Most Chinatowns around the world occupy a sliver of the metropolitan areas where they exist, and there is a growing concern that many are vanishing.

But the small coastal town of Broome in Australia's northwest is taking steps to ensure that its Chinatown remains the heart and soul of the region.

The town grew out of its role as a cultural refuge for migrant workers nearly 150 years ago.

"It started out with the pearling industry basically and, back in the day, a lot of the merchants who came in to Broome to work in the pearling industry did come from China and other Asian countries," said Harold Tracey, Broome Shire President.

What sets Broome's Chinatown apart from many others is that it became the town's central business district. Over time, Broome officials say many of the buildings and the area needed a facelift, so the town and the Western Australia government created a nearly 30 million Australian dollars (20 million U.S. dollars) revitalization projected aimed at improving the area's infrastructure and preserving its cultural history.

"There has been a lot of time spent making sure we get it right, so there has been a lot of interpretation in the art work and you are able to sort of follow the history from the beginning right to present day, whether it is something in the footpath or art work or stories, so we are really conscious that we want to tell the whole history of Chinatown and celebrate our cultural diversity."

The project, which is scheduled to be completed next year, has already had a positive impact on tourism and people who live in the region.

"The revitalization that has happened has been really amazing and really brought the love back into this town that I think locals are rediscovering their own history and their own city," said Jessie Hornblow, executive marketing manager of Pearls Australia.