Quirky visionary back in Broome for honour

Bon vivant, raconteur and visionary eccentric, the good lord of Broome — as Lord Alistair McAlpine may as well be known is returning to town.

Cherished for his contribution to Broome’s transformation from ramshackle pearling port to a key WA destination in the 1980s, Lord McAlpine will be formally recognised for establishing Broome on the tourist map.

On March 17, the Broome Shire will bestow on him the honour of Freeman of the Municipality at Pearl Luggers on the foreshore of Roebuck Bay’s Dampier Creek.

It is the highest honour a Shire can bestow on any individual. In the eyes of many, Lord McAlpine’s touch enlivened Broome’s architecture with the quirky frontier charm that has become its trademark. He bought and restored the former pearling master Herbert Kennedy’s residence, the historic Sun Pictures movie theatre in Chinatown, Matso’s Store and the Monsoon Gallery.

The wealthy former British Conservative Party treasurer also created Cable Beach Club and set up a zoo, where some of the world’s most exotic and endangered species were kept and bred.

He famously signed contracts for land on the back of a beer mat at the local pub, purchasing what have become iconic buildings, supporting indigenous projects and even bringing the artworks of Sidney Nolan to Broome.

A founder of the Broome Preservation Society, he reportedly bought 30 of the old pearlers’ houses at risk of demolition and sold them back to residents at a profit.

He spent several months each year, and an estimated $500 million, transforming Broome over 10 years.