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Published: July 24th 2006
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Glen Canon Netting
Broome Bird Observatory, our first ever visit, with GC helping the Canon Netting monitoring and releasing of waders. Who would have thought then, what lay ahead!! here is this comical black bug that has co-habited with us since we got back from Adelaide. At first, I though he was profoundly confused an suffering from being locked in the house since our return. He scuttles quite rapidly across the entire length of the dusty lino floor. Then minutes later, there he is again, scuttling back, transecting another line. Back again and again. Like a busy QA tester on a factory floor, I expect he’ll drop his clipboard and any minute the sheet will be up and we’ll all see that he’s nothing more than a con trying to look busy. He hasn’t found food, built a nest or laid an egg in hours. Yet continues to occupy the strangest of places. The alfoil wrapper that now scurries across the room somewhere, we can hear it and it gives him away but this time we don’t see him. Just now, the seat I momentarily vacate to write this, he is there waiting when I return. In Callum’s room, up on the insect net, falling of the pillow, up at the windowsill, and now as many times before, he lies quite lifeless on the floor near the doorway. Perhaps a
The japanese cemetery
Where hundred of perlers are buried, who lost their lives in the early 1900s. The best divers were usually the Japanese. Only 2 non-whites ever owned a pearl-lugger - both were japanese. decoy so that we’ll leave it open for his quick escape when we’re not looking. Who knows. Ive no doubt he’ll turn up again somewhere else, fully mobile, quite alive somewhere else in the place, and then as quickly disappear again.
Much like we do.
Upon arrival in Broome, I was advised: ‘there are two types of folks that come to Broome - Those that love it and those that hate it - and no in between’. I knew at that stage, although I could definitely say that I didn’t hate the place, that Id really have to learn to dig deep to find love. With 35 deg c nights and little or no breeze during those morning sick nights of the November build-up, I really hadn’t fallen head over heals.
Glen agreed with me, we didn’t hate the place…but love was a bit much to ask on a first date. After scratching deeper, meeting more people, experiencing the wet, the A&E staff at the hospital , the library (that bloody library, our only non bird observatory air-conditioned consolation - I could paint a portrait of all the librarians from memory we’d been in there often,smell
The Broome Play Group
The only play group I know of that starts at 8am in the morning, to beat the heat! of books and sweat and warm computers - I can still sense it ). Today, however, the best word to describe my emotions has to be - embarrassed. Let me explain.
Broome’s natural beauty is incontestable. The stunning sunsets over the west, the beautiful storms and sunrises over the bay - the amazing sea bird variety - the plants and animals that survive and evolve in those extreme seasons all undeniably amazing in both beauty and uniqueness.
But the social history side of it cannot be more undignified. A farce of resorts, day spas and camel rides do not reveal the truth beyond the lattice. And con the tourist into wanting to be here for the Broome experience, but little is revealed about the Broome that lies beneath the surface. Only a few decades ago the place was a lawless Mecca for has-beens; no bodies; a town full of tyrants, gangs, thieves, racists and imperialists.
And now, after limited exposure t and o the place, enough to be
Tenting in broome
Our home before the rains came down dangerous, and with a little historical knowlegde I now claim expertise status and with the licence to freedom of speech, and the knowledge that few if any will read this, I prophesise that the natural beauty is short lived. With the self sufficiency attainable by trucking routes and uninterrupted energy supplies. The persistant air conditioning abd rising populations in this area will continue to one of the most remote and significant historical windows of Australasia's history. Not to mention the biodiversity of bird and marine life that has reached such mesmerising levels due to its remoteness which is now also threatened.Of course, we’ll think we can live sustainably along side it, we’ll pretend we can develop without impact, we say that some things have to change because progress is inevitable and places like Cape Levique will despite protest be lost forever. The bits that aren’t already illegally stolen by foregn fisherman, or local indigenous farms will be lost to tourist traffic, over fishing, resorts and million dollar holiday homes.
The ‘new’ Broome is not the same, the long term locals tell me. Only 15 years ago talk of asleepy town still existed here. Friends mixed in backyard barbies, and
Broome Bird Observatory
Our evening view from the BBO - unmistakenly beautiful the time and location of most of them were knownthroughout the town - who were also welcome. They were mostly relocated hippies, looking for a fresh start away from the left overs of the 80s or just broken down and penniless. They stayed, made their homes- and despite the heat, chilled out.
Indigenous folks survived the decades of atrocities and dismissals and still, living on the fringes, mixed with other folks, intermarried, went away came back.
But somewhere someone came up with a bright idea to revamp Broome. And now it’s the ‘touristic’ foces that are ruining the very essence that people came to see.
I come from Carribean man, my father he da fisherman cam here many years ago. Now I work here cleaning dis stuff man, and the parks for da council, scool man. Going home soon to see the family man. Nice life here, though not the same now as ten years ago, too touristic ya know. Changed a lot man… Where once the Asians and aboriginals were the threat to the entrepreneurial and common white pioneering business man, and distaste grew despite the need for them as they endure the laborious,
Famous Cable Beach Broome
The real secret behind the beauty of Broomes internationally acclaimed cable beach sunsets risky and dangerously oppressive conditions to the predominantly white pearling bosses.
Now the tourists fill the streets, take our car spots, fill our restaurants and mess up our parks. Despite the money they bring to help us survive they also bring their bad habits, their rude manners and their strange customs. The cry is, in your best well to do Aussie ocker new money accent
I do not like to complain, because we're builders and our business (read exhorbitant fees) do rely on them and their investments, its just that, You really cant get a seat in a restaurant at a decent time when they’re here in the peak season. I mean who wants to eat at 530pm, or 930pm really! The post office is absolutely unusable, don’t even bother and cable beach sunsets are teaming with them with they coldies and their picnic blankets. You wouldn’t know the place now of course none ofthem to be seen when a flash of lightening threatens. I does detract from the quality of life you came here for in he first place. But as I say I do try not too complain… She tells me this after explaining the 2
Carols by Candlelight
The egg nog starts to kick in... 1/2 year European holiday she’s just returned form that was fully funded by the ‘Broome -boom’ and how distressing the decision is now of ‘were to next?’. AS we sit in the ladies parlour eating bread and honey, and our children are being minded by the childcare worker on minimum award wages in the other room….
T
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wendy
non-member comment
about your journal
im currently studying certificate 3 in tourism and part of my assingment is to do a case study on one of the places they listed ive never been to broome and i knew quite a bit about the other places they listed so i thought i would choose broome for my case study. It is proving to be quite hard especially with some of the information i have to gather and include in my assingment, then i came across your journal i found it very insightfull and also a little sad as to how tourism has impacted on your environment, i wanted just to write to you to let you know there are people out there who are reading your works, keep up the good work love the photography cheers wendy in south australia