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Broome is a pioneer pearling town and the gateway to Western Australia’s ancient Kimberley landscape.
Filled with rugged ranges, dramatic gorges, cascading waterfalls, and untouched coastline, the Kimberley has earned a place in the hearts of travellers the world over. And its most populous town is packed with cheeky charm.
Best known for a staircase that seemingly ascends to the moon, the 22-kilometre-long splendour of Cable Beach, an annual pearl festival, a heritage open-air theatre, and the tall-tale-telling ability of local larrikins, there’s something about Broome that gets right under the skin.
Here’s a checklist of our top ten things to do in Broome.
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1. Celebrate Shinju Matsuri
Having marked its 50th anniversary in 2020, Shinju Matsuri — the ‘Festival of the Pearl’ — celebrates Broome’s rich cultural diversity and the influences of the Japanese, Malay, Filipino, Chinese, Koepanger, and European pearlers who came to this outpost in the late 1800s to work alongside local Yawuru people (who already had a long pearling history of their own). Taking place in late August each year, Broome’s premier cultural event features food, music and art. Highlights of the programme include a colourful street parade, Floating Lantern Matsuri (where paper lanterns are released on the tide), and a sunset long table dinner prepared by celebrity chefs.
2. Follow in the footsteps of dinosaurs
Make tracks to Gantheaume Point at low tide to see the fossilised footprints of dinosaurs. Dating back 130 million years, footprints preserved in the reef rock were first found here in the 1940s. More were discovered by a woman collecting shells in 2016. There’s interpretive signage near the lighthouse, but for greater understanding, join a tour with local Yawuru man Bart Pigram of Narlijia Cultural Tours. In addition to hearing Dreamtime stories attached to the footprints and saltwater country, you’ll learn about life on this land for the Yawuru and Djugun people.
3. Ride a camel on Cable Beach
Originally introduced to Australia by Afghan cameleers for the transportation of goods, camels have trod the Kimberley since the early 19th century. A camel ride across the sands of world-famous Cable Beach at sunset with Broome Camel Safaris is one of Western Australia’s signature experiences.
4. Spend a night at Cygnet Bay Pearl Farm
Located on the Dampier Peninsula, 2.5 hours’ drive north of Broome (or ‘just up the road’ to locals), Cygnet Bay Pearl Farm is a Kimberley treasure. Established in 1946, Australia’s oldest and longest operating pearl farm not only cultivates the jewels of the sea, it also offers guest accommodation — ranging from old pearlers’ shacks to glamping tents.
There are plenty of interesting ways to spend your time at Cygnet Bay. Take a sea safari to the tidal phenomenon known as Waterfall Reef, watch resident Indigenous artist Bruce Wiggan carve traditional ‘riji’ pearl shell artwork, or learn about harvesting on the Pearl Farm Discovery Tour.
5. Catch a flick at the world’s oldest picture gardens
Back in Broome, let’s go to the movies — Kimberley-style! Opened in 1916, and having screened classics like King Kong and Lawrence of Arabia, Sun Pictures is as much a museum as it is a movie theatre. A pre-film wander around the world’s oldest outdoor cinema is worth doing for the collection of memorabilia, including black and white photos and old movie posters. The theatre is positioned directly under Broome Airport’s flight path, and watching an action flick will have you feeling more than just the magic of the movies as planes seem to jump out of the screen!
6. Explore Chinatown with a local guide
Once notorious for illicit drinking dens, opium houses, bazaars and brothels, today the multicultural streets of Broome’s Chinatown hold interest for visitors because of their many restaurants, bars, shopping boutiques and sites of historical significance. Combine colourful history with gastronomical delights by taking a walking tour with Salty Plum Social. Their guides use digital projections on buildings to share stories associated with the area, and introduce you to three of their favourite bars (with canapes and a drink at each venue included).
7. Admire the colours of the Kimberley by air
The Kimberley’s famous colour palette consists of rich reds and brilliant blues as pindan earth meets sea — and the best way to see it is by air. Air Kimberley offers a range of scenic and chartered flights from Broome to the region’s most picturesque destinations, including Cape Leveque, Cygnet Bay, the Bungle Bungles, and both the Mitchell and Horizontal Falls.
All trips (with the exception of the Broome and Beaches option) provide the chance to connect with the landscape below. Go hiking, swimming, boating or 4-wheel driving, and perhaps even do an overnight stay. Air Kimberley’s pilots double as tour guides, so strap in, sit back and relax as they provide informative insights about the stunning Kimberley landscape.
8. Sample some top local drops
Apart from the aforementioned camel ride on Cable Beach, nothing says ‘I’m in Broome’ quite like your first sip of a fruity ale at popular Matso’s Brewery. It’s been serving up locally brewed frothies for almost three decades. If you prefer a distilled drop, swing by the cellar door at newly opened Moontide Distillery. It produces fine gins infused with local native botanicals, such as Kakadu plum and white berry bush.
9. Pull up a pew for sundowners
On much the same subject, ‘sundowners’ are a longstanding tradition in Broome and there’s no shortage of venues in which to enjoy a beverage during golden hour. Cable Beach House and Cable Beach Club are both ideally placed for watching the sun sink into the Indian Ocean over a cocktail.
10. Shop at the Courthouse Markets
And finally, no visit to Broome would be done and dusted without a morning spent browsing the eclectic wares on display at the Courthouse Markets, which trade Saturdays all year round and Sundays during the dry season. There are of course, community markets staged across Australia every weekend, but this one possibly takes the cake for the ingenuity and creativity of stallholders. You’ll be gobsmacked by the array of crazy, colourful, spiritual, and just plain odd creations on offer. Well, when in Broome…
The writer travelled as a guest of Tourism Western Australia, Astro Tours, Cygnet Bay Pearl Farm, and Air Kimberley.
For more travel inspiration, visit www.visitbroome.com.au.
Browse our range of Broome tours and experiences here.
Do you have any suggestions to add to our list of the best things to do in Broome on a first visit? We would love to hear from you. Please leave a comment below.
Additional images: Bigstock
About the writer
Bonita Grima is a Perth-based freelance travel writer with a background in television and radio production. She believes that travel has the power to challenge, inspire, and educate us, and encourage empathy by providing a window into the worlds of others. When not working on a story, you’ll find Bonita at the beach, on a hiking trail, drinking great coffee, discovering what’s new around town, and dreaming up her next big adventure!
