Situated on the north west coast of Western Australia the town of Broome is the pearling capital of Australia and early last century it was definitely the pearling capital of the world. It’s a town like no other in Australia. A mix of gracious old colonial bungalows, as well as modern architecture. Broome’s asian connection goes back to its beginning. Descendants of Japanese pearl divers rub shoulders on the streets with Aboriginal desert people and Chinese restaurateurs in this most multicultural society. While the pearl was the ultimate prize, the mother-of-pearl shell was the real reason that the industry got going in the first place. It was used to manufacture buttons and to inlay into jewellery and fine furniture. Ted’s story traces Broome from the days of hard hat pearl diving, from wooden luggers to modern giant pearling boats and cultured pearl farming. These days pearl farming, tourism and coastal surveillance are important activities carried on at Broome.