Lapping up the quirky taste of Broome

A new business venture from long-time Broome residents is set to give locals and visitors a quirky take on the town’s history.

Chris and Robyn Maher, known for their involvement in So Broome and Shinju Matsuri, have developed the Salty Plum Social — walking tours of the revitalised Chinatown precinct.

Operating three nights a week, the pair lead small groups of locals and visitors through Chinatown telling stories about Broome’s multifaceted history, stopping by several small bars along the way.

Mr Maher said the idea was inspired by a holiday in Tasmania several years ago.

“We were having lunch at a vineyard and we saw a a big bus pull up with ‘Taste Tasmania’ written on the side of it and we kind of knew cuisine was the next big thing for tourism in Australia,” he said.

“From there we played around with the idea of some sort of cuisine oriented tour for Broome and with the revitalisation of Chinatown we thought a walking tour made total sense.”

Tthe 1.2km tours take place during the cooler part of the day.

“During the walk we stop at three different small bars for refreshments and food,” he said. “Along the way, we tell the group stories from our experiences and learned history in Broome since Robyn and I have lived in Broome for over 30 years now.

“We kind of focus on the quirkier stories about the places we walk past and we focus on it being a social experience rather than one that is heavy on the history.”

Mrs Maher said the idea of naming the tours Salty Plum Social was all about the curious things the Chinese people brought to Broome.

“Salty plums are a unique delight that can now be found in Yuen Wing’s store in Chinatown so naming our tours Salty Plum Social just made sense,” she said.