Broome Historical Museum

Broome Historical Museum Broome's fascinating past comes to life when you visit one of the best regional museums in Australia.

Our significant collection is housed across three heritage buildings and illustrates the settlement, society and industry of our unique town.

Nine luggers, a fleet of spectator boats and a Navy helicopter overhead - the first Shinju Matsuri lugger race, 1970.Wit...
13/08/2026

Nine luggers, a fleet of spectator boats and a Navy helicopter overhead - the first Shinju Matsuri lugger race, 1970.

With Shinju Matsuri nearly upon us, this week's throwback goes back to the festival's opening year, when lugger racing returned to Roebuck Bay. The race revived the regattas of the pearling era, when Broome's fleet numbered in the hundreds and the results were taken very seriously.

Nine luggers entered, carrying crews and paying passengers around the bay. Spectator boats followed, while a Westland Scout helicopter from the survey ship HMAS Moresby flew overhead. Three luggers were disqualified for using their motors at the start. The lugger Richard Male, skippered by Hisao Nakano, won. The trophy is on display in our Shinju exhibition.

The Lugger Race remained a Shinju highlight until 1981, when there were no longer enough working luggers to hold it. By 1984, the program had "land-based lugger races" instead, later known as the Pearlers' Games.

📸 Kohana Ross Collection, BHS Archives

Dale "Chappo" Chapman came to Broome in 1971 as head diver on the John Louis for a trial of ho**ah diving on the pearlin...
06/08/2026

Dale "Chappo" Chapman came to Broome in 1971 as head diver on the John Louis for a trial of ho**ah diving on the pearling grounds, along with a group of competition spearfishermen from the eastern states, to see whether the industry's traditional hard-hat diving could be replaced with something more modern.

The first season was hard going, but within a few years most of Broome's luggers had switched over to the new ho**ah system, which is still what divers use out there today.

This photo shows Chappo checking out Yousef's hard-hat equipment during the trial period.

We’re always keen to add photographs of Broome’s pearling industry, from any period, to the museum collection. If you have any, we’d love to hear from you.

This photo is from the collection donated to the museum by Dale Chapman.

# Streeter's JettyBefore it became a scenic stop, Streeter's Jetty had a job. This early 1970s view shows luggers alon...
09/07/2026

# Streeter's Jetty

Before it became a scenic stop, Streeter's Jetty had a job. This early 1970s view shows luggers alongside during busier times, crews at work and Broome kids swimming off the jetty.

📸Kohana Ross Collection, BHS Archives

Aerial view from the airport across to Dampier Creek - Streeter's Jetty, with luggers alongside, the pearl packing she...
02/07/2026



Aerial view from the airport across to Dampier Creek - Streeter's Jetty, with luggers alongside, the pearl packing shed, Woody's Garage, Streeter & Male Stores, Carnarvon Street shops and backyards, the bakery, Yuen Wing's, Sun Pictures. Dampier Terrace, notably, sold zero pearls back then.

Did you see the future King in Broome in 1979?Prince Charles visited Broome that year and stayed at the Mangrove Hotel...
25/06/2026



Did you see the future King in Broome in 1979?

Prince Charles visited Broome that year and stayed at the Mangrove Hotel. For the occasion, the motel gave itself an upgrade to the “Royal Mangrove Motel”. During the visit, he also planted a palm tree in the motel grounds to mark the occasion. The palm tree seems to have has disappeared from the landscape, but the photos still capture Broome’s version of a royal visit.

đź“· BHS Archives, Caitlin Pugh. 2016.283

Last week we welcomed the Year 3 students from Roebuck Primary School to the Broome Museum.The students spent time explo...
22/06/2026

Last week we welcomed the Year 3 students from Roebuck Primary School to the Broome Museum.

The students spent time exploring the displays, completing worksheets and learning more about Broome’s history.

We enjoy hosting school groups from near and far, but visits from local schools are especially important. They help students connect with the stories, places and objects that are part of the town they are growing up in.

Thank you for visiting, Roebuck Primary School. We hope you enjoyed your morning at the museum

School visit information is available here: https://broomemuseum.org.au/broome-museum/education/

Photo: Primary School Year 3 students at the Broome Museum.

With the Old Broome Road roadworks keeping everyone frustrated, here is Carnarvon Street being retarred by hand in the...
18/06/2026



With the Old Broome Road roadworks keeping everyone frustrated, here is Carnarvon Street being retarred by hand in the 1930s.

Different roadworks. Possibly faster.

📸 BHS Archives [2012.800] Jean Haynes Collection

Recompression ChamberThis heavy iron chamber helped treat pearl divers suffering from one of the most feared risks of he...
15/06/2026

Recompression Chamber

This heavy iron chamber helped treat pearl divers suffering from one of the most feared risks of helmet diving: decompression sickness, also known as diver’s paralysis or the bends.

Before Broome had a recompression chamber, an injured diver could be lowered back underwater in diving dress and brought up slowly in stages. The chamber allowed the same basic treatment to happen on land, with more control.

Broome’s chamber was donated by C.E. Heinke & Co, manufacturers of diving equipment. It arrived in Broome in 1914 and was first used in 1915.

The first recorded treatment was a Japanese diver from E.H. Hunter’s fleet, who had been paralysed after diving in 20 fathoms of water, about 36 metres. After treatment in the chamber, the Nor-West Echo reported that feeling had returned to the paralysed parts, and within two days he could walk without a stick.

The chamber did not make diving safe, but it gave injured divers a better chance.

It is now part of the Broome Museum collection. Plain, heavy and practical, it tells an important part of Broome’s pearling story.

Sam Male LuggerThe Sam Male was once one of Broome’s most recognisable landmarks.Placed on Male Oval in 1977, this pea...
11/06/2026

Sam Male Lugger

The Sam Male was once one of Broome’s most recognisable landmarks.

Placed on Male Oval in 1977, this pearling lugger became part of the scenery. For decades, people walked past her, photographed her, climbed on her, and gathered around her during Shinju.

But she was not just decoration. The Sam Male, previously known as the Kimberley Male, is part of Broome’s pearling history and was put on public display as a reminder of that history.

These days, she is in a sad state and again needs serious care.

The Sam Male is owned by the Shire of Broome, which means she is held for the Broome community. Old wooden boats are difficult to preserve anywhere, and Broome’s sun, salt, rain and white ants do not make it easier. But that is exactly why they need active maintenance, not just good intentions every few decades.

For many locals, the Sam Male was part of the landscape. For Broome, she is one of the few surviving links to the pearling fleet that shaped the town.

She deserves better than a slow decline. Hopefully some proper care is not too far away.

📸 Sam Male lugger, BHS Collection. Current condition photographed 2026.

Address

Town Beach Reserve/67 Robinson Street
Broome, WA
6725

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 4pm
Tuesday 10am - 4pm
Wednesday 10am - 4pm
Thursday 10am - 1pm
Friday 10am - 4pm
Saturday 10am - 1pm
Sunday 10am - 1pm

Telephone

+61891922075

Website

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