Broome: North Western Australia

Broome, the most north westerly town in Western Australia and the last frontier before embarking into the expanse of the Kimberley, is where one of the world’s great wildernesses meets the Indian Ocean. The town’s exotic pearling past has left a rich history and a unique multi-cultural mix of people. The town is surrounded by water, with the extremely popular Cable Beach to the west, and the pristine waters of Roebourne Bay to the east and south.  It is also the gateway to the West Kimberley and the virtually unspoilt and untamed Cape Leveque on the Dampier Peninsula.

The amazing turquoise waters and the intensely coloured red earth are what draws visitors from around the world to this picturesque sleepy outback town, Broome. Whether you are a thrill seeker, adventurer, culture vulture, water lover or sun seeker there is something for everyone with some of the best attractions in Western Australia.

With the onset of the pearling industry in the late 1800’s, which bought in deckhands and labourers from Asia, Broome became a rip-roaring wild-west town, with numerous boarding houses, gambling dens and brothels.  Nowadays called the Chinatown precinct, there are a few reminders of it’s illustrious past with the original Broome jetty, Streeter’s Jetty, two pearling luggers exhibits and the oldest operating open-air picture gardens, Sun Pictures Chinatown.  The once bawdy saloon filled streets are now filled with pearl showrooms, retail outlets and trendy cafes.

There is plenty to discover in and around Broome.  Here are my top twelve experiences:

1. Stroll along the pristine white sand and swim in the clear water of the 22 Km stretch of Cable Beach.

   

2. Visit the picturesque ‘Pindan’ rocks of Gantheaume Point – home of the 130 million year old dinosaur footprints and Anastasia’s Pool.

   

3. Wander through Chinatown and shop at the pearl showrooms, retail outlets and enjoy a break at the sidewalk cafes.

   

4. Take a sunset cruise along Cable Beach on a restored pearl lugger.

   

5. Enjoy a leisurely camel ride along Cable Beach.

   

6. See the breathtaking Staircase to the Moon at certain times during the year.

   

7. Meander through the famous Courthouse Markets on a Saturday or Sunday morning.

   

8. 4WD out to the beautiful Dampier Peninsula coastline to Broome’s northern beaches including Barred Creek, Quandong and James Price Point.

   

9. Take a guided tour or Willie Creek Pearl Farm to discover how the South Sea Cultured Pearl is produced.

   

10. Fly out to the Kimberley Coast, north of Broome, and take in the awe of the Buccaneer Archipelago and witness the natural phenomenon of the Horizontal Falls.

    

11. Picnic in the park or have lunch at the cafe at the Town Beach/Apex Park which is an ideal spot to see the Flying Boat Wrecks which can only be seen at low ride.  Also visit the early settler’s cemetery overlooking Town Beach.

    

12. Sample some of the boutique beers and take the brewery tour at Matso’s Broome Brewery which has superb views of Roebuck Bay.

    

My Broome experience ticked all the boxes.  It had stark beauty all around, a compact town with great amenities, one of the most stunning stretches of unspoiled beach in the world, a fascinating history, remote and pristine areas such as Cape Leveque on the Dampier Peninsula and plenty of opportunity for adventure filled activities, such as whale watching, snorkelling, swimming, fishing and 4WD adventures. Is it any wonder why I was swept away and caught up in the magic of this magnificent wilderness town.