Port Review: Broome, Western Australia

It’s a remote outpost with a relaxed atmosphere, evolving into a favourite cruise ship destination thanks to a lineup of natural wonders and wildlife. 

The Facts

Location: On the far north west coast of Australia.

Language: English. 

Currency: Australian dollar. 

Docking/anchoring: Ships dock at the Port of Broome which is seven kilometres from the town centre. 

Transport: Taxis are usually available outside the small cruise ship terminal, and free shuttles are usually offered into the city centre by most cruise lines. Extra bus services are provided from the CBD to Cable Beach when bigger ships are in port. 

Overview

Located 2200km north of Perth in Western Australia’s Kimberley region, Broome began life as a pearling centre in 1883 with just a handful of pearling luggers and a few shanties. Today it’s still relatively small, but it’s also a thriving beach resort town with an unspoiled Indian Ocean coastline,  serving as a major gateway to the famed Kimberley region.

Don’t Miss

The 22-kilometre-long Cable Beach, which is located just outside of the town centre, is renowned as one of the world’s best beaches with classic white sand and turquoise water. It’s also where you’ll find a slew of beach resorts, and daily sunset camel riding tours.

Within the town centre, and easy to access on foot, are the Pearl Lugger’s Museum, the Broome Historical Museum, Chinatown and the Sun Picture House - an outdoor movie theatre which was the heart and soul of the area for many decades. Each place provides a fascinating insight into the rich and colourful history of this remote destination.

Three different types of dinosaur tracks exist in the 130 million year old rocks on the beaches around Broome, and are best seen when tides are below 2m. A popular spot to view them is at Gantheaume Point near Cable Beach. 

Best Photo Op

Cable Beach and Gantheaume Point are the best places to catch a west coast sunset at its very best. The red rocks and soil move through a range of vivid colours, while the calm waters reflect the orange sunlight.

Shopping

Broome has some souvenir shops and small markets scattered throughout the compact downtown area, some selling Aboriginal art, and the usual things like furry kangaroos and koalas, along with T-shirts and postcards. Pearls are the big ticket item in Broome, however, and there’s around half a dozen major retailers in the town centre selling items ranging from trinkets for a few dollars to fabulous pearls worth thousands.

Food and Drink

The downtown area has a mix of restaurants, styles and prices from pub grub at the Roebuck Bay Hotel (the Roey), to Asian including Som Thai restaurant and Azuki Japanese. The resorts at Cable Beach tend to be more upmarket. The pubs and bars of Broome get lively on weekends and are good places to cool off, and they include The Roey, Matso’s Brewery which makes its own craft beers, and the Diver’s Tavern out at Cable Beach. 

Pick of the Excursions  

Most cruise ships offer a good shore excursion for first timers to Broome which usually takes in the Pearl Lugger’s Museum, the Sun Picture House, Gantheaume Point, Cable Beach and the Japanese Cemetery on the outskirts of town.

The Malcolm Douglas Crocodile Park is must for anyone who’s never seen crocodiles up close before. The late Malcolm Douglas established the park as a research centre, and it is home to hundreds of saltwater crocodiles and alligators from all over the country, including huge “rogue crocs” which have attacked humans and been relocated here.

The Willie Creek Pearl Farm is one of the more popular tours as it provides a good insight into how a real working pearl farm operates today. Set in a protected tidal estuary, the pearl farm is in a perfect location to produce high quality pearls and this is where you’ll learn how they’re formed, how they’re seeded and the intricate processes of how they’re nurtured.