Broome is one of Western Australia’s most well-known towns and it attracts many visitors from around the world. It’s famous for its beautiful beaches, sunset camel rides, and is also regarded as the pearling capital of the world. It’s a great place to spend some time and enjoy the sights of this town where the outback meets the ocean.
Broome is compact and easy to explore, with lots of tours and activities to help you discover this unique part of Australia. Of course many visitors choose to spend a lot of their time relaxing, whether by the pool or alongside the Indian Ocean on Cable Beach. In fact, Broome is renowned for its easy-going pace of life – we call it Broome-Time!
Here are some of our tips.
When to visit?
The weather between May and October is almost perfect, with warm sunny days, cool evenings and little chance of rain. This is actually the Australian winter and a time when many Australians head north from colder parts of the country to make the most of the beautiful weather. For example, the average maximum temperature in June is 29 degrees, and an average minimum of 15 degrees.
Things to see and do
There are a bunch of tours that you can do around Broome including camel rides, boat cruises, scenic flights, star gazing, kayak tours, pearl farm tours, cultural tours, and extended trips through the magnificent Kimberley region. There are also many things you can do on your own that are free or minimal cost.
- Visit the Broome Museum. How Broome came to be is a fascinating tale, and the museum provides a wonderful insight into the history of this multi-cultural town. The rollicking days of huge pearl lugger fleet that used line the shores of Roebuck Bay are on display, as is the direct involvement the town had in World War II.
- See the Staircase to the Moon. This phenomenon happens usually for the first three days after a full moon. Its when the rising moon reflects lights off the pools of Roebuck Bay on low tide and creates a ‘staircase’ effect. The Mangrove Hotel and Town Beach are the best viewing points. There are normally night markets at Town Beach so it’s great to grab a meal from one of the many hawker’s stalls, sit on the grass, enjoy some live music, and watch the beauty of the Staircase.
- Take a walk along Cable Beach – it's actually 22kms long so don’t try and do the whole thing. Its also a beautiful place for a swim and to sit and simply enjoy the serenity. Try and get there around high tide when you don’t have to walk so far to the water. The tides around Broome can be seriously big!
- See dinosaur footprints at Gantheaume Point. Broome is renowned for being a location where many fossilised dinosaur trackways are visible. The story boards at Gantheaume Point provide a great snapshot of the types of dinosaur, and there are both replicas and original footprints at the site. Try and see if you can find the footprints that were re-discovered right in front of the Cable Beach Club at low tide.
- Visit the Sisters of St John of God Relationships Exhibition. The exhibition tells the story of one hundred years of the Sisters in the Kimberley, the various ministries they were involved in and their relationships with local people. They have a fantastic collection of old photos from their time in the Kimberley.
- Download the app and do the Jetty to Jetty walk with local commentary. The Jetty to Jetty Trail is Yawuru’s Award-winning self-guided heritage walk along the foreshore of Roebuck Bay. There are signposted locations, each with its own story to tell. You can listen to the stories on the Jetty to Jetty mobile app as you move through the town at your own pace.
- Watch the sunset over the Indian Ocean at Cable Beach. Broome is renowned for its spectacular sunsets and is a photographer’s dream. A tip would be not to leave immediately after the sun sets. Often the best colours come out about 15 minutes after its set.
- Catch a fish from the walkway at the Broome wharf. The fishing at this spot is regarded as one of the best land-based game fishing spots in Australia. There are a huge variety of fish that can be caught, with many being perfect for the table. Try your luck at catching a Bluebone – they are a highly regarded table fish.
- Catch a movie at Sun Pictures – the world’s oldest operating picture gardens. They are open all year round and each night they show the latest up-to-date contemporary movies. The cinema is partly open to the sky so you can watch the stars on the screen and in the sky! Take a cushion for extra comfort, and be prepared for when a plane lands as the cinema is on the approach to the airport and a jet overhead can make you jump!
- Take home a Broome pearl. I know its not really a cheap thing to do, but if you are coming to Broome it’s a great memento to take home. There are a number of pearl galleries and shops in the Chinatown precinct of Broome and its great just to wonder through the shops and see some of the exquisite jewellery.
- See the view from the Broome Golf Club. Broome’s public 18 hole golf course welcomes visitors to join in competitions or to play on their own, and it's got some great views! Its regarded as one of regional Western Australia’s best courses and offers hire clubs and buggies.
