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Australia is the world’s major producer of white South Sea pearls, for during the 1998 season the tropical waters off northern Australia yielded ~ 60 per cent of total world production of these much desired and very valuable bead-nucleated cultured pearls.
White South Sea pearls are large (>10 mm diameter) rounded, lustrous, white, silvery, cream, or golden pearls that are cultivated by man in the gold- and silver-lipped pearl oyster (Pinctada maxima) that is indigenous to the off-shore waters of northern Australia. Other white South Sea pearls produced by the Australian pearling industry include ‘accidental’ whole baroque keshi pearls, and cultured bead nucleated half pearls that are commonly termed mabés.
The white South Sea pearl is a comparative newcomer to Australia’s pearling industry, for the history of this primary industry stretches back for well over a century to the time when Australia was one of the major supplier of natural pearls to European and American markets. |
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 History
Australia’s pearling industry began hundreds of years ago with aboriginals harvesting abundant shallow water pearl shell from waters of the north western coast of Western Australia.
By the time of European settlement, the aboriginals had a well established trading network for pearl shell, both within Australia and with Makassan trepangers (collectors of sea-slugs) who, since the late 17th and early 18th centuries, visited northern Australia to trade with the indigenous inhabitants of this remote coastline.
Interestingly, in 1812 the first Australian pearls were discovered in Queensland waters by Captain William Campbell. The first recorded harvest of pearl shell from Paumoto Archipellago followed in 1814.
The history of Australia’s pearling industry is spread over the warm tropical waters that stretch across the top of Australia from Western Australia to Queensland. |
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