Kuri Bay was named after one of the Japanese founders (Mr Kuribayashi) of the cultured pearl industry in 1956. Since, the 1930’s, the pearling industry essentially consisted of diving for Australian &ssquo;mother-of-pearl’ shells. In 1956 the first cultured pearl farm was established in Australia with joint Australian, Japanese & American interests – this place became known as Kuri Bay. It was sold to the Paspaley Pearling Company in 1989, & is now Australia’s largest cultured pearl farm.