Revival of Pioneer Cemetery honours early settlers of Broome

Published on 18 July 2022

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Broome Pioneer Cemetery at Town Beach has had a revival, featuring a new interpretative entry feature art wall and two concrete benches.

MudMap Studio and Scapeism were commissioned to carry out the commemorative piece, drawing inspiration from a poem written by Harry Talboys - a sea captain and pearler who is buried at the cemetery.

The text from this special poem, ‘Lost Footsteps’, has been incorporated in the concrete of the entry wall as a handwritten graphic, to encapsulate the memory of those buried there.

Broome Pioneer Cemetery has a rich history, with connections to seafarming and the exploring pioneers of Broome from 1883 to the present day.

Photos of those buried at the cemetery have been kindly provided by the Broome Historical Society and embedded within the cemetery map, for ease of reference for those visiting.

The Broome Pioneer Cemetery project was funded by the Shire and Lotterywest, and has highlighted the significance of the space while being respectful of the aesthetic design required.

Shire of Broome president Harold Tracey said delivering this project and honouring the founding members of our town was important to preserve Broome’s unique history.

“The Shire of Broome cares about the preservation of its significant places and that is why the upgrade of the Pioneer Cemetery has been a key project to deliver for our community,” he said.

“This project has had all-round community involvement from past and present residents of Broome.

“This has included using the poem ‘Lost Footsteps’, design and implementation from local organisations MudMap Studio and Scapeism, and input from the Broome Historical Society.

“We hope the descendants of those buried at the Pioneer Cemetery will treasure this purpose-built commemoration of their loved ones.”

For more information on the Pioneer Cemetery, download the Explore Broome app.

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