P27015 Customs House and Sub-Collector’s Residence, in Broome was recently included in the State Register of Heritage Places. Fittingly, the place is the location of the Broome Historical Museum.
The group of buildings associated with customs operations in Broome include the former Customs House, now the Broome Historical Museum, as well as the former sub-collector’s residence, a timber-framed North-West Bungalow style Cottage with deep shady verandahs and broad roof planes.
The scientific and social values of the place represent the story of Broome’s pearling heritage. Customs House and Sub-Collectors Residence is associated with the movement of goods and customs operations in Broome, during a time when the town was a significant port in the State. It reflects the growth of the industry and maritime trade of the region, particularly the pearling industry based in Roebuck Bay.
It is also a prime demonstration of a customs facility in a tropical climate, with Customs House being an early extant example of the use of off-form concrete wall construction pre-1900 in Western Australia, built to withstand cyclones, of which only a few examples remain in the North West.
During the First World War, there was a decline in customs operations and a decline in the pearling industry as better-quality synthetic pearl buttons and cheaper pearl shells were more readily available. During the Second World War, the pearling industry ceased operations following the Japanese air raid in March 1942, which lead to the subsequent evacuation of Broome.
Today, Customs House is a popular education and tourist site, celebrating the history of the region through extensive archive collections and interpretation of historic material and research.
