PEARL OF THE KIMBERLEY

Broome dazzles with vibrant colours and experiences unlike anywhere else – you’re going to love it!

WORDS BY KARYN FANOUS, PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOSEPH AND KARYN FANOUS

Cable Beach, Horizontal Falls, camels, beaches and stairways to the moon, these are all the things that spring to mind when thinking about Broome. This city is a dichotomy of water and desert, with a rich pearling history – not unlike the gold rush that crazed the rest of WA, and immense native beauty. Broome is truly captivating.

BRILLIANT BROOME

Today, Broome is one of Australia’s prime tourist destinations and lies within the traditional lands of the Yawuru Aboriginal people. From stunning Cape Leveque in the north to Eighty Mile Beach in the south, this part of the West Kimberley is simply breathtaking. Here, azure waters lap against white sand beaches rimmed by spectacular red embankments.

Broome’s Cable Beach is a continuous hive of activity and is famous for camel riding at its northern end. Sunset is a particularly spectacular time to visit as the Indian Ocean and sky become awash with colour and silhouetted camel trains wander lazily along the beach.

At the southern end of the beach, Gantheaume Point provides a glimpse back 120 million years ago when dinosaurs roamed the country. On the sea-side rock platform, a therapod named Megalosauropus Broomensis, similar to a small Tyrannosaurus rex, left three-pronged footprints etched into the rock. They are not visible every day as they are only uncovered at very low tides. Replicas of the footprints are displayed at the top of the cliff, but I recommend asking for specific directions to their location from staff at the Visitor Centre, as we found them to be very difficult to find.

More dinosaur footprints can be reached via a Spirit of Broome Hovercraft flight. Travelling across Roebuck Bay, past Town Beach and Buccaneer Rock, old fishing traps and flying boat wrecks from a Japanese bombing raid in 1942, our destination was Red Cliffs. Here we saw astonishing giant, round dinosaur footprints imprinted in the rocks. As a huge long-necked Sauropod wandered across the earth millions of years ago, its weight compacted the ground with each step, making it more resistant to erosion. This dinosaur’s tracks are now left behind to tell the tale. This is an absolutely fabulous experience and a highlight of our visit to Broome.

Back in town, there’s a lot to see and do. The Visitor Centre is well worth a look and includes informative displays on the region. Wander along Johnny Chi Lane to experience the colourful China Town district. Of note, along Dampier Terrace is an Aboriginal art gallery, The Shell House souvenir shop and the Pearl Luggers museum. Here you’ll find two restored, original pearling luggers floating in a replica jetty, a display of authentic equipment, a heritage listed Old Pearler’s Quarters and the Roebuck Hotel from 1880. A Pearl Luggers Tour is also available.

Discovered in 1861, Pinctada Maxima led to the establishment of Broome’s pearling industry which at its peak boasted a fleet of around 400 pearl luggers, the name given to pearling boats. It drew divers from Europe, Asia, Torres Strait and Thursday Island to the region, creating a cosmopolitan mix of cultures. The Cultured Pearl and Hard Hat Diver Monument in Carnarvon Street pays tribute to these divers’ contribution to the early pearling industry. The Broome region continues to be known for its splendid pearls.

The heritage listed Sun Pictures Open Air Cinema Garden is another interesting feature of town with its twin gabled facade. Built in 1916, it’s the world’s oldest operating ‘garden cinema’. It’s a unique treat sitting in deck chairs under the stars while watching a film on a giant screen. Low altitude aeroplanes approaching Broome Airport fly directly overhead and add to the experience! For those who enjoy wetting a line, fishing off the Port Jetty is a great spot. We were entertained by a hammerhead shark and turtle swimming in the clear water near the jetty, and an eagle ray leaping into the air. The shallow, cobalt blue waters are surrounded by red, rocky ledges and pale pink sand at this picturesque location.

In 1668, explorer William Dampier was the first European to set foot on shore at Broome. The treasure chest that legend says he buried on Buccaneer Rock in Roebuck Bay is still to be found! These thoughts of treasure chests floated in our heads, as we visited Broome’s famous ‘Staircase to the Moon’. A natural phenomenon where the illusion of ‘stairs’ is created by the moon reflecting on Roebuck Bay’s mudflats. This only occurs at low tides on full moon nights between March and October. Gazing at the moon suspended over the ocean, resembling a giant South Sea pearl, is a perfect way to end a day in Broome.

COLOURFUL CAPE LEVEQUE

For a spectacular side trip from Broome, head north to explore the Dampier Peninsula. It’s an adventurous drive along a partly dirt road to the top of the peninsular, Cape Leveque. The dirt is very red and very fine, much like sand, and is called ‘pindan’. The cape was named after Pierre Leveque, a hydrographer aboard the French ship Geographe that visited the region in 1803.

Along the way, stop at the Aboriginal community of Beagle Bay to visit their striking white Sacred Heart Church, built with hand-made bricks by French Palatine monks as part of a mission established in 1890. Mother-of-pearl and other local shells heavily decorate all the features inside the church. It is a very beautiful and unique church.

The very tip of Cape Leveque is called Kooljaman, its Aboriginal name. The local indigenous communities have developed a wilderness camp with accommodation, campsites, restaurant, beach café and small shop. We thoroughly enjoyed lunch at the open-air Raugi’s restaurant, a magnificent setting with views over the western beach.

A range of cultural and naturebased tours are available including mud crabbing, tag-along tours, and scenic flights over the Buccaneer Archipelago and Horizontal Waterfalls. Fishing gear can be purchased from the shop, while masks and snorkels are available for hire.

On the east side of the cape is the swimming beach with its beautiful dark turquoise water, orange rocky ledges, white sand and a lovely view of Leveque Island. The lighthouse up on the hill stands guard over the striking pandanus trees and beach with its amazingly warm water. Snorkelling off the northern rocky point, we saw lots of tiny coral and pretty reef fish.

The western beach is lined by magnificent red pindan cliffs along its northern stretch, reaching right up to the tip of Cape Leveque. At sunset, the cliffs literally glow. Fishing off the beach late in the afternoon, followed by nibblies while we watched the sun gradually disappear into the Indian Ocean, was a magic way to end the day!

EIGHTY MILE BEACH

Heading south from Broome, the Great Northern Highway travels through cattle country. Don’t be surprised if you see cattle wandering across the national Highway 1! Sandfire Road House is a good spot to take a break and refuel. You’ll find lots of peacocks here. After a further 45km along the highway from the roadhouse, turn west to reach Eighty Mile Beach Caravan Park, down 10km of dirt road.

The beach is a superb location for shell collecting and is extremely popular for fishing at high tide with blue-nose salmon, threadfin salmon and mulloway often caught. The beach is literally covered with gorgeous shells. One of our favourites is a flat sea urchin known as Mermaid Money.

Tides are fascinating in this part of the world. Due to the very gradual slope of the beach, the water can retreat up to 1.25km, making it impossible to see the ocean from the main beach at low tide! Sunsets here are also magnificent, painting the sky in a kaleidoscope of colours.

This vibrant region of the western Kimberley has such a bounty of dazzling treasures to enjoy. It’s a pearler of a place!