Chinatown Conservation Area

Child Places

• 04848 Cottage
• 15880 Tack's Store (fmr)
• 04854 House, 57 Dampier Terrace
• 15882 Offices
• 15878 Ah Ming's Store & Residence (fmr)
• 02668 Hanoe's Cottage
• 14007 Napier Terrace Cottages
• 23977 Sheba Lane Cafe
• 08782 Male Sheds and Jetty
• 02668 Hanoe's Cottage
• 16878 Lyons Tate Office
• 00295 Roebuck Bay Hotel
• 16828 Offices
• 16849 Shiba Lane (site)
• 00304 Streeter & Male Group of Stores
• 00294 Old Police Lockup & Boab Tree
• 00293 Sun Picture Gardens
• 15881 Shekki Shed Gallery
• 04853 Broome Pearls, Pearl Shop and Warehouse
• 00295 Roebuck Bay Hotel
• 04553 Streeter's Jetty
• 04553 Streeter's Jetty
• 16848 Commemoratives
• 16877 Blooms Cafe Restaurant
• 15876 Bob's Shoe Store
• 04850 Kinney's Store
• 15877 Anastasia's Pearl Gallery
• 04850 Kinney's Store
• 23977 Sheba Lane Cafe
• 15879 Old Tang Wei Cafe & Residence
• 15881 Shekki Shed Gallery
• 15878 Ah Ming's Store & Residence (fmr)
• 04851 Morgan's Camp
• 15880 Tack's Store (fmr)
• 04851 Morgan's Camp
• 08782 Male Sheds and Jetty
• 00304 Streeter & Male Group of Stores
• 14007 Napier Terrace Cottages
• 00294 Old Police Lockup & Boab Tree
• 15879 Old Tang Wei Cafe & Residence
• 16877 Blooms Cafe Restaurant
• 04854 House, 57 Dampier Terrace
• 00293 Sun Picture Gardens
• 16848 Commemoratives
• 00300 Kennedy's Store

Physical Description

Within the Area are four significant groups of buildings. On the West side of Carnarvon Street comprises:
4 - Tang Wei Café & residence
5 - Dampiers Chest/Mings Store and Residence (formerly Unwags Store)
6 - Tacks Store & residence, still operated by the family who built it
7 - Chinese Club Store and Residence (used to be run as a milk bar)
8 - Sun Picture gardens
17 - Ah Fat's Cottage

The group on the west side of Carnarvon street are:
3 - Deps Store & residence/Kool Spot Café (formerly Deps Shell Shop)
10 - Golden Shower & Residence (formerly part of Ellies Store)
11 - Kinney's Store & Residence (formerly part of Ellies Store)

On the North side of Short Street are:
- The Shell Shop
20 - The Streeter and Male Group
21/22 - The Streeter & Male Residence

In Dampier Terrace are:
28 - The Streeter and Male Jetty and Pearlshell shed
29 - McQuades Service Centre
29 - a&b, Streeter and Male's Oil & Paint Store
23 - Boat yard and slipway
24 - Crews Quarters
31/32 - Roebuck Bay Hotel
33 - two small cottages

In ddition to the Conservations Area the assessment team recommends that the following buildings be classified in ther own right:
Streeter and Male Stores
Roebuck Bay Hotel
Sun Picture Gardens
Houses in Napier Terrace
Ha Fat's House, Short Street
34 - Kennedy's Store

History

Information from Classification Assessment dated July 1982
In its heyday during the first decade of the 20th century, Broome boasted a population of nearly 4000: nearly 1000 of these were or European descent while the remainder, including boat crews were from Asian countries. The accommodation of these populations was also segregated, the 'European quarter' with the usual institutions as its core and the 'Native Quarter' where the Malay and Japanese pearl fishers lived and worked.

This area became know as Chinatown and while it is but a shadow of its former self, there is still enough to produce a distinctive environment. There is still a mix of European, Japanese and Malay people in the area, along with indigenous Australians; their industry and commerce is still centred on the pearling industry; a dwindling number still live over of behind the shop. Many of these activities are still housed in early timber framed corrugated iron clad building which give the area its architectural character. The designers and builders are not know but are thought to have been Malay and Japanese carpenters or shipwrights. Many of the details are peculiarly local responses to the tropical cyclonic climate. Unthinking alterations and additions have weakened the appeal of many of the individual buildings but they still form a cohesive whole which fits our definition of a Conservation Area, viz: "an area of distinctive nature which may contain elements of no individual significance and within whose boundary controls may be necessary to retain and enhance its character"

The Broome Shire Council is taking steps in association with its new town plan to retain and enhance the area. "Council objective being to ensure that the zoned area (Chinatown zone) develops so as to continue its function as a main commercial and activity area and that the historic and environmental values of the area are preserved and enhanced. Council will prepare and amend from time to time an overall development strategy which takes in to account the appropriate disposition of uses, the design and character of builds and works and vehicular and pedestrian circulation.
The Chinatown Development Strategy will contain controls over the siting and design of buildings and works within the one together with other measures deemed necessary to preserve and enhance the historic character and economic vitality of the zone"

Uses

Historic Themes

Creation Date

Publish place record online (inHerit):

Last Update

Disclaimer

This information is provided voluntarily as a public service. The information provided is made available in good faith and is derived from sources believed to be reliable and accurate. However, the information is provided solely on the basis that readers will be responsible for making their own assessment of the matters discussed herein and are advised to verify all relevant representations, statements and information.