From Melbourne’s famous street art scene, to Uluru in the heart of the Northern Territory. It’s safe to say there are parts of Australia we’re all more familiar with than others. For travellers and Aussies alike, Broome is one of those lesser-visited areas. A laidback beach resort and pearling town in Australia’s Kimberley region, it’s famed for its beautiful seaside spots and enviable good weather.
You might not have the first clue of what to expect from the scenery, history or food here. So to give you an idea, take a look through these must-dos to tick off your Broome bucket list…
Take a sunset camel ride on Cable Beach
Photo captured by Sarah MacDonald
Thought to be Broome’s most popular attraction, Cable Beach is a vast 22km stretch of pure white sand and turquoise waters. And named after the telegraph cable that first connected Australia to the rest of the world. It’s a perfect place for fishing and kayaking, as well as riding camels off into the sunset. The amazing thing about Cable Beach? It stays relatively quiet even in the peak season (May to October), so you’ll never struggle for a sun-lazing patch.
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Trace dinosaur tracks at Gantheaume Point
Always dreamt of walking with dinosaurs? Gantheaume Point makes that dream a reality. Head here at very low tide to try and spot footprints from stegosauruses, sauropods, theropods and the mighty Megalosaurus Broomensis. Aside from the chance to discover 130-million-year-old dinosaur tracks, Gantheaume Point also offers stunning photo opportunities. The colour contrast between the scarlet-hued pindan cliffs and bright blue ocean is a sight not to be missed.
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Catch a movie at Sun Pictures
Iconic Chinatown picture house, Sun Pictures, is the oldest working open-air cinema in the world! The heritage-listed venue opened over 100 years ago with a silent movie and continues to show current releases to this day. For a real feel of ‘old Broome’, grab your tickets from the cash-only box office, choose your cinema snacks and relax as you lie back in one of the old canvas deckchairs set up under the stars. P.S. Remember to check out its amazing retro signage too.
Uncover pearling history at the Japanese Cemetery
Photo captured by Damien Raggatt
You may not have known, but Broome boasts a multicultural past including Aboriginal ties and links to China, Europe, Malaysia, Japan and more. Visit the serene Japanese cemetery with its 707 graves, all sporting one-of-a-kind coloured beach rock headstones. It’s here you’ll find out more about the Japanese migrants who settled here, hoping to prosper from the lucrative pearling industry. Sadly though, most people commemorated here perished whilst diving for pearls.
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Witness the Staircase to the Moon
From April to October every year it’s possible to observe the breath-taking natural spectacle that is the Staircase to the Moon. The phenomenon occurs when the full moon rises and reflects off the mudflats, creating a unique optical illusion of a moonlight staircase stretching to the sky. Whilst you can see this in several places across Australia, the most astounding view is undoubtedly in Broome’s Roebuck Bay. Be sure to check the dates before you travel, to avoid disappointment.
Dig into a mud crab banquet
Omongkol/Shutterstock
Are you a serious seafood fan? Then a dinner of Broome’s mud crab is definitely on the cards. Usually served alongside salad, homemade bread and with plenty of spicy chilli sauce, it’s a real treat for the taste buds. Local eatery and firm favourite, The Wharf Restaurant, is known for dishing up some of the best in town. If you’re feeling particularly hands on, you can learn how the locals hunt in the creeks, and even have the chance to catch and tie crabs yourself.
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Kick back with a beer at Matso’s Brewery
Nothing’s more refreshing than a cold brewsky on a baking Australian day, and family-run Matso’s Brewery can certainly offer that to you. With a long history, Matso’s was finally turned into a microbrewery, café and art gallery in 2000. And, now sells its fruity brews in bottle shops Australia-wide. Famed for their alcoholic ginger and mango flavoured beers, they’ve also introduced ice-hot chilli and lychee beer to the menu. Which flavour will you be tempted by?
Experience natural wonder at the Horizontal Falls
Edward Haylan/Shutterstock
As if one natural phenomenon wasn’t enough, Broome is also home to the Horizontal Falls. Described by David Attenborough, as ‘one of the greatest natural wonders of the world’, it really is a sight to behold. Created by tidal currents squeezing through two narrow gorges in the McLarty Range, it produces a waterfall on its side! The direction that the falls flow changes with the tides, forming impressive rapids and whirlpools that can be viewed by boat or seaplane.
All this is just a snippet of the good times you can expect from Broome. So, why not realise its undeniable charm for yourself on Intrepid’s Perth to Broome Overland tour?
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Feature image C/O Alex Couto on Shutterstock.
