Article by STEPHEN WALL
Welcome To Broome Western Australia
Broome, is located on Roebuck Bay approximately 2200 km north of Perth and is classified as the “Southern Gateway To The Kimberley’s” and the perfect base camp to explore the Kimberley region.
Broome’s lifestyle is rather laid back and is reflected in the residents easy nature. Due to the previous history of Pearling which goes back decades and decades the main population consists of a mix Asian and old colony influences, which creates a great cosmopolitan feel to the town.
Broome is an important port for the Pearl Industry but Broome tourism has taken over due to spectacular beachside resorts such as the “Cable Beach Club” at the famous “Cable Beach”.
There are many attractions to Broome ranging from the 80 year old open air Sun Pictures Cinema, the Japanese cemetery, Broome Bird Observatory on Roebuck Bay, Gantheaume Points dinosaur footprints and the Chinatown area.
Fishing and boat charters are available as well and there are a stack of restaurants with choices of food to suit any one. We have pristine beaches, superb yachting facilities, awesome Coastline and inlets, beach and sea fishing, breathtaking dives great shopping, sumptuous restaurants and a cosmopolitan cappuccino strip, magnificent art galleries, delightful wineries, world-class golfing, lovely lagoons and of course excellent accommodation including Broome Bed & Breakfast, self contained, resort, hotel motel & caravan park accommodation.
Broome’s Climate
Broome is generally very hot in the summer months and very wet due to the monsoon rains further north. The best time to visit is in our winter months and this is reflected in the visitors that arrive from May to November and the small amounts of rain.
So whether you like it hot or a little cooler the weather is ideal for holidays in our beautiful region most of the year round, so planning a holiday is made so much easier.
History of Broome Western Australia
Broome is situated on the traditional lands of the Yawuru people.
The first European to visit Broome was William Dampier in 1688 and again in 1699. Many of the coastal features of the area are named by him. In 1879, Charles Harper suggested that the pearling industry could be served by a port closer to the pearling grounds and that Roebuck Bay would be suitable. In 1883, John Forrest selected the site for the town, and it was named after Sir Frederick Broome, the Governor of Western Australia from 1883 to 1889.
In 1889, a telegraph undersea cable was laid from Broome to Singapore, connecting to England. Hence the name Cable Beach given to the landfall site.
The town has an interesting history based around the exploits of the men and women who developed the pearling industry, starting with the harvesting of oysters for mother of pearl in the 1880s to the current major cultured pearl farming enterprises. The riches from the pearl beds did not come cheap, and the town’s Japanese cemetery is the resting place of 919 Japanese divers who lost their lives working in the industry.
Many more were lost at sea, and the exact number of deaths is unknown. The Japanese were only one of the major ethnic groups who flocked to Broome to work on the luggers or the shore based activities supporting the harvesting of oysters from the waters around Broome. They were specialist divers and, despite being considered enemies, became an indispensable part of the industry until World War II.
Broome was attacked by Japanese aircraft on 3 March 1942. The air raid killed at least 88 people.
The West Australian mining boom of the 1960s, as well as the growth of the tourism industry, also helped Broome develop and diversify. Broome is one of the fastest growing towns in Australia.
At Gantheaume Point and 30 metres out to sea are dinosaur footprints believed to be from the Cretaceous Age approximately 130 million years ago. The tracks can be seen only during very low tide.
Broome entered into a Sister City agreement with Taiji, Japan in 1981 as historic ties between the two towns date back to the early 1900s, when Japan became instrumental in laying the groundwork of Broome’s pearling industry. The annual dolphin hunting in Taiji was the subject of the 2009 documentary The Cove, and sparked a unanimous decision by the town’s council, headed by Graeme Campbell, to end the relationship with the town if the dolphin hunt were to continue. The decision on suspension was reversed in October 2009.
Steve Wall is the owner and website designer of several websites with information on tourism for towns in Western Australia.steve@hireapcguy.com – http://www.hireapcguy.comRe-print rightsNeed content? You may use this article on your website, or in your newsletter. The only requirement is inclusion of the following sentence: Article by Steve Wall of http://www.mybroome.com (with the link to our web site active.)
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