Story of world's longest stock route unfolds at National Museum

New stories about the Canning Stock Route, known as the longest historic stock route in the world, are being told in an exhibition at the National Museum of Australia in Canberra.

The Canning Stock Route is featuring in an exhibition at the National Museum of Australia in Canberra, including 17 pieces of art not previously displayed. 

The route begins at Halls Creek in the Kimberley region and extends to Wiluna in the mid-west region, Western Australia. The exhibition is titled "Kaninjaku: Stories from the Canning Stock Route".

First surveyed in 1906 by Alfred Canning, the stock route comprised 48 wells spaced at intervals of no more than one day's walk, along an 1,800 kilometre stretch of track.

Indigenous artist Curtis Taylor told NITV News it had both a brutal and beautiful history. He said the art collection helped Aboriginal families reconnect with their personal stories because many were displaced from their country when dispersed along the route.

Dr John Carty said in historical terms the Canning Stock Route collection was the crown jewel of the National Museum.

He said a previous exhibition on the historic route in 2010 could not express the magnitude of this story, and that the inclusion of new works helped to fill this gap.