Since 1994, Willie Creek Pearls has been synonymous with high-quality pearls and world class hospitality. But over its 30-year journey, the family owned and operated business has never stopped evolving as it looks to share the spoils of both its stunning Australian South Sea Pearls and the picturesque surrounds in which they grow. Now a multifaceted and award-winning business – including being crowned Australia’s best tourist attraction in 2023 – Willie Creek Pearls is an example of what can be achieved when entrepreneurship meets a love of nature’s beauty. We spoke to Chairman, Robert Banfield, about how they’ve managed their incredible growth.
The pearl is the only gem created by a living organism, renowned for its beauty and sustainability. The same can be said of Willie Creek Pearls – an iconic tourism gem created by the Banfield family. For 35 years and with 3 generations now directly involved in the business, the Banfield’s have established themselves and now sustainably harvest some of the world’s finest pearls at the Willie Creek Pearl Farm, located just a short drive from Broome.
Hospitality has long been in the Banfield’s blood. In 1989, the family established Broome Buslines, a private coach service that transported tourists to the Cable Beach Club Resort in style and, soon afterwards, ran tours of the picturesque Kimberly region. It was on one such tour to Willie Creek Pearl Farm that they were presented with the opportunity to lease the tourist attraction. It was a pivotal decision that would begin one of WA – and Australia’s – most celebrated tourism operators.
Since then, the Banfields have slowly but surely grown Willie Creek Pearls into an empire. The business now has one of the few commercial pearling licence’s available, operates countless tours, has seven store locations in Western Australia, an online jewellery shop catering to all budgets and tastes, and hosts weddings and other functions in numerous locations.
“Since day one, we’ve focussed on treating every single customer like VIPs. When they visit one of our stores or head out on a tour, we make them feel welcome and like one of the family. That’s part of our DNA and it runs through our entire operation,” Chairman Robert Banfield says.
The family structure of Willie Creek Pearls is part of its success. From managing its extensive operations, running tours and supporting jewellery design, to lending a hand around the operations, everyone does their part to keep the many moving parts going.
“My official title is Chairman, but I’m certainly not stuck in Board rooms all day. Of course there’s a bit of that, but you’ll also find me meeting visitors and sharing our story, maintaining the property, selling pearls, making coffee for our team. Every day is different and that’s what I love about this job.”
Willie Creek Pearls’ remote location may be perfect for pearling, but it’s less than ideal for finding accountants with the experience of managing such a complex business. After years of managing their finances in house, the business reached out to Nexia for support. And so began a partnership that’s lasted over a decade.
“Nexia have been more than just accounts, they’re mentors, advisors, friends, guests and customers. They’ve made a point to really understand our business inside and out – with the team even visiting on several occasions to most of our locations to come for a tour and see firsthand the nuances around how we operate.”
“Nexia have supported our growth and ensured that we are not only financially compliant but meet all our day-to-day financial requirements as well as high level financial strategy to a very high standard. They are now an integral part of the Willie Creek Pearls story, and they make a significant difference to who we are, what we do and where we are going.”
Never ones to stop innovating, Willie Creek Pearls recently entered the bio-tech industry, partnering with Broome-based Marine Biomedical to create a solution to the global shortage of bone implant materials.
“We proudly provide the mother of pearl that is being used to create PearlBone, a bone-substitute. As you can imagine, this was a significant endeavour that required a lot of investment and administration. I brought Nexia on board to assist with this exciting new venture and, again, they’ve been instrumental in helping bring the dream to life. Mal Di Giulio, Nexia’s Managing Director, has taken on the role of Chairman for this new business venture and has provided some outstanding leadership, guiding us through the challenges of this startup that has enormous potential to make a difference to people’s lives.”
