Broome Heritage & Culture

Broome's history is a rich, colourful and multilayered tapestry threaded with Aboriginal songlines, South Sea pearl luggers and World War II bombings. Delving into these stories can be a self-guided experience, or you can join a guided tour for more insights from local experts and historians.

Discover compelling stories of how Aboriginal, Malay, Chinese, Japanese, European and Filipino cultures came together in the 1880s and transformed Broome into the pearling capital of the world. A walk through the Japanese and Chinese cemeteries also reveals the many sacrifices that were made by workers in founding Broome’s booming pearling industry.

Visit Broome's Chinatown area to see the corrugated iron buildings in the Broome style that once housed noodle restaurants, boarding houses and shops. Pull up a deckchair beneath a star-filled Broome sky and enjoy a night at the movies in the world’s oldest operating picture house, Sun Pictures.

Visit Broome Historical Society Museum at Town Beach for a look back at Broome’s early and recent life, or step into the St John of God Heritage Centre and discover the incredible 100-year legacy of the Sisters of St John of God in the community of Broome. For authentic insights, follow the self-guided Jetty to Jetty Walk (supported by a booklet and free app) or join a guided pearling tour.

Walk the trails of Minyirr Park at Cable Beach. Three colour coded trails wind their way through this coastal area, Nagula - heading to the sea, Minyirr - through the bush and Lurujarri - through the dunes. This is a beautiful area to walk in the early morning or late afternoon, with views along Cable Beach. You can also find a deeper connection to Broome’s Aboriginal history, heritage, stories and traditions on a nine-day guided walk along the Lurujarri Heritage Trail.