The Shire of Broome is one of the four Local Government Areas

Local Government Areas of Western Australia

The Australian state of Western Australia is divided into 141 local government areas...

 in the Kimberley region

Kimberley region of Western Australia

The Kimberley is one of the nine regions of Western Australia. It is located in the northern part of Western Australia, bordered on the west by the Indian Ocean, on the north by the Timor Sea, on the south by the Great Sandy and Tanami Deserts, and on the east by the Northern Territory.The region...

 of northern Western Australia

Western Australia

Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...

, covering an area of 55796 square kilometres (21,543 sq mi), most of which is sparsely populated. The shire's estimated population in 2010 was 16,298, most of whom reside in the town of Broome

Broome, Western Australia

Broome is a pearling and tourist town in the Kimberley region of Western Australia, north of Perth. The year round population is approximately 14,436, growing to more than 45,000 per month during the tourist season...

. Many Aboriginal

Indigenous Australians

Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....

 communities are located around the shire, notably Beagle Bay and Bardi (One Arm Point)

Bardi, Western Australia

Bardi or One Arm Point is an Indigenous Australian Community town in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. It is located 2446 km North of Perth and the closest populated town is Derby...

.

The Shire of Broome includes the Rowley Shoals

Rowley Shoals

The Rowley Shoals is a group of three atoll-like coral reefs south of the Timor Sea, about 260 km west of Broome on the northwestern Australian coast, centered around , on the edge of one of the widest continental shelves in the world. Each atoll covers an area of around 80 to 90 km² within the rim...

 260 km to the west.

History

Broome Road District was first gazetted in November 1901. A separate municipality to manage the town's affairs was established in 1904, and the road district was merged with the West Kimberley Road District in 1908. On 1 January 1919, the municipality was abolished, and the Broome Road District was reconstituted with wards for the town (Broome) and region (Dampier). On 1 July 1961, it became a Shire under the Local Government Act 1960.

Wards

The shire has been divided into 2 wards.

• Broome Ward (7 councillors)
• Dampier Ward (2 councillors)

Towns

• Broome
  Broome, Western Australia
  Broome is a pearling and tourist town in the Kimberley region of Western Australia, north of Perth. The year round population is approximately 14,436, growing to more than 45,000 per month during the tourist season...
  
  
• Bardi
  Bardi, Western Australia
  Bardi or One Arm Point is an Indigenous Australian Community town in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. It is located 2446 km North of Perth and the closest populated town is Derby...
  
   (One Arm Point)
• Beagle Bay
  Beagle Bay Community, Western Australia
  Beagle Bay is a medium-sized Aboriginal Community on the western side of the Dampier Peninsula, north of Broome.-Background:The community is situated adjacent to the Indian Ocean. Beagle Bay is the gateway to communities further north such as Djarindjin Community, Bardi Community, Bobeiding...
  
  
• Bidyadanga
  La Grange Bay, Western Australia
  Lagrange Bay is located south of Broome, Western Australia in the Kimberley region. It is the site of the Catholic Pallotine ‘’’La Grange Mission’’, and the Aboriginal community of Bidyadanga...
  
  
• Djarindjin (Lombadina)

External links

• Shire of Broome