Broome Pearl Luggers: 1.5-Hour Pearling History Tour & Tasting

Inside Broome's Pearling Past: A Restored Lugger & the Stories It Holds

You'll spend 90 minutes walking through Broome's pearling heritage on a guided tour of a restored pearl lugger and authentic pearlers store in Chinatown, handling rare artifacts and learning how the industry evolved from hard hat diving to modern techniques. The tour includes a tasting of pearl meat from the Pinctada maxima oyster and runs daily with groups capped at 40 people, making it easy to book without advance notice.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Broome's pearling history

• Arrive at Pearl Luggers venue
• View restored historical Pearl Lugger
• Explore revitalised pearl diving showrooms
• Join 1.5-hour guided tour
• Learn about Broome's pearling heritage

The experience

There's something about standing in front of a fully rigged pearl lugger that makes you want to know what happened on it. The Pearl Luggers tour in Broome does that. It takes you into Chinatown, right to the water's edge of Dampier Creek, and walks you through 150 years of the people who risked everything diving for pearls in Roebuck Bay. The tour runs 1.5 hours, guided by the team at Willie Creek Pearls, and it's set in the exact place where the history unfolded, among the mangroves where the fleet once came and went.

You'll see the restored pearl lugger itself (the kind of vessel that became the symbol of Broome) surrounded by a reconstructed tidal jetty and an authentic pearlers store filled with diving equipment and mother-of-pearl artifacts from the era. The guide walks you through how pearling has changed from the hard hat diving days to the modern techniques used now, and you get to touch and hold some of the rarest pieces in the collection. It's not just looking at things behind glass. You're handling them, which changes how real it all becomes. Groups stay under 40 people, so it doesn't feel crowded even in the heart of Chinatown.

The part that stays with you is the pearl meat tasting: a rare and expensive delicacy from the Pinctada maxima oyster that produces the pearls. It's a small thing, but it's the kind of detail that makes the whole tour feel less like a museum visit and more like you've stepped into the working life of Broome. The tour is wheelchair accessible throughout, and if you need a vegetarian option, you can request it when you book. Daily departures mean you can fit it into your schedule without much planning.

What’s included

Your 1.5-hour tour includes guided commentary on Broome's pearling heritage, access to the fully rigged and restored pearl lugger and reconstructed pearlers store, the opportunity to see, touch and hold rare pearling and mother-of-pearl artifacts, and an exclusive tasting of pearl meat from the Pinctada maxima oyster. Groups are kept to a maximum of 40 people, and vegetarian options can be arranged with advance notice.

Before you book

Days and timesTuesday, Friday, Saturday and SundayDeparts at 10:00

Book up to6h before

AgesAdult (17 and older) · Child (6 to 16 years) · Infant (under 6): free

GroupUp to 40

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleStroller-friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Willie Creek Pearls

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to understand Broome's maritime identity in the place where it was actually built: the restored lugger and artifacts make the 150-year story tangible in a way a museum alone cannot, and the 1.5-hour length fits easily into a morning or afternoon without eating your whole day.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (6 to 16 years); Infant (under 6): free.

How long is the Pearl Luggers tour in Broome?

The tour runs 1.5 hours and covers Broome's 150-year pearling history on the foreshore of Dampier Creek in Chinatown.

What's included in the tour?

Guided commentary on pearling history, access to the restored pearl lugger and pearlers store, handling of rare artifacts, and a tasting of pearl meat from the Pinctada maxima oyster.

Is the Pearl Luggers tour wheelchair accessible?

Yes, all areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible, and infants can be brought in a pram or stroller.

How many people go on each tour?

Tours are capped at a maximum of 40 people per departure.

Can I request a vegetarian option?

Yes, vegetarian options are available: advise the tour operator at the time of booking.

Where is Pearl Luggers located?

It's located in the heart of Broome's Chinatown, on the foreshore of Roebuck Bay's Dampier Creek, with public transportation options nearby.

Do I need to book in advance?

Tours run daily and can be pre-booked, though advance booking is recommended to secure your preferred time.

What is pearl meat?

Pearl meat is a rare and expensive delicacy from the Pinctada maxima oyster, the same oyster that produces the pearls harvested in Broome.