New Chinatown Discovery Festival to celebrate revitalisation

Chinatown Discovery Festival on 24-26 May 2019 to officially re-open Chinatown.
Call for community to come on board with events alongside local and visiting artists and performers.
Wet season construction works continuing in February with full works to recommence in March for completion late April 2019.

The Broome Chinatown Revitalisation Project will be officially opened with an exciting new Chinatown Discovery Festival from Friday 24 May to Sunday 26 May 2019.

With construction works on Carnarvon Street and Dampier Terrace scheduled for completion in late April 2019, the Broome Chinatown Revitalisation Project and Shire of Broome are joining with Chinatown’s traders to officially re-open the precinct with the three-day arts and heritage festival.

The Chinatown Discovery Festival will showcase the diversity of Chinatown and the Broome community with a range of events and performances from local and visiting artists including the return of Sand Sculpture WA, historical and walking tours, Spare Parts Puppet Theatre, the return of the Pearlers’ Games, oral history recording, local musicians and more.

The Broome community is also being asked to come on board with events and activities reflecting Chinatown’s history and celebrating its multicultural heritage for inclusion in the festival program.

Broome Shire President, Harold Tracey, said the Chinatown Discovery Festival aimed to tap into the cultural and historical knowledge held by many in the community.

“With the Broome Chinatown Revitalisation Project approaching completion, the festival is about celebrating the heart and soul of Chinatown,” Cr Tracey said.

“We want to preserve Broome’s unique culture and stories, and so we’re creating an opportunity for the people holding the memories to share and pass them on, and in ways that younger generations can value them.

“Places have histories and meanings that go beyond the physical roads and buildings, and with this festival we hope to help people understand and celebrate Chinatown's identity and unique history.”

Groups, businesses, performers and anyone else keen to join the festivities and host events can complete a registration of interest form on the Chinatown website, at Chinatown HQ in Little Johnny Chi Lane or at the Shire of Broome Administration.

To keep up to date on construction and festival announcements, follow the Broome Chinatown Revitalisation Project on social media and join the eNewsletter mailing list through the website.

www.chinatownbroome.com.au | facebook.com.au/ChinatownBroome | Instagram @ChinatownBroome

About the Broome Chinatown Revitalisation Project

The $12.7 million Broome Chinatown Revitalisation Project is being delivered in partnership by the State Government and the Shire of Broome, with $10 million funding from Royalties for Regions, $2 million from the Shire of Broome, and $700,000 from Tourism WA.

The project includes 10 sub-projects all designed to reinforce Chinatown’s position as the ‘Heart and Soul’ of Broome – the historic, cultural and hospitality centre of our town.

These sub-projects include feasibility studies for larger, potentially transformational projects, as well as design and construction of significant street and landscape upgrades to Carnarvon Street and Dampier Terrace to make the precinct more attractive and encourage activity.

Implementation of the projects and oversight of the feasibility studies is being undertaken jointly by the Shire of Broome, Kimberley Development Commission and LandCorp. A Community and Stakeholder Reference Group has been established by the Shire and consultation with the wider community and key stakeholders will continue throughout the process.