Broome’s Historic Jetty – A Walk Into the Past

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Broome’s original fishing jetty stands in Town Beach precinc, popularly known as ‘Old Jetty.’ A family-friendly fishing jetty known as 9 Zeros – 9 Stories is now part of Broome’s public art trail.

Explore thirteen sites highlighting Broome’s rich cultural history along Yawuru’s self-guided Jetty to Jetty trail. Download the free Jetty to Jetty app to experience all that Broome has to offer as you take in all its beauty.

1. Streeter’s Jetty

Streeter’s Jetty provides an engaging experience that transports you back in time to Broome’s pearling past. Situated near Chinatown, it houses various pearl and jewellery showrooms as well as one of Australia’s oldest outdoor picture gardens: Sun Pictures.

The Jetty was an integral part of town during its pearling heyday, serving as a departure point for divers and luggers heading out into Roebuck Bay foreshore waters. Additionally, locals and travellers could gather there to enjoy an impressive sunset display.

Streeter’s Jetty has been rebuilt after structural studies revealed its original structure was at risk of collapsing. Shire of Broome deputy president Desiree Male said reconstruction will retain the look and charm of Streeter’s Jetty while simultaneously making sure it will remain safe to use long into the future.

This 112m jetty stands at the end of an exclusive Kimberley quartzite groyne and features a concrete deck on steel piles for ease of construction and design. The new 112m jetty provides access to water for locals as well as an aluminium landing structure suitable for people of all abilities and an observation platform where visitors can watch spectacular Staircase to the Moon natural phenomenon over mud flats.

Broome’s Jetty to Jetty Trail offers the ideal environment to experience its remarkable birdlife, including red-headed honeyeaters and other species that regularly visit its large pipe for fresh, clean water dripped from a pipe near Streeter’s Jetty’s large pipe delivering fresh, clean water drip feeding directly onto its large pipe. In addition, marine life such as mollusks, rays and fish also call this spot home – and its open 24hrs for community and visitor use 24hrs each day! It offers self-guided audio app from Streeter’s Jetty through Chinatown Kennedy Hill onto Town Beach where it meets up with Old Jetty at Town Beach where 13 sites offer insight into Broome’s rich cultural history while being completely immersed into its pearling heritage!

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2. Town Beach

Linda Dean grew up in Broome in the 1950s and ’60s, where she swam, played on the beach, and listened to tales from her Chinese and Malaysian pearling ancestors around an old jetty that played an essential part of its shipping and pearling history. To this day, its presence remains central to life here – providing visitors with an opportunity to immerse themselves in its beauty, culture, heritage, and natural environment of Roebuck Bay.

Following structural investigations conducted in 2020 that revealed its piles and bracing were failing, the jetty has been completely rebuilt and reopened following heritage approvals and Australian standards for crowd loading and vessel berthing. The new structure replicates its predecessor in terms of aesthetic appeal while meeting Australian requirements for crowd loading and vessel berthing.

It was also designed to accommodate for the unique tidal variations and sea level rise characteristic of this area, including potential cyclonic activity. A 1.1m-high balustrade was installed so everyone can safely enjoy the beach at low tide.

Town Beach is a beloved spot, both locals and visitors, for swimming, fishing, sunbathing, picnicking and the spectacular Staircase to the Moon where rising moonlight meets receding tide to create a natural phenomenon. Additionally, Town Beach hosts a daily food and craft market.

Explore Town Beach’s heritage on Yawuru’s Jetty to Jetty Trail, designed by Nyamba Buru Yawuru (NBY) and community members over four years, featuring thirteen historical and cultural sites that detail Broome’s rich pearling history. Using its own app called Jetty to Jetty, users can navigate their way along this trail using sound artists, storytellers, tourism experts, landscape architects, software developers and historians. Bring along sun protection such as a hat or sunblock; water; comfortable shoes as well as headphones so they can listen in on audio guides during your walk – everything needed for maximum experience is included with each visit NBY design project involving sound artists, storytellers; sound artists can add depth and detail when exploring Broome’s rich pearling history! To enhance your experience take this self guided trail adventure using iterations 5 of audio guides 5 of which showcase 13 historical and cultural sites connected by Jetty 5 Jetty trail app!

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3. The Sun Building

At the turn of the twentieth century, Broome was as well-known in London as any Australian city. Pearling luggers filled its foreshore, shops populated Chinatown’s streets and a lively community resided amid coconut palms on its jetty.

At its height, the jetty was an important shipping hub, serving both mail steamers between Perth and Singapore as well as merchant ships bringing in cargos of pearl shell. Being a spring tide port meant that trading vessels could only enter and leave on days with high tide.

The jetty provided shelter to Chinese and Malaysian pearling workers as their families lived nearby. Linda Dean recalls living close to it herself when many children were born near or at the jetty and it became part of their lives; Linda would swim, fish and play there alongside friends from her neighborhood. Its iconic hard-hat diver bronze sculptures remain as reminders of Broome’s pearling industry’s glory days.

In 2020, structural investigations revealed that the jetty was beginning to falter and required to be fully replaced. Shire of Broome engineers and designers collaborated closely with heritage specialists in designing an ideal replica in terms of appearance while fulfilling safety regulations for crowd loading and vessel berthing.

Today, the jetty is used for fishing and to access a sandbar at Town Beach Precinct’s end. This family-friendly location offers breathtaking sunset views across Roebuck Bay as well as providing an ideal place for relaxing with loved ones.

4. Broome Historical Museum

The Broome Historical Museum is an engaging museum with an exceptional collection. Situated within walking distance from town center and accessible via hourly Explorer Bus services (running seven days a week), this gem of a museum houses historical artifacts that date back centuries – earning it UNESCO Cultural Heritage Commendations for restoration work to Sailmaker’s Shed. Additionally, visitors may access it from anywhere by taking one of three routes provided by Broome Explorer Bus service (hourly 7-day access).

Broome Pearling Museum showcases many exhibits about the pearling industry, such as old diving equipment, pearl shells and photographs. Their displays are particularly insightful when it comes to Aboriginal people; and also provide insight into how Japanese, Chinese, and Malay communities all helped shaped Broome as a pearling town.

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One of the museum’s most fascinating artefacts is a 120 million-year-old footprint from a predatory dinosaur found among rocks at Crab Creek and donated to it by Peter Meier. Additionally, another noteworthy artefact on display is an Australian Aboriginal Flag designed in 1963 as an identity rallying symbol.

Bedford Park on Hamersley Street features Australian and Allied War Memorials as well as Dampier’s Chest, while Chinatown offers stunning pearl showrooms as well as shops and restaurants to visit.

Malcolm Douglas Crocodile Park offers visitors the chance to see an extensive variety of crocs, such as hatchlings, alligators, Nile crocodiles and saltwater crocodiles. If art is your passion then check out one of Ardyaloon Arts & Culture Gallery’s public shows or arrange an appointment-based appointment if applicable – selling authentic local artwork as souvenirs of your trip!

5. The Pearling Museum

The Pearling Museum was established in 1950s to tell the tale of Broome’s historic and present pearling industry. A captivating museum experience, visitors are taken on a fascinating tour through history from traditional Aboriginal perspectives as well as looking forward to what may lie in store for pearling’s future.

The museum features three engaging levels. The first depicts the hard life of early pearl divers during an era characterized by cyclones, Pacific wars, shark attacks and lack of understanding about deep diving’s dangers that led to an alarming mortality rate. The second depicts pearl harvesting and production while its final stage focuses on sustainability with use of recycled oyster shell as well as biodegradable tusk shell being utilized.

Visitors will discover original diving artefacts, a replica pearler’s lugger and have the chance to taste Pinctada Maxima pearl-shell meat straight from pearl divers’ mouths! In addition, visitors can browse South Sea cultured pearls, model luggers and books about pearling industry.

Streeter’s Jetty was rebuilt after structural investigations revealed its original was unsafe, needing urgent repairs for public safety. Following heritage approvals and meeting all modern safety standards for crowd loading and vessel berthing. As its fifth iteration since 1896 – Streeter’s is an integral part of Yawuru’s Jetty to Jetty heritage walk trail which runs from Streeter’s Jetty through Chinatown and Kennedy Hill to Town Beach Old Jetty site.

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