From the moment I arrived in Broome I sensed its isolation and uniqueness. It's a town like no other, with the feel of a frontier outpost on the edge of a vast desert. In fact it's so isolated it's nearer to Singapore than Sydney.
Broome was a raw-boned, rambunctious town in the buccaneering days, when nacre-lined mother-of-pearl shell was worth fighting and dying for. In the cut-throat pearl diving era life was even cheaper. Today the mellower town is a major force in the cultured pearl industry.
Straddling a peninsula in Roebuck Bay on the edge of the Kimberley region, the charming old township of 15,000 residents is unexpectedly sophisticated and classy. It lies between a vast barren desert of fiery red ironsand cliffs and the sparkling emerald waters of the Indian Ocean.
I soon discover what that means in practical terms. This place is sizzling hot. By the time I've watched the Shinju Matsuri Festival of the Pearl parade and enjoyed the psychedelic sensory experience of browsing the pearl shops, I'm dehydrated and desperate for some liquid relief.
That's the thing about "Broome Time", it's extremely elastic. With the heat and frenetic sightseeing activity, even before the first morning is over you feel it's "beer o'clock" already.
The popular go-to place for craft beers is Matso's Microbrewery & Cafe, a true blue Broome heritage-listed treasure among the alluring palm-fringed beaches and the relaxed holiday ambience. The venerable old building was once set among tin-shack bordellos, opium dens and mah-jong palaces in Chinatown, many of which now serve as trendy boutique shops and galleries. The Matso's name comes from the Matsumoto family, who ran a general store in the building.
Matso's now has pride of place in Hamersley St, oozing with character in a convivial, indoor/outdoor setting overlooking the surging 11m tides of Roebuck Bay.
I next sample the low-carb, high-heeled 6.8 per cent alcohol amber ambrosia called "Monsoonal Blonde" and experience an instant and fatal attraction to it. I just have to ask for another sampler glass so I don't forget the smooth taste of this liquid bombshell.
Now I feel I'm on a roll and take a deep draught of the gorgeously fruity Lychee Beer, followed in unseemly haste by the excellent Chilli Beer.
This last drop has me breathing heavily in a pyrotechnic fugue, so I quickly down the Pearler's Pale Ale. This is especially refreshing after the thermal explosion of the chilli.
Matso's most-awarded craft beer is the "Smoky Bishop", a wonderful drop named after the local bishop, a moderate smoker and imbiber. After he tasted the new libation he offered a blessing on the brewery, which has never looked back.
After sculling the five-beer selection plus my blonde bonus award for a reasonable cost outlay, I dine in the cafe on a tasty mixed seafood platter. This includes succulent smoked barramundi and has a distinctly oriental flavour in its herbs.
Matso's head brewer does a great job using time-honoured techniques and modern technology to produce all these flavoursome beer styles. I did not try the Hit the Toad Lager or the new craft ciders that use desert limes from the Outback. The range is constantly growing as the company keeps brewing up a storm.
I've enjoyed my stay in the archetypal getaway town of Broome and reckon I've made a clean sweep of its attractions. The lively town with its array of glittering pearls, glamorous festivals and crafty amber ales is just so 'out there' that you want to see it and taste it again and again.
CHECKLIST
Getting there
Air New Zealand flies from Auckland to Perth. Broome is a 2.5 hour flight from Perth. The Shinjui Matsuri Festival is held in late August or early September.
