A lucky break saw Allure’s William (Bill) Reed AM reshape the pearling industry in Broome.
A Pearling Legacy A pearling pioneer, explorer and marine biologist, Allure South Sea Pearls co-founder William (Bill) Reed AM has dived the pristine coastal waters and travelled to some of the world’s most remote locations in the pursuit of the perfect pearls. After studying zoology and fisheries biology at university, a young Bill sought a
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Broome Visitor Guide | 2022
position that would allow him to pursue his passion for the sea. He would spend the next 20 years traversing the world and exploring the diverse seas of Papua New Guinea, Sudan, Nigeria and Tahiti. In 1975 after selling his pearl farm and leaving the tropical shores of Tahiti, Bill returned to Australia and settled in beautiful Broome to work as a consultant for one of
the first cultured pearl farms in Australia at Kuri Bay, 370km North of Broome. This new journey in Broome would see him build his reputation as one of the world’s most knowledgeable and successful pearl dealers, earning him the prestigious Order of Australia for his contributions to the pearling industry. Having amassed a wealth of knowledge and experience, Bill acquired a pearl farm which was situated in the pristine and unpolluted waters off the Kimberley coast. The conditions were ideal for the precious Pinctata maxima oyster to blossom and produce an abundance of large, lustrous pearls. According to Bill, the success of Australian South Sea pearls on the global market saw them recognised as ‘the finest and most prestigious pearls in the world’. As the desire and demand for these precious visitbroome.com.au
