Broome Mini Guide
Located in Western Australia’s Kimberly region, and built on the tribal lands of the Yawuru people, Broome can proudly boast a beautiful 22.5 kilometre beachfront and a unique tropical charm that make it one of the best traveller destinations in the north west . The town was founded in 1883 and named after its governor Sir Fredrick Napier Broome.
During the early part of the nineteenth century most of the world’s supply of pearl shell came from Broome and it has been traditionally both a pearling and a tourist town. Broome is also home to probably the most famous nudist beach in Australia, named Cable Beach, it stretches for over 20 kilometres and its white sandy beaches provide a beautiful contrast to the sparkling turquoise waters. Caution should be exercised however when swimming particularly between the months of November and March as Box Jellyfish can give really painful stings.
Getting there
The best way to get to Broome is by air, as is the case in most of Australia. There are daily flights from
Perth which is only two and a half hours away. There are also good bus and coach connections with Greyhound Bus Company running regular services all along the Western Australian coast.
Things to see and do
As Broome is a tropical seaside town its beauty and the surrounding peninsula provide many natural aspects worth viewing. The Broome Bird Observatory houses over 20 unique species of birds and provides excellent conservation and ecologically geared tours. The Broome Crocodile Park is perfect for those of you feeling a little ‘Dundee’ and for cinema lovers a visit to the Sun Pictures outdoor cinema is a must, the oldest surviving outdoor cinema in the world, it has been keeping the residents of Broome entertained since 1916.
For shopping, it’s definitely worthwhile to take a stroll around the Courthouse Market, offering many locally made goods including handmade candles and carvings it provides a really good base to start exploring the eclectic mix that the town has to offer. You can also visit a factory where cultured pearls are made and buy jewellery made from the pearls at factory prices. If exploring helps you to work up an appetite there’s one place that you really should visit, Matso’s. Matso’s is probably one of the most well known restaurants in Broome; it has been a local institution and meeting place for more than 100 years. If you do get a chance to try it, the Barramundi comes highly recommended.
One last thing, if you are going to visit Broome, make sure you don’t leave without experiencing the “Staircase to the Moon” a natural phenomena that occurs when a receding low tide meets a rising full moon and they combine to create a wonderful illusion. There is a special “Staircase to the Moon” night market with craft and food stalls also on the beach
.