In 1988, a 60-paged A4-sized guidebook was published by the park/zoo, entitled "Pearl Coast Zoo", aimed at providing an insight into the development of the establishment and the daily activities onsite. In its introduction (and title), the premises was no longer described as a "wildlife park", but rather a "zoo", and explained that it specialised in the acquisition and breeding of rare and endangered species. At that point the zoo housed "more than 1,000 birds and 200 mammals", including, "at time of printing", the "only specimens of
red lechwe,
gemsbok,
nyala,
greater kudu,
waterbuck and
Congo buffalo in the country". and her calf at the zoo in 1989 The 1988 guidebook was prefaced with a section named
"Australia - The Ark" in which the ethos of the zoo was laid out: Mankind's destruction of the animal kingdom is of worldwide concern... [..] In addressing this problem, Lord McAlpine considers that Australia with its favourable climatic, environmental, and political conditions, has the ability to fulfil the role of an "
Ark" for the world's unique and diminishing wildlife. It is upon this philosophy that the Pearl Coast Zoo was established - to provide a sanctuary for the protection and breeding of rare and endangered birds and mammals [..] The simulated natural environment created for the animals at the Pearl Coast Zoo also provides visitors with a wonderful opportunity to view and learn about some of the world's most unique wildlife. in
the Kimberley In keeping with the spacious and naturalistic settings that had been created for the animals, only species from the same
climatic band as Broome were selected for the Pearl Coast Zoo collection, and for this reason the guidebook explained that animals such as
polar bears and
Antarctic penguins would not be seen in the park.
Boab trees, typical of the Kimberley region, were transplanted to the zoo grounds, having survived "a ten-hour road journey from
Derby". To provide protection to the birds from the hot climate, African-style palm-frond
thatching was used in the aviaries as roofing material, which was noted as "blending in beautifully with the tropical landscaping of Broome". Overhead
sprinklers were also integrated to ensure that birds were kept cool on very hot days. The Palm Cockatoo aviary, at nearly 14 metres high, was specially planned as to allow "full flight travel" for the zoo's rarest (as of 1988) bird, the
Great Palm Cockatoo. To create an appropriate environment for the birds, their aviary was landscaped to include a waterfall, pond and a "healthy collection" of
Pandanus palms - the kernel of which is a food of the Palm Cockatoo. A corner section of the abandoned palm cockatoo aviary still stood
in situ in a corner of unused ground off Koolama Drive as of December 2024. The 1988 guidebook claimed that the successful breeding programme at the zoo was a "true indication" that the animals were accepting well to their new environment therein and felt "at home". "With new species of rare and endangered mammals continually arriving", the guidebook stated, "the Zoo has exciting plans for the future [including] a 25 hectare extension to the grounds which will house exhibits for Reptiles,
Galapagos Tortoise and Primates" as well as a large walk-through aviary to stand over 20 metres high. A plant nursery was also kept at the zoo, where non-native species could be acclimatised. Future plans at the time included "the propagation and growth of rare and endangered plants". The zoo also had a shop, named the Gatehouse, at which
art made by local Aboriginal people could be bought. The pieces were sourced from communities in Broome, 'Beagle Bay Mission' (now known simply as
Beagle Bay), the
Bidyadanga Community (also known as La Grange), and Derby. The guide stated that: "This gives the Zoo a wide variety of authentic artefacts, including shields and stone and wood carvings." In addition to this, carved 'burial posts' used by Aboriginal communities in burial ceremonies on
Bathurst and
Melville Island were featured in the grounds of the zoo. A typical day at zoo as of 1988 consisted of an early morning meeting at which staff were briefed on special instructions for the day, followed by the feeding of birds and mammals, and inspection of animals for good health. All food items were at that point freighted from Perth, while the zoo did produce some of its own pelletised feed itself. The zoo had its own veterinary clinic, and veterinarian Dave Morrell, to care for its animals, who were prone to occasionally breaking a wing or leg when frightened or fighting. The vet also attended to injured wildlife brought in for treatment by the public. Animals with
ungulated hooves had to be checked regularly for over-growth, at which point the mammal would be anaesthetised for hoof trimming. Other staff at the time included Trevor Gibson (curator of birds), Rose Crowd (office administration), Graham Taylor (manager), Ian Waight (park supervisor) and Chris Mitchell and Damien O'Hara (mammal keepers). In July 1988,
The West Australian noted that 37 individual animals had recently been brought to Broome by McAlpine from four zoos in England. Zoo manager Graham Taylor was quoted as saying that he believed it was the biggest shipment of animals from one part of the world to another: "Logistically, it was a massive exercise... A special
Boeing 707 was chartered to move the animals. Usually only racehorses are moved about in this way". The magazine noted that travelling and living
incognito had become somewhat of an "irritating fact of life for Lord McAlpine" who had recently been placed on an
IRA hitlist. "A survivor of the
Brighton hotel bombing in 1984, he is a prime IRA target", the magazine recounted. McAlpine's
West Green House in
Hampshire had also recently been bombed by the group in June 1990, a building in which he had been living just a few weeks prior, and where the
Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher had previously been a guest. Delivering a press meeting at his "$50 million Cable Beach Club", Lord McAlpine quipped "I often remind the staff that if they see a rather scruffy person in jeans wandering about the place not to throw him out. It could be me!" John Adams, the chairman of the McAlpine family-owned, Perth-based company, Australian City Properties (ACP) noted that two other projects of theirs in the Broome region were now "on hold", including the previously proposed
Walcott Inlet tourist development, and
Kununurra tourist development. The delivery included family groups of the
Pygmy marmoset (the world's smallest primate) and the
Red-Handed Tamarin. Chief Mammal Keeper, Graham Goldsmith, clarified that "because of the recent refuelers' strikes and bundles of paperwork, the primates arrival was slightly delayed."
Plans for a walk-through aviary In the 1988 guidebook, the idea to build a large "walk-though
rainforest aviary" was mentioned as a possible plan for the future. Very little additional information was given about the planned project, other than it was envisaged to stand over 20 metres high and would contain a large waterfall and flowing creek. In February 1992, McAlpine again announced plans to construct a walk-though aviary onsite, in order "to house the ever increasing numbers of birds and to allow for diversification in species". An article in
The West Australian dated 11 September 1992, noted that two tapirs, four pygmy hippos and two cus-cus had been recently moved from Broome Zoo to Tipperary Zoo (
Tipperary Station in the
Northern Territory) in a "specially modified air-conditioned truck", marking the final step in a transport operation which had seen 135 animals moved out of Broome Zoo in the past year. Pearl Coast Zoo manager Graeme Taylor (sic) clarified that all animals had survived the journey, and blamed the cost of
hay on forcing the zoo to sell the animals.
The West Australian noted that "although in a similar climactic belt to Broome, Tipperary has a higher rainfall and the station has the capacity to grow much of its own feed. Allowed to browse in big open range paddocks irrigated from the
Daly River, the animals have been thriving..." In December 1992, McAlpine's attorney Russell Chapman explained how "a several months' long operation" had been carried out earlier that year when all of the larger animals from the zoo had been transported to Warren Anderson's large Tipperary Station. This action had come about "as the result of escalating costs of keeping the animals, especially in the face of dwindling tourists numbers to the town (of Broome)." Anderson was assembling a personal collection of exotic Asian and African animals, and his purchase put him in possession of "the largest privately owned mammal collection outside of Australia's major cities". Some of the animals later escaped from Tipperary. ==Financial difficulties==