Rickshaws return to the streets of Broome

Chinatown tours are a shaw thing

AMY WILLIAMS, Broome Advertiser  July 10, 2011,

Glenn Moore is hoping one of the first questions tourists to Broome ask as they arrive will be “who is Rick Shaw?”

Once they find out, they may be able to tour Chinatown and Cable Beach aboard a fairly unique type of transport, which Mr Moore hopes will add to Chinatown’s character.

Mr Moore said he had the idea to start rickshaw tours of Chinatown after strong calls within the community last year to boost the precinct’s personality and allow tourists to better identify with it.

He and his wife Carolynn had bought a shop on Dampier Terrace and decided they would not only establish the Asian-style gift shop, Broome Bizarre Bazaar, but start rickshaw tours as well.

While on holiday in Bali over Christmas, Mr Moore negotiated to buy eight rickshaws from a company in Brisbane, and had to have them out of Queensland quickly to avoid heavy weather.

He said he planned to have one rickshaw operating in Chinatown and another in Cable Beach, but also hoped to run all eight during community events such as Shinju Matsuri festival.

"My first year here I remember during Shinju there were rickshaws along the jetty,” he said.

“Years ago you would also see traditional rickshaws on display on the verges and in Sun Pictures.”

Mr Moore said while he didn’t have a business plan as such, as a resident of 16 years, he knew what could be added to Chinatown and said it would be “a bit of fun”.

“If we want to continue as a successful tourist town we’ve got to send people home with good memories, and if this helps to make just one of them – of Chinatown, I’ll be happy,” he said.