The Kimberley Guide

Destinations

Broome

Broome was originally founded in the late 1880’s as a pearling port. Lured by the promise to make their fortune, Broome welcomed a diverse range of peoples including Malay, Chinese, Japanese, Koepanger and European. All these cultures, together with the local indigenous people, have combined to create a diverse and exotic town that today boasts a population of around 15,000.

Broome has a colourful history dominated by the pearling trade. However the riches from the pearl beds did not come cheap and the town’s Japanese cemetery is the resting place of many divers who lost their lives working in the industry. Broome was also attacked by Japanese aircraft in March 1942 resulting in 88 deaths. Shaped by a turbulent history Broome is now a mix of the old and the new; Chinatown’s historical buildings and the beautiful Kimberley architecture mix with the vibrant modern town that Broome has become. Its diversity has also created a fantastic blend of wonderful local style cuisine and unique characters.

Broome’s famous Cable Beach is a 22 kilometre-long stretch of pure white sand, turquoise water, set against spectacular Indian Ocean sunsets. Cable Beach with its gentle rolling waves is perfect for swimming, sunbathing and sunsets. Broome Township is situated 6 kilometres from Cable Beach. The township itself provides the majority of shopping options, together with many art galleries and pearl showrooms.

Broome also offers many other attractions. Visit Gantheume Point to see dinosaur footprints reputed to be 130 million years old, take in a movie at the longest running outdoor cinema in the world — Sun Pictures — or visit the pearl stores in Chinatown.

Staircase to the Moon

One of Broome’s natural wonders is the Staircase to the Moon. This phenomenon occurs for three days after the full moon from March to November. It is caused by the rising moon reflecting off the mudflats of Roebuck Bay, creating the beautiful illusion of a staircase leading to the moon.

Staircase to the Moon markets are held on many of the Staircase to the Moon dates at Town Beach. The Broome Courthouse Market is also held on each Saturday and Sunday morning between April and October.

Kununurra

Kununurra, the east of the Kimberley, was originally built in the early 1960s to serve the Ord River Irrigation Project. It has now become a vibrant town of about 6,000, and is the hub for visiting such icons as Lake Argyle, the Ord River, El Questro Wilderness Park, the Argyle Diamond Mine and the unique Bungle Bungle Range. These huge black and oranges stripped beehive-like mounds can be as high as 300 metres. Purnululu National Park, in which the Bungles are located, is now a World Heritage listed site and something every Kimberley visitor should not miss out on seeing.