Broome - Willie Creek Pearl Farm and the Chinese and Japanese connection.
Dearest Intrepid Reader,
Another early start to catch the bus at 07.26hrs.
The bus driver was very informative, some of the facts she shared were:
The permanent stable population of Broome is 17000, however at the moment, this year for the winter the population is approximately 77000. The overflow caravan and camping accommodation at the pistol club is so full no one else can be accommodated.
There is no gutters on the buildings, as when it does rain, it is so torrential that the gutters would be overwhelmed and cause water to track back inside the buildings.
Everyone in Broome has a post office box as letter boxes are not allowed as they have potential to become airborne missiles during a cyclone.
We were off to learn about pearling.
Willie Creek Pearls, commercially farm the revered, Australian South Sea Cultured Pearl, at a sea lease 10 nautical miles off the coast of Broome. Inside Willie Creek itself a small number of oysters are farmed allowing visitors to see what takes place out at sea everyday.
We headed out on the Minari Road which is corrugated and very dusty, the bus shook so much I am not sure how it holds together.
Many Asian migrants settled in Broome to prosper from Broome’s lucrative pearling industry. The Japanese Cemetery in Broome is the largest Japanese cemetery in Australia and dates back to 1896. The Chinese Cemetery is found next to the Japanese cemetery. There is also a Muslim cemetery, with many graves of Malay divers who contributed to the pearling boom in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. There is unique headstones crafted out of coloured beach rocks. The sheer enormity of the number of deaths in the early pearling days is quite shocking. Pearl diving was a dangerous pursuit. A large stone obelisk in the cemetery recalls those who were drowned at sea in the 1908 cyclone. The cyclones of 1887 and 1935, each caused the deaths of at least 140 men. The majority of deaths commemorated in the cemetery resulted from the bends or drowning.
Willie Creek itself is beautiful and in the early years it was a safe anchorage for the pearl Luggers.
We started our tour in the Nursery. The Pinctada Maxima oyster is native to Broome. They are hermaphrodites, develp as males but change to females as required to keep the population thriving. This is incredible for an animal that does not even have a brain, only sensory tissue.
The main historical use of the mother of pearl from the shells was to make buttons, long before plastic was available.
Spawning occurs on a full moon and when the water temperature is above 29 degrees. This is what the nursery is for to replicate these conditions to increase spawning.
Diving to collect wild oysters to keep up stock levels still occurs and is still an onerous occupation. It is however paid very well.Divers are paid by the number of shells they collect and can dive up to nine times per day. Visibility can be low on the ocean floor and sharks are often close by.
Now I tried to listen well, however don’t quote me on this process.
A piece of missippi mussel shell is inserted into the gonad of the oyster as an irritant. This starts the production of a cultivated pearl which can take up to two years. The panels are flipped regularly to ensure the beautiful round shape for which pearls are known.
Out on the oyster farm up to 30000 oysters are on the lines. This is about to increase up to 50000. They are in a constant state of feeding and filter up to 60 litres a day through each oyster for feeding.
Keeping them clean and free of such threats such as polykeat (worms) and other growths on the shells is a very labour intesnive job that goes on daily. The workers actually live out on the oyster farms on about a 10 day out 3 day in rotation. They use cleavers and washing machines on the boat to keep the oysters clean and the shells intact.
The panels all have a tag, but the information contained on them is on a need to know basis, that safe guards the pearls that are ready for harvesting from being stolen. Only three people are in the know. The owner, the dive master and the pearling master.
The abductor muscle in the pearl is also harvested and is a delicacy known as pearl meat. It is often served ceviche.
The life of an oyster in the pearl farm is approximately 8-10 years and it can be seeded 4 to 5 times during this time.
Harvesting the pearls is and all hands on deck affair, however specialist experienced people come just to do that work. The pearl that was harvested today during our tour was worth $ 990.00. It was wonderful to see it done right in front of us.
The pursuit of pearls seems frivolous and just for the sake of beautiful adornments however a new market is emerging.
There is now a biomedical use being developed and researched here in WA. The shell seems perfect for making bone graft frameworks.
The Asian influence is still very much visible in Broome today, with a small but thriving China town.
The gift shop was the last part of the tour today. We were educated on how to value a pearl. This is done by considering the five virtues of pearls.
Size
Colour
Shape
Complexion( marks)
Lustre( shine, if there is no shine they are worthless)
“The Pearl is the Queen of gems, and
the gem of Queens”.
Grace Kelly
It appears the MOTH is also of this belief, and maybe just a little bit because I am a Triker Queen.
Whatever the reason, I ended up leaving Willie Creek Pearls, with a beautiful Australian South Sea Cultured Pearl of my own. I do love him so.
Apologies to our children, as we were not to put any soppy stuff in the blog.
Tomorrow the road beckons and we will start our journey south.
As you ride out to fine the way the way will appear!
Until next time!
MOTH and LOL
