THE LORD OF BROOME Australia Big Righthand Turn Day 24 WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Robert Alistair McAlpine
Baron McAlpine of West Green, England
(14 May 1942 – 17 January 2014)
Self-described as Scottish, was a British businessman and politician. Business construction opportunities brought him to Perth in 1960. The family fortune was founded on the construction industry.
In the 1980s McAlpine was involved in many tourism projects in Broome Western Australia. Personally funding many of these. He envisaged Broome in 1979 and early eighties had tourism potential.
Investment of Millions in
Broome Western Australia
He invested $500 million on various projects including the fabled and now closed Pearl Coast Zoological Gardens. Housing a very extensive African animal collection and hundreds of exotic birds and large scale aviaries. McAlpine established the Cable Beach Resort complex and it's world class facilities. Helped aboriginal local culture with paid artwork and recognition. Invested spending time and money in the area for historic local building renovations and projects. He was made an honorary freeman of the Broome Municipality at an award evening in 2011. The highest honour bestowed to an individual by the community and officials.
I am sure the term 'Lord of Broome' as used by many a Broome local, would have been seen as a tongue in cheek commentary of himself. Mr McAlpine would have found amusement and a chuckle out of it.
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