Cable Beach, Broome, Western Australia. In 1889 a telegraph undersea cable was laid from here to Singapore. In effect this connected the Australian continent to the rest of the world. Once on land the line then ran on telegraph poles to various points of the country, incl Melbourne and Sydney, some 5000km away. The town has an interesting history based around the exploits of the men and women who developed the pearling industry. The riches from the pearl beds did not come cheaply, and the town’s Japanese cemetery is the resting place of 919 Japanese divers who lost their lives working in the industry. Many more were lost at sea, and the exact number of deaths is unknown.
Each year Broome celebrates this fusion of different cultures in an annual festival called Shinju Matsuri (Japanese for festival of the pearl) which celebrates the Asian influenced culture.
Broome was attacked at least four times by Japanese aircraft during the Second World War, and the worst attack was the 3 March 1942 air raid in which at least 88 people (mostly civilians) were killed.
Each year Broome celebrates this fusion of different cultures in an annual festival called Shinju Matsuri (Japanese for festival of the pearl) which celebrates the Asian influenced culture.
Broome was attacked at least four times by Japanese aircraft during the Second World War, and the worst attack was the 3 March 1942 air raid in which at least 88 people (mostly civilians) were killed.
Sig Nordal 