Must do: Pearl Luggers, Broome, Western Australia

Set in Chinatown, in Broome, WA is a little day out our whole family recommends. 

Here’s one of our kid’s diary entry: “Today we did a little tour. The divers all smoked opium to help cure the bends and get them constipated.”

And another: “It was SO good, really interesting. I also got to hold the fifth largest pearl in the world and try pearl flesh.”

Pearl Luggers is one of those places that really surprised us. We had visited so many museums, and not many had all four children totally immersed in history. 

They operated oxygen tanks, stepped into diver’s boots, and gave us a real insight into life back then as a pear diver. Our guide was an ex-history teacher and he kept us enthralled. It was interactive and fun, with a look at a real pearl lugger – the vessels are fully restored.

The topic though was very serious, in just how expendable the divers were in this treacherous occupation. It really is a step back into time, with this unique history in Broome. 

If you are like me, and love pearls – enjoy the shop, and add in a visit to a pearl farm!