Bart Pigram has exactly what it takes to tell Broome’s complex story.
Story + Photo Therese Hall
When tour operator Bart Pigram shows people around his hometown of Broome, WA, he doesn’t just point out the highlights. He tells the whole story, warts and all. “I don’t have any reservations when I speak,” he says. “No other tour guide will tell you the good, the bad and the ugly.”
The 36-year-old Yawuru man set up Narlijia Cultural Tours (‘narli’ means true and ‘jia’ means belonging to you) three years ago to share his local knowledge and insights with visitors. “I wanted to take people to places no-one else was going,” he says. He offers a range of four tours, including a sunset sailing trip on Roebuck Bay, complete with Dreaming stories and live music, a walking tour among the mangroves looking for life in the mud, and an evocative stroll through the historical town. “I don’t just show guests the landscape, the bush tucker and the pearling industry, I take on the social reality, because a lot of Australians really want to understand it.”
This story excerpt is from Issue #121
Outback Magazine: October/November 2018
