Welcome to Broome Western Australia

Broome is the place of the Yawuru. The first Claim Group in Australia to get a Native Title over a metropolitan area, they deserve our respect and recognition in our business dealings in the region, as do all 32 Claim Groups across the Kimberley.

Broome, famous for its iconic Cable Beach and the Staircase to the Moon over Roebuck Bay mud flats at low tide, gateway to the Dampier Peninsula and the West Kimberley - in fact, gateway to all of the Kimberley and, increasingly, even the Pilbara.

All of which makes Broome a gateway to opportunities for rest and relaxation, adventure and excitement, unique cultural experiences, and a warm and welcoming community. Most importantly, from our point of view, Broome is a gateway for business opportunity - balanced between the desert and the sea, there are broad sweeping horizons that provide limitless inspiration for your imagination and your business ideas.

Picking winners in small business is never easy but there will always be room for entrepreneurs who have or can adapt their specific skills to meet market needs. In Broome, doing "it" cheaper (and remaining profitable) will definitely be a winner and having a clear "wet season" strategy is essential for every business.

Come and see us at the Small Business Centre West Kimberley at Lotteries House, and we'll be happy to help you with your business ideas. In the meantime, good luck and, more importantly, good planning!

Monday, December 14, 2009

What's happening in Broome

Christmas is coming up rapidly and the build-up to the wet season is well and truly here, with the first tropical cyclone (Laurence) of the season rapidly approaching from the north. It's very hard to predict what may eventuate but this time last year, Cyclone Billie (#1) swung past Broome on 23rd December with lots of wind and about 100mm of rain. It knocked a few trees over and sunk 4 or 5 small boats in the mooring area, adjacent to the Broome Jetty. Any business specialising in palm frond cleanup did very well. The marine salvage guys were also busy. It appears the gas platform workers have been brought ashore, in anticipation of dangerous conditions at sea. The helicopter charter businesses have been busy.


Indigenous bush tucker businesses that are approaching Gubinge harvesting time are feeling a bit anxious as the clusters of fruit on the wild harvest trees are at a very susceptible stage if faced with very wet and windy conditions. Yet, moderate rain would be most welcome. You have to remember that this may be the first significant rain since March...which is quite normal. It has been very hot over the last three weeks, with daily temperatures up to 39 degrees being quite common. Between 40 to 100mm of rain at the beginning of November in a three hour storm had an amazing impact on the growth of trees and palms - more work for the mowing contractors before Christmas.


It has been noticeable that a number of small retail stores have closed down since the end of the Tourist Season in mid October. Any business that struggled during the last Tourist Season would be well and truely struggling now as there are very few tourists in town at the moment.


It will be interesting to observe the struggle between the China Town CBD retail precinct and the newly developed Boulevard retail precinct and even more so when a tourist retail precinct is developed at Cable Beach, behind the Cable Beach Club Resort. Anyone contemplating setting up a new retail outlet will need to carefully research their preferred location.


It is worth noting that the promotion of the historic China Town retail precinct of down-town old Broome is a high priority concern of the Broome Chamber of Commerce. China Town retailers are definitely feeling the competition from the new, airconditioned, everything under the one roof Boulevard complex. Those that are able to stay open during the wet season and promote their services aggressively may benefit.
Posted by at
Labels:

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)