a story far and wide.

MOUNTING EVIDENCE

Through intricate displays, preserved specimens and lifelike replicas, Kirsten and Teori hope to inspire curiosity while bridging the gap between art, tradition and science.

“Taxidermy isn’t just mounting an animal. It involves conservation, chemistry, anatomy, pest management, record keeping and long-term preservation planning,” says Teori.

“It’s a very respectful, methodical process.”

While the work continues quietly behind closed doors, Kirsten and Teori’s impact remains proudly on display.