Cottage

Parent Place or Precinct

00291 Chinatown Conservation Area

Condition

Shire of Broome advised that planning approval for the demolition of this building was granted on 23 December 2004, and that demolition took place between 28-29 December 2004.

Uses

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Offices

Parent Place or Precinct

00291 Chinatown Conservation Area

Uses

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Statement of Significance

Offices is significant for the associations with for early professional services in Chinatown. It is an element in the streetscape and contributes to the character and townscape of Broome’s town centre.

Physical Description

Located on a sloping site, the building is raised on round concrete piers. The single storey timber framed building with enclosed perimeter verandahs. The timber framed building is clad with horizontal corrugated iron.

History

This was the offices and residence of the local solicitors. The solicitors were H. D. Forbes and Walter Clarke Hall. Forbes lived at 17 or 19 Barker Street, so Hall must have occupied the residence here. H.D. Forbes was also known as Koko and was renowned for his miniature plasticine art. The solicitor's offices were conveniently situated opposite the old Courthouse and police lockup.

Integrity/Authenticity

Modifications: Offices has undergone alterations.

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Original Town Water Supply (SITE)

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Statement of Significance

The site of the Original Town Water Supply is a significant association with the early development of Broome.

History

It was reported in the Public Works Department Annual Report of 1901 that work was being undertaken on a water supply for Broome jetty and domestic use. The headworks for the supply were in Mary Street, where a well, steam pumping plant and service reservoir were being established. The initial proposal seems not to have worked according to plan, as in 1903, improvements were being made with the sinking of a new well and pumping plant. An office was also erected (a raised small corrugated iron clad room with a gable roof). There was also a timber tank stand with square cast iron water tank that accessed the tramline, and a windmill. Water was eventually provided from a deep artesian bore (1600 feet). The water was hot and full of iron. It wasn't suitable for gardens or for human consumption, although the Asian crews drank it for lack of an alternative. Most households had rainwater tanks for drinking and cooking purposes. Eventually, a better supply was obtained from bores sunk in the aquifers northeast of town.

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Offices

Parent Place or Precinct

00291 Chinatown Conservation Area

Uses

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Sun Picture Gardens

Parent Place or Precinct

00291 Chinatown Conservation Area

Uses

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Parent Place or Precinct

00291 Chinatown Conservation Area

Statement of Significance

Sun Picture Gardens, a rare example of a purpose built picture garden still in commercial operation. It is one of the oldest operating picture gardens in Australia. It is an integral and distinctive part of Broome’s social life, contributing greatly to the community’s sense of place and identity.

Physical Description

Double volume street frontage featuring a double gable clad with horizontal corrugated iron. The front is two levels with an outdoor (uncovered) seated area and recent screen and double storey accomodation facility at rear of the site.

History

Sun Picture Gardens was built in 1916, as a half-open and half-roofed cinema. The site was originally occupied by the Yamasaki emporium, which sold Asian foodstuffs, clothing and household goods. Master pearler Ted Hunter purchased the site and had Claude Hawkes design a cinema suitable for the Broome's climate. The place could accommodate 1,500 people. It opened on 6 December 1916 and segregated seating according to nationality continued until 1967. A moveable stage on tramlines was added in 1926 and used for school concerts. It was moved behind the screen in the early 1940s and converted to caretaker's quarters. In 1953, J. & P. Haynes leased the place and operated for 28 years. In 1981, after television was introduced to Broome, Sun Picture Gardens closed due to low attendances. In 1982, Lord McAlpine bought it and reopened. In 1987, Anthony Hutchinson and Marisa Ferraz purchased it and restored it and established Sun Pictures International Film Society showing films outside mainstream. The decline in television and video popularity in the mid 1990s, saw a resurgence in cinemas. Sun Picture Gardens is also a concert and wedding venue and is a tourism destination.

Integrity/Authenticity

Modifications: Extensive restoration, and new construction at the rear, in recent years.

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Statement of Significance

The picture gardens make a significant contribution to the townscape and have always been associated with prominent people in the town. Part of a group of essential character elements in Chinatown.

Physical Description

TImber framed, corrugated iron walls and roof.

History

Originally built by the Yamasaki family as a dry goods store, the building was converted to a Japanese play house, then a picture theatre in 1926. The last owner/operator was Peter Haynes who for many years was president of the Shire. Closed & derelict at time of assessment (July 1982)

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Hanoe's Cottage

Parent Place or Precinct

00291 Chinatown Conservation Area

Condition

The Broome Historical Society advises that Ah Fat's cottage was demolished, but that Hanoe's Cottage (also listed at this place number) still exists.

Uses

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Parent Place or Precinct

00291 Chinatown Conservation Area

Physical Description

The single storey timber framed corrugated iron clad building has a hipped corrugated iron roof extending over the verandahs that have hinged shutters above the corrugated iron dado. Raised from the ground on concrete stumps, the place comprises a single room with verandahs on 3 sides. The roof features an original and distinctive Broome wind scoop.

History

The name Hanoe's Cottage comes from Donggi Hanoe, a Broome engineer, who acquired the place in 1954. It was owned prior to that by seaman Adam Snait. The date of construction is not known. Another similar cottage on an adjoining site, known as Ah Fat's, has been removed. The place has been occupied by the Short Street Gallery in recent years.

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Morgan's Camp

Parent Place or Precinct

00291 Chinatown Conservation Area

Uses

Historic Themes

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Parent Place or Precinct

00291 Chinatown Conservation Area

Physical Description

One dwelling remains within the flat low lying area bordering the mangroves, although there are another two dwellings in Chapple Street. The dwellings are single storey timber framed structure with horizontal corrugated iron wall cladding, shutters and corrugated iron gable roofs.

History

Morgan's Camp was the site of early pearling and crew camps, in particular those of pearlers Kennedy, Norman and Goldie. Boat building was an important part of the activities in the area. In the late 1920s or early 1930s, Alfred Chambers Morgan commenced a pearling operation based at the site, where he housed his Japanese, Chinese and Malay crews. Morgan had been fleet manager with Captain Gregory and later with Streeter and Male. Alf Morgan married Sylvia Nelson. After she died in 1937 during childbirth, he remarried to Sylvia's younger sister Ruby (Pops) Nelson and they had two children. Both Alf and Ruby were active members of the Broome Tennis Club and Alf owned several racehorses. Alf Morgan built his pearling fleet to six luggers. In the late 1950s, he declined Sam Male's invitation to join him in the new cultivated pearl business, and with his son Richard attempted to set up his own pearl farm. Alf died in 1971, aged 74, and Richard established successful pearl farming on the Monte Bello Islands. Alf's wife Ruby died in 1995 and is buried in the Pioneer Cemetery with her husband. Morgan's Camp has been used by Aboriginal groups for over seventy years. In the 1980s, there were a number of permanent residents (most in pearling industry) including brothers Richard and Joseph Hunter.

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Broome Meatworks Site

Uses

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Statement of Significance

The meatworks played an important role in the Kimberley pastoral industry.

Physical Description

A rock plinth with a plaque commemorating the site of the meatworks is located in a small-grassed park “Demco Park” overlooking the bay.

History

The meatworks, established by the Farrell family in 1939 included an abattoir. Operating as the Derby Meat Processing Company Pty Ltd, it was used in the war years to supply meat to the Australian Armed Forces. The meatworks only operated 6 months a year due to the climate. In 1986 it was the busiest year handling over 50,000 head of beef. During the 54 years of operation, 11 million cattle were processed. In 1976 Demco purchased the meatworks. The meatworks provided a significant amount of employment in Broome. The railway ran between the meatworks and the Town Jetty. Closure of the meatworks in 1983 resulted from the live cattle export. The property was divided into residential blocks after the plant closed, the first stage being sold at auction in 1996.

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RAAF Bristol Beaufighter A19-163 Wreck Site

Values

The place is associated with the operations of the No. 31 Squadron, the RAAF’s second Beaufighter squadron, and is the only known location of a Bristol Beaufighter in Western Australian waters.

The place is associated with the World War II operations at Broome Airport. Western Australia became an important base from which to launch offensive action against enemy forces, and Beaufighter A19-163 took off from the airstrip at Broome shortly before it crashed.

The loss of the aircraft during a routine operation reflects the dangers regularly endured by Australian pilots and navigators during World War II. The place has importance to the local and wartime community as the grave of the two airmen who died serving their country.

The place is an undisturbed archaeological site comprising original components in situ. Such a site is extremely rare in Western Australia and has the potential to provide a variety of information regarding the aircraft, the crash and maritime archaeology.

Statement of Significance

The place is associated with the operations of the No. 31 Squadron, the RAAF’s second Beaufighter squadron, and is the only known location of a Bristol Beaufighter in Western Australian waters; The place is associated with the World War II operations at Broome Airport. Western Australia became an important base from which to launch offensive action against enemy forces, and Beaufighter A19-163 took off from the airstrip at Broome shortly before it crashed; The loss of the aircraft during a routine operation reflects the dangers regularly endured by Australian pilots and navigators during World War II. The place has importance to the local and wartime community as the grave of the two airmen who died serving their country; The place is an undisturbed archaeological site comprising original components in situ. Such a site is extremely rare in Western Australia and has the potential to provide a variety of information regarding the aircraft, the crash and maritime archaeology.

Physical Description

The RAAF Bristol Beaufighter A19-163 Wreck Site is a submerged archaeological site located off the coast of Broome. The site consists of scattered aircraft fuselage, engines and components located on a sandy seafloor with rock and coral outcrops. All surviving components are in-situ and comprise aluminium fuselage, copper ammunition, steel engines, guns and cables. Specific components of the aircraft have been identified by the discoverers of the archaeological site.

History

RAAF Beaufighter A19-163 began service in September 1943. It was soon transferred to the charge of the No 31 Squadron, based in Darwin for war operations. The pilot assigned to Beaufighter A19-163 was Flight Sergeant Ronald S. Kerrigan, and his observer, or navigator, was Sergeant Ronald G. Smith. On 18 September 1944 Beaufighter A19-163 was on first light patrol duty, providing cover for a Catalina laying mines in the shipping channels. Several witnesses stated that the aircraft took off from the Broome airstrip and shortly afterwards, at 0435 hours, crashed into the sea, approximately one mile from beach. The Court of Inquiry concluded that both servicemen were fatally injured in the accident, and classified ‘Missing, Believed Killed’. In June 2014, it was reported in the media that the RAAF Bristol Beaufighter A19-163 Wreck Site had been found and identified by helicopter pilot Jim Miles and Dion Marinis of the Broome Historical Society. The two men had searched the area for plane debris for months, finally recording the archaeological site over six dives. The RAAF and experts from the WA Museum have confirmed the identity of the wreck as RAAF Bristol Beaufighter A19-163. The Dive Site Survey report concluded that the aircraft crashed into the sea in a steep dive. The engines of the Beaufighter A19-163 were designated Hercules XVII Numbers 11515 (L) and 18116 (R). The remnants of the engines have been identified in the wreck location. A memorial to the crew was unveiled on Broome's Cable Beach on September 18, 2014.

Archaeology

Maritime archaeological site

Uses

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Kimberley De Grey Stock Route and Wells

Historic Themes

Creation Date

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Statement of Significance

• The Kimberley de Grey Stock route and the associated wells have historic value for their association with the development of the pastoral industry in the North West of the state in the late 19th and early 20th century. • The wells along the Kimberley de Grey Stock route have historic and social value to the aboriginal people of the region as they were traditional water sources prior to settlement by pastoralists in the mid 19th century and held cultural and spiritual values to these peoples. • The route and wells have historic value as they demonstrate how conflict arose between the pastoral industry and the aboriginal people of the region through the practice of exclusion.

Physical Description

The stock route covers a distance of approximately 380km and is located closer to the coast than the Great Northern Highway. A site visit was not undertaken for this assessment therefore it is not known if all wells are still in existence. Aerial photographs indicate that the physical form of the route is largely open scrub with endemic vegetation. The wells along the route are likely to vary in form and condition.

History

In 1879, Alexander Forrest (1849-1901) surveyor, explorer, financier, and politician led an expedition from the De Grey River to the Kimberley and Fitzroy River, where he took up several pastoral stations. Alexander Forrest was Mayor of Perth, 1892-1895 and 1898-1900, as well as MLC and MLA for Kimberley. The route that Alexander Forrest surveyed was developed in 1895 with the sinking of 27 wells along the total route of 237 miles (381km). The colonial government were keen to develop the northern portions of the state for settlement and the provision of a secure stock route assisted pastoralists to move stock to and from the south of the state. Establishment of the De Grey Kimberley Stock Route was strongly influenced by pastoralist and local MLA Alexander Robert Richardson. Richardson drew attention to the need for a stock route in a letter to his electorate in June 1894. Later in the year, following his re-election he was appointed Commissioner for Crown Lands in the Ministry of John Forrest. The route largely followed the 1879 survey and relied on native soaks for water sources. In late 1895, Mr S. Anderson, Superintendant of the Water Supply party engaged in sinking wells on the stock route reported that windlasses, ropes, buckets and small troughs have been provided for the wells already sunk. In this program of work, 27 wells were either sunk or repaired long the route of 237 miles. One of the outcomes of the creation of the route was the exclusion of Aboriginal people from using the water sources along the track. The portion of the route between the old townsite of Condon (Shellborough) and La Grange Bay is within the area of traditional Yawuru country. Plans drawn by the Department of Lands and Titles c1895 showing the stock route include the traditional names of the soaks or wells. Apart from the stock and their handlers passing through, the wells and creeks were used by pearlers and their crews as lay up camps during the off season. The stock route which is designated as Reserve 9697 is located closer to the coast than the Great Northern Highway which replaced the function of the stock route.

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Broome Sandstone Dinosaur Footprints

Child Places

• 24887 Dinosaur Footprints, Red Cliff
• 18759 Gantheaume Point

Values

the place is associated with the prehistoric life of Western Australia.

the place is an extremely rare example of dinosaur fossil traces.

the place has the potential, through scientific study, to uncover new information about the early dinosaurs inhabiting Western Australia.

Physical Description

Broome Sandstone Dinosaur Footprints are a series of footprints (called fossil traces), lying on a series of rocky outcrops along the coast throughout the Broome area, from Roebuck Bay and the Broome Townsite north to Cape Leveque. The fossil traces lie in a geological structure known as the Broome Sandstone, a mix of sandstone and mudstone dating to the Early Cretaceous period (approximately 133-140 million years ago). This geological structure extends from Cape Levenque to the southern edge of Eighty Mile Beach and approximately 100 km inland from the coast, with surface outcrops becoming exposed along the shorelines of the Broome area.1 At least 21 different types of dinosaur footprints have been identified, making this the most diverse collections of dinosaurian trace fossils in the world. Numerous tracksites have been identified, many of which preserve short sections of trackways (sequences of prints recording the movement of one or more animals).2 The Palaeontology Survey of the Broome Sandstone – Browse LNG Precinct Report performed in 2011 outlines dinosaur fossil traces (tracksides or related groups of tracks) in the following locations: James Price Point: 7 track sites James Price proposed Port: 9 track sites James Price proposed South Pipeline: 4 track sites Cable Beach: 8 track sites Gantheaume Beach: 3 track sites Gantheaume Point: 4 track sites Riddell Beach: 4 track sites Port Beach: 4 track sites Town Beach: 7 track sites Red Cliffs: 5 track sites The fossil traces identified within these sites include sauropods, theropods, orinthopods and invertebrates.3 Of particular note on this list are the Red Cliff fossil traces, which comprise a series of natural moulds formed by the trackways of large sauropods- ‘lizard-hipped’ herbivores characterised by massive bodies and long necks, existing from 210 to 65.5 Million years ago; and a footprint of a single theropod- ‘bird-hipped’ herbivores and carnivores characterised by massive bodies and bipedalism, existing from 231 million years ago and later evolving into birds.4 A total of five separate print types are present at the site, ranging from single prints to trackways to intersections of multiple trackways.5 The fossil traces are present as large, dish-like depressions, preserved as a series of rock layers with an ‘onion-like’ effect, which sometimes project above the surrounding rock as the footprints appear to be more resistant to erosion. The layering effect of these footprints can range from 20cm to 70 cm, and range in size from 45 cm to 120 cm.6

History

Aboriginal people lived around the Broome and Dampier Peninsula Regions for tens of thousands of years, the family groups moving through the landscape in response to the “wet” and “dry” seasons, utilising local marine and plant species, yellow ochres and tools composed of wood, stone or shell.7 This region was home to varied language groups, including the Rubibi, Jabirr, Ngumbarl, Bindunbur, Bardi and Jawi people.8 A striking cultural tradition of these different groups is the rich legacy of painted rock art, recognised at the National level.9 The Aboriginal groups of the area recognised the fossilised footprints along the Broome Sandstone formation as traces of ancestral beings, with these footprints becoming significant parts of local tradition.10 This way of life was disrupted by the arrival of British settlers, who expanded through the region in the 1850s-1870s, establishing pearl diving centres along the coast and pastoral interests inland, often to the detriment of Aboriginal people. Broome was established in 1883, primarily to service pearling ships.11 During this period, a number of scientific expeditions were undertaken throughout the Kimberley region, seeking to map the area and better understand its resources.12 These expeditions were reflections of a larger scientific interest in the natural world within British culture during the nineteenth century, which included, among other subjects, prehistoric life. The study of dinosaurs in Western culture began in the 1820s in England, where advances in geology had led researchers to question the timescale of Earth’s past. Bones associated with ancient sediments were originally thought of as oversized versions of modern lizards, although it was not until 1842 that the term dinosaurian was coined by Richard Owen. A turning point for dinosaur study came with the full-sized dinosaur sculptures featured at the grounds of the Crystal Place in 1854, which set off a public fashion for the subject. Interest was further heightened by the ‘Bone Wars’ in America, where competing researchers discovered and assembled a number of whole dinosaur skeletons in the 1870s and 1880s.13 In Western Australia, expeditions to discover dinosaur fossils were mounted as early as 1908, with megafauna remains discovered in Mammoth Cave the following year. By this point, a palaeontologist was already associated with the board of the Western Australian Museum.14 Discussions on new international discoveries and the evolution of dinosaurs were peppered throughout the newspapers of Western Australia as items of scientific interest from 1910 to the 1940s.15 Western Australia was initially noted as lacking in fossil-bearing rocks, a noteable exception being the early marine fossils of the Gingin chalks.16 While other fossil sites were eventually found along the southern coast and in the Kimberleys, the lack of dinosaur fossils as opposed to megafauna or early fish appears to have dampened public enthusiasm.17 This changed in December 1945, with the reporting of a dinosaur footprint at Gantheaume Point, a cast of which was confirmed by the Western Australian Museum, which sparked the interest of local papers.18 The cast was confirmed as that of a three-toed dinosaur, and a study of fossilised plant species from within the surrounding geological strata indicated that the date was within the Cretaceous-Jurassic period.19 Public interest in the dinosaurs of Western Australia increased slowly in the post-war period, partially due to a growing public interest in science and partially as Western Australia seeking to identify itself as a significant place where iconic dinosaur fossils can be found.20 In 1967, Colbert & Merrilees performed a more comprehensive study of the footprints at Gamtheaume point, comparing them to other international specimens and identified the Broome footprints as being produced by a new species, Megalosauropus broomensis. This report also identified other sets of footprints south of Gantheaume Point.21 The period between the 1960s to the 1980s has been considered by Paleontologists as the ‘dinosaur renaissance,’ in which a flurry of new discoveries and theories excited a great deal of new interest in the subject. These theories included the link between dinosaurs and birds, the concept of warm-blooded dinosaurs, models of dinosaur behaviour and the meteorite impact mass-extinction theory.22 As a result of these new discoveries, combined with the advent of computer imaging techniques allowing for realistic depictions of dinosaurs in televisions, movie and print, public interest in dinosaurs has been intense since the 1990s. Steven Spielberg’s film Jurassic Park in 1993 is a particularly good example of this surge in public interest.23 A study was performed on the Red Cliff dinosaur footprints in 1994, by University of Queensland paleontologists T Thulborn and T Hamely, along with Broome naturalist P Foulkes. This study highlighted the rarity of such fossil traces in Australia and their significance as the first indication of sauropod dinosaurs in western half of Australia, ‘showing a considerable diversity in their morphology and preservation.’24 Since 2010, a number of other studies have been performed on these fossil traces in connection with proposed mineral and resource projects in the region.25 In recent years, tours have been established to the dinosaur traces, 26 which in some cases also highlight the associated Dreaming stories of Aboriginal people. 27

Uses

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Male Sheds and Jetty

Parent Place or Precinct

00291 Chinatown Conservation Area

Uses

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Parent Place or Precinct

00291 Chinatown Conservation Area

Physical Description

Male Boat Sheds comprise a single storey steel framed open shed with an adjoining double volume steel framed structure with corrugated iron clad walls and gable roof. A timber jetty extends east of the buildings into the mangroves of Roebuck Bay.

History

The area on the eastern foreshore side of Dampier Terrace was the site of pearl sorting and packing sheds and boat sheds. It was here that the luggers were pulled up during the lay-off season and overhauled. All the sheds previously owned by Streeter and Male around the end of Streeter's Jetty has since been removed. These sheds were used by several well-known pearlers including Bert Kennedy. In 1942, the sheds were taken over by Streeter and Male.

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Streeter's Jetty

Parent Place or Precinct

00291 Chinatown Conservation Area

Uses

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Creation Date

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Parent Place or Precinct

00291 Chinatown Conservation Area

Physical Description

Timber framed and decked jetty extends east into the mangroves of Roebuck Bay. The original iron tram tracks lie in the mud next to the jetty.

History

Streeter's Jetty was built for pearl dealers and merchants E. W. Streeter & Co of London, and is known to have been in existence in 1897. A channel cut through the mangroves to Dampier Creek provided access to Streeter's Jetty for luggers and other small vessels. Associated with the jetty were the Streeter and Male Stores on Short Street. In 1897, the Government provided a town jetty at Mangrove Point, and a tramway was built to link the jetties and Chinatown. The tramway operated until 1948. The jetty is subject to great variations in the tide, being sometimes covered with water, and king tides in particular damage the structure.

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Commemoratives

Parent Place or Precinct

00291 Chinatown Conservation Area

Uses

Creation Date

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Parent Place or Precinct

00291 Chinatown Conservation Area

Physical Description

The centre verge features a paved area with a statues and commemorative memorials that include: realistic cast bronze statues of a hard hat pearl diver, and three Japanese men, as well as various plaques and commemorations.

History

The statues commemorate Broome's pearl divers, pearling masters and crews and pay tribute to their contribution to Broome's multicultural history. Three statues and plaques pay tribute to Mr Tokuichi Kuribayashi. (1977) They were part of the ‘Sam Male’ lugger memorial to Arthur Streeter Male. The three statues are a tribute to the establishment of the Kuri Bay pearl cultivation project. The figures depict Mr T Kuribayashi (founder of project), Mr Keith Dureau (1st managing director) and Mr H Iwaki (searched the project site). The hard hat diver was sculpted by Joan Walsh Smith and Charles Smith in 1999. The statue was unveiled as part of the opening ceremony for the 30th Shinju Matsuri Festival. A 2001 plaque commemorates ‘Our Indigenous Pearl Divers’.

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Broome Pearls, Pearl Shop and Warehouse

Parent Place or Precinct

00291 Chinatown Conservation Area

Uses

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Roebuck Bay Hotel

Parent Place or Precinct

00291 Chinatown Conservation Area

Uses

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Creation Date

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Statement of Significance

The Roebuck Bay Hotel is legendary and has always been a social and cultural focal point in Chinatown. Its use as a hotel in Chinatown gives it both historical and social importance.

Physical Description

The building is single storey, timber framed and iron-clad. Extensive interior alterations and surrounding additions were made in the 1980s.

History

The original hotel built in 1888 was destroyed by fire and rebuilt in 1904 by the pioneer traders Newman Goldstein and Co.

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Parent Place or Precinct

00291 Chinatown Conservation Area

Physical Description

The single storey building with front verandah fronts the street. The timber-framed building is clad with horizontal custom orb colorbond above a mini-orb build-up, and has aluminium framed windows, on the front façade. The front verandah has timber boards and square posts. The remainder of the building is a concrete block construction and contemporary fitout. Carpark fronts Carnarvon Street and two-storey brick motel also on site. Changes to place: Extensive: external reconstruction, modernised interior and additions

History

Roebuck Bay Hotel was the first hotel built in Broome. It was constructed around 1890 for E. W. Streeter as an incentive to keep the pearling crews in Broome. The building was destroyed by fire and rebuilt in 1904. In 1955, the hotel was purchased by Bill and Veronica Nightingall, who did extensive renovations, including transporting pre-made bedrooms by semi-trailer from Perth. The hotel was purchased by the Swan Brewery in 1973. In the 1970s, despite not having air-conditioning, it was a popular haunt for the young people of Broome as it was the only hotel that held a regular dance. Roebuck Bay Hotel has undergone considerable change since the 1970s.

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House, 57 Dampier Terrace

Parent Place or Precinct

00291 Chinatown Conservation Area

Uses

Historic Themes

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Parent Place or Precinct

00291 Chinatown Conservation Area

Physical Description

Single storey timber framed structure with custom orb profile colorbond cladding to the walls and roof. Hipped roof, symmetrical frontage. 1999: Extensive renovations: a two-storey caretaker's residence, viewing tower, deck and commercial and office space.

History

Uncertain date of construction: c. 1900 and 1940. In 1940s, it was retail showroom by Goode, Durrant & Murray. In 1948, pearler Thomas Herbert (Bert) Kennedy purchased the property and it was a bulk store until 1956, after which it was leased to M. & W. Scott as Japanese quarters. The place was empty from 1968 until the early 1980s, when it was acquired by Lord McAlpine. From 1986 to 1993, it was Broome News community newspaper. It is situated on a designated Aboriginal heritage site, No. K2417 and was used as a wet weather shelter and meeting place by local Aboriginal people. Lee Dubray developed the place in 1999.

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Broome Cemetery

Child Places

• 00301 Broome Cemetery - Japanese/Chinese/Muslim Section
• 00301 Broome Cemetery - Japanese/Chinese/Muslim Section

Uses

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Child Places

• 00301 Broome Cemetery - Japanese/Chinese/Muslim Section
• 00301 Broome Cemetery - Japanese/Chinese/Muslim Section

Statement of Significance

The cemetery is significant for its connection with well know people in Broom and in the history of the North, such as Matthew Forrest and Pemberton Walcott. It is attractively situated an of interest to tourists.

History

Assessment: June 1983 The cemetery was established before 1884 - this is the date of the earliest marked grave, that of Matthew Forrest, a brother of Lord Forrest. It is located on a small promontory and has become an interesting piece of the landscape in the middle of an area of tourist activitity

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Child Places

• 00301 Broome Cemetery - Japanese/Chinese/Muslim Section
• 00301 Broome Cemetery - Japanese/Chinese/Muslim Section

Statement of Significance

Broome Cemetery is significant as a record of pioneers and associations with Broome from c.1880 to present day. Many headstones and palisades are of aesthetic importance for their design characteristics that typify various periods.

Physical Description

Extensive cemetery- low chain link perimeter fence. Sections for different denominations.

History

Broome Cemetery was gazetted on 22 April 1890, seven years after the townsite had been surveyed. It has been used for the burials of people of mainly European descent and has sections for the various religious denominations. Broome Cemetery was the second of three Cemeteries in Broome: Ref 36 Pioneer Cemetery (1); Ref 28: Broome Cemetery (3): Japanese, Chinese & Muslim sections

Integrity/Authenticity

High degree High degree

Condition

Good

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Broome Native Hospital (fmr)

Values

The place is a rare and relatively intact example of the historical segregation of Aboriginal hospital patients during the twentieth century.

The place is significant to the Aboriginal community of the Broome region for its associations with the treatment of Aboriginal patients and historical segregation, as well as its later use as a community centre.

The place demonstrates representative example of Nissen-style huts, which were used by the state government in the post-war period for their durability and ease of construction.

Physical Description

Broome Native Hospital (fmr) is located near the centre of the Broome townsite, surrounded by a streetscape of single storey residences arranged in a grid system. The block itself is a government reserve, larger than the surrounding blocks with remnant bushland across the northern half. The southern half of the block consists of a large, cleared area and a number of built structures, including the General Ward, Maternity Wing and Female Ablution Block of the hospital and the Nurses Quarters to the east. The General Ward sits along the southern edge of the block, oriented east-southeast to west-northwest, and consists of a single long hall composed of a timber frame with corrugated iron cladding. Door and window frames are timber construction, with the latter including louvered panels (originally glass, later replaced with metal). The corrugated iron roof is gabled towards the eastern entrance, with a characteristic curved apex of Nissen style huts. The foundations of the building are unknown but presumed to be concrete. Internally, the ward has been partitioned using timber frame and corrugated iron cladding into a number of treatment areas, with some areas given extra privacy through the insertion of doors. The floor is painted concrete, and the internal ceiling is fibreboard. The condition of the building is very dilapidated. The Maternity Wing lies at a right angle to the General Ward (i.e., in a north-northeast to south-southwest) and is constructed in the same manner as the General Ward. Electrical lighting has been provided along the side of this building. No internal images have been provided for this building; however, it is presumed to be similar to the General Ward. West of both of these buildings lies the former Female Ablution Block, a small timber-framed, corrugated iron clad building with a half-gabled corrugated iron roof. The three buildings are connected by a T-junction of a covered walkway. The former Nurses Quarters are located east of the former hospital building, and it is unknown if this is the original structure or a new building in the site of the former living quarters. Ancillary structures on site include a number of shipping containers towards the centre of the block, which are understood to act as storage. Aerial imagery of the site shows at least three larger piles of building debris, which may represent the remains of the other structures that were historically situated on the site but have since been demolished.

History

Aboriginal people lived around the Broome and Dampier Peninsula Regions for tens of thousands of years, the family groups moving through the landscape in response to the “wet” and “dry” seasons, utilising tools composed of wood, stone or shell. This region was home to varied language groups, and a striking cultural tradition of these different groups is the rich legacy of painted rock art, recognised at the National level. This way of life began to be disrupted by the arrival of British settlers, who expanded through the region in the 1850s-1870s, establishing pearl diving centres along the coast and pastoral interests inland, often to the detriment of Aboriginal people. Broome was established in 1883, primarily to service the pastoral industry and pearling ships. These industries were severely damaging to the Aboriginal men and women of the areas; however, a number became involved with these industries, working as station hands or on the pearling luggers as divers. Many of these men and women were brought to the work by force, as 'blackbirding' was common in the early years. Another factor that decimated the Aboriginal population of the area was the introduction of European and Asian diseases. Leprosy, identified in Broome in 1908, and became prevalent in the Aboriginal population by 1912, and Lock Hospitals were established in Port Hedland in 1919 and Derby in 1920. In Broome, conflict between different branches of the State government over who should pay for transporting and treating the afflicted Aboriginal people meant that the situation was not addressed for decades. Broome Native Hospital (fmr), initially consisted of Reserve 21801 “Hospital for the Natives,” was historically a large block at the western edge of the Broome townsite, covering the area between Anne Street, Dora Street and Guy Street. The block was set aside c.1925 as the townspeople at the time objected to sharing a hospital with Aboriginal people.. The buildings originally erected at the site provided only basic facilities, consisting of two simple timber framed shacks clad with corrugated iron, however by the late 1930s these structures were found to be lacking and unable to cope with the number of Aboriginal patients. An operating theatre was present at the site; however, complaints were raised by the resident medical officer that the structure was inadequate. In 1940 the Broome Road Board requested more substantial hospital ward buildings and bathroom facilities, as well as a separate building for lepers. The Commissioner of Native Affairs placed the blame for unsound and unhygienic facilities on the local Roads Board, however by 1941 had relented and plans were drawn up for improved facilities, including new hospital beds. However, work did not begin until 1945, and the buildings were completed that year. Unfortunately, by 1949 the buildings were already in a state of disrepair. These buildings did not initially include any bathing facilities, much to the chagrin of the hospital administrator Mr Lund. The following year, money was put aside at the State level for the establishment of Nissen Huts to act as hospital wards at the site. Nissen Huts, prefabricated corrugated iron structures developed in the United States in the early twentieth century, were popularised in Australia during the post-war period, as the design was resistant to storm damage and was quick and easy to erect. These buildings were used in a number of contexts where economy, ease of erection and hardiness were top priorities, and have been commonly associated with migrant camps. A map of the site dated 1951 shows the current configuration of General Ward and Maternity Wing, Female Ablution Block and connecting walkways, with Nurses Quarters to the east. Other buildings that have since been demolished included a laundry, domestic quarters, kitchen and two toilet blocks. The domestic staff appear to have been local Aboriginal girls. Stephen “Baamba” Albert, an Aboriginal local of Broome, recalls that he was born in the “Back Hospital” of Broome in 1950, the “Front Hospital” being for white use only. However, by 1958 calls were made to close Broome Native Hospital (fmr), as Aboriginal patients requiring constant monitoring were being transferred to the Broome District Hospital and medical officers were forced to make daily trips between both facilities. Another factor was the retirement of Mr and Mrs Lund, who had midwifery certificates, resulting in obstetrics cases having to be transferred to the district hospital. The buildings were formally closed in 1965, however there appear to have still been patients at the site in 1966. A number of alternative uses were considered for the buildings, including transferring the buildings to the sisters of St John of God to use as an Aboriginal aged care home. However, the buildings were eventually transferred via the Shire of Broome to the Broome Citizens Committee in 1968 “for the advancement of Aboriginal people.” The buildings were then known as Mamabulandyin, and were used for meetings, clubs, holiday camps, cultural events and as a museum. In 1970, part of the original reserve was subdivided with Reserve 34937 being created on which Broome Native Hospital (fmr) is situated today. In the 1970s and 1980s the buildings were used as the Goolarabooloo Hostel. It is understood that at some point in the 1960s or 1970s, Paddy Roe, a significant Aboriginal elder in Broome who was respected across the entire region, lived at Broome Native Hospital (fmr).

Historic Themes

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Pearler Workers Dwellings

Uses

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Statement of Significance

Pearl Worker’s dwelling (fmr) is a good representative example of a typical pearl work’s dwelling of which very few remain. It is significant for the associations with the pearl industry, and the pearl workers dwellings represent the way of life of the pearlworkers, that is no longer practiced.

Physical Description

The dwelling is single storey timber framed structure with horizontal corrugated iron wall cladding and corrugated iron gable roof. Infilled front verandah.

Integrity/Authenticity

High degree Moderate degree

Condition

Fair

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