AUSTRALIA | Sunday, 5 June 2011 | Views [375]
Carnarvon Street, one of the main drags in “Chinatown,” which is what they call the historic original heart of Broome and still today the main commercial and tourist area. Despite the fact that there were never many Chinese living there, on the contrary Broome was well known during its big pearling days as being about two-thirds Japanese. The Japanese were the most capable and willing divers, willing to take on the many risks inherent, and would work the pearl season in Broome to send money home to Japan. As a result, there were many Japanese businesses and even a Japanese hospital which catered to the community. China never had much to do with it at all, but these days all the signs say “Chinatown.”
