Discover the heritage and legends of Broome’s pearl industry past at Pearl Luggers. The fascinating tour and interesting displays at Pearl Luggers reveal an adventure story, a way of life fraught with excitement, danger and hope.
With increasing European settlement the pearling industry along Western Australia’s northern coast became big business. Pearling attracted men from around the world in search of adventure and riches as early as the 1850’s, while others were forcibly made to endure the hardships of the often dangerous undertaking of pearl shell harvesting.
By the 1880’s Broome had established itself as the centre of this growing and lucrative industry and just a decade into the twentieth century hundreds of pearling luggers (small working boats with lugsails) were fishing the coast of Broome in search of shell. It is these sturdy, hard-working boats that have today become a symbolic emblem of Broome and its past.
The one hour tour at Pearl Luggers features two historic luggers as well as many historic artefacts all of which offer a fascinating glimpse into Broome’s maritime past and an historical insight into an industry that still plays a roll in Western Australia’s economy.
