Highlights
Broome is a unique town, on a peninsula, where one of the world’s last great wildernesses meets the Indian Ocean. Known as the gateway to the Kimberley, Broome’s exotic pearling town past has left a rich history. We encourage visitors to enjoy the variety of local experiences in our vibrant multi-cultural community.
Our pristine waters, wide open beaches, abundant wildlife, tropical climate and breath-taking colours attracts visitors from all over the world each year. There is so much to see and discover and many unique, ‘once in a lifetime’ experiences.
Whether you are a thrill seeker, adventurer, culture vulture, water lover or sun seeker and whatever your budget; the Kimberley Experts at the Broome Visitor Centre can tailor make your perfect holiday for you.
Here are some local highlights and places to add to your 'must visit' list when you #visitbroome
Chinatown
Chinatown has been the multicultural heart and soul of Broome since the pearling crews set up their first camps and corrugated tin sheds in the 1880s. Today, Broome has developed into an iconic Western Australian tourism town and Chinatown is its heart and soul. A boutique retail hub and a site of historical significance, it is a unique and special place worth visiting.
The pearl and jewellery showrooms will tempt you as you wander the streets of Chinatown. Stroll through Johnny Chi Lane and down to view Streeter's Jetty. Chinatown plays host to a wide variety of community and cultural events, including some of the Shinju Matsuri dining events and the annual Chinatown Ladies Night. It is also home to many art galleries and photography galleries. You will also find the oldest outdoor picture gardens, Sun Pictures.
Broome’s town centre has been refreshed over recent years thanks to funding from the Shire and the State Government, with the $29.3 million Chinatown Revitalisation Project now completed.
Town Beach
Located on the south east edge of Broome is Guwarri - Town Beach. The park and foreshore is the place to be for the ‘Staircase to the Moon’ and the Thursday evening markets. The Town Beach Foreshore Redevelopment was completed in mid 2020. We invite visitors to Broome to come and enjoy this amazing new area at Town Beach.
The kids will love the fun water park at Town Beach for cooling off after a play on the beautiful new playground.
Normal opening hours for the Town Beach Water Park in Broome are weekdays 8.30am to 5.00pm (except for Tuesday when the waterpark is closed).
Town Beach is also a wonderful place to relax for a picnic and enjoy a coffee. The Shire of Broome currently has a rotation of local food trucks visiting this location during peak season in Broome (usually most days except Tuesday).
The Broome Pioneer Cemetery is also near Town Beach featuring a new interpretative entry feature art wall and two concrete benches. Broome Pioneer Cemetery has a rich history, with connections to seafarming and the exploring pioneers of Broome from 1883 to the present day.
Town Beach Precinct is the place to be for the Thursday Night Markets in high season, plus on selected dates throughout the year, Broome has many special events and feature market nights such as Easter and Christmas. These markets are usually filled with food trucks, market stalls and often have live music. Check our event calendar to see what's on in Broome!
Read more about this award winning project on the Shire of Broome website.
Learn more about marine safety at Town Beach Jetty.
Roebuck Bay Lookout
Take in the spectacular views from the Roebuck Bay Lookout. The recently completed Dampier Terrace and Frederick Street connection provides another entry to Chinatown at its southern end. The connection was improved with construction of the Roebuck Bay Lookout, an elevated platform designed to encourage people to visit the top end of Dampier Terrace and experience the sweeping views over Roebuck Bay and Dampier Creek, while learning about the culture and history of the area.
Acknowledging the Aboriginal significance of the location, Yawuru artists Martha Lee and Ricky Roe have worked with Broome Senior High School students in the development of artwork and cultural information panels incorporated into the Lookout’s structure and signage. Distinctly designed interpretative panels are a key feature, casting breath-taking shadows that move with the sun across the structure, and complement the surrounding natural elements. The goanna and other animals on the concrete wall are found on Roebuck Plains and the dramatic roof shape reflects the bluenose salmon that breed in the Dampier Creek.
Co-funded by the Shire of Broome and the Australian Government through a grant administered by Tourism WA, the project will help to activate an underutilised corner of Chinatown by providing a shaded tourism and resting point.
Take the bus to Chinatown, hopping off at Johnny Chi Lane stop and enjoy a nice 300m walk down Dampier Terrace, past the Pearl Luggers to the lookout. From the Mangrove Hotel, walk north on Carnarvon St and turn right at Frederick St.
Back to top
Sun Pictures - Outdoor Cinema in Broome
Sun Pictures is the world’s oldest operating open-air picture gardens and is open for the public to discover the history of this unique location. This is a major tourist attraction for Broome and allows visitors to step back in time and feel what it would have been like to attend the cinema in years gone by.
The Sun Pictures building in Broome’s Chinatown was constructed at the turn of the century (1903) on a site owned by the Yamasaki family.
This beautiful location has been restored over the 100+ years, but the charm of this iconic location has been kept. Walk through and uncover history with the film posters, equipment, projectors and other cinematic treasures kept on site.
Two films are shown each night, and this is a real treat for anyone visiting Broome. As Sun Pictures is located under a flight path, it can get a bit noisy when a plane comes in to land. This all adds to the thrill of an evening at Sun Pictures.
Find out what is on at www.broomemovies.com.au or read more about the history of Sun Pictures.
Gantheaume Point
Gantheaume Point features amazing rock formations and is also home to some of Broome’s famous Dinosaur footprints including a plaster cast of some the tracks. Gantheaume point is a photographer's dream. The textures, sunsets, sunrises and colours are beautiful to see and capture. Walk through the trails of the Yawuru Minyirr Buru Conservation Park.
Care must be taken when exploring this area and we encourage all visitors to stick to the designated walking paths and be aware of large tidal changes in this area.
Did you know that there’s three jointly managed conservation parks and one marine park in and around Broome? Information on these parks can be found in the new Yawuru marine and conservation parks visitor guide (pdf). Pick up a copy at the Parks and Wildlife Service Broome office and the Broome Visitors Centre. Copies are also available through the Yawuru parks joint management partners at Nyamba Buru Yawuru and the Shire of Broome.
The lighthouse at Gantheaume Point was built in 1905 and was "one of ten lighthouses built on the West Australian coast between 1900 and 1913" according to the Heritage Council of Western Australia. The lighthouse was rebuilt in 1984. The light is powered by mains electricity and can be seen for18 nautical miles in normal weather conditions.
"When the residence was no longer required for a lighthouse keeper it was purchased by Pat Percy and his wife Anastasia. Pat was a police sergeant at Broome, but took up the more lucrative pursuit of pearling. Pat Percy invented the pearl box, a secure box for safeguarding pearls on board the luggers until they could be handed over to the pearling master. He was a member of Broome Road Board and held the post of Chairman. Anastasia Percy suffered from arthritis and when they moved out to the lighthouse keeper's house, Percy found a large hole, washed by the spring tide, which he had cemented so Anastasia could relax in the water to alleviate her condition. The remains of the chimney of the lighthouse keeper's house were restored by the Historical Society." - Read more at the Heritage Council of Western Australia
Anastasia's Pool was damaged by a storm in 2014. A lighthouse keeper create the pool for his arthritic wife so during high tide the saltwater created a place for her to soak. These rockpools are dangerous and not suitable for swimming as undercurrents can drag swimmers out to sea.
Access to Gantheaume Point is via the Gantheaume Point Road, off Gubinge Road. During dry season, catch the Broome Explorer bus (only once per morning in high season, no return service) to Gantheaume Point and walk back along Cable Beach. The walk from Cable Beach to Gantheaume Point is about 5km.
There is no lifeguard patrol at this location. Gantheaume Point is 9kms from the Broome Visitor Centre.
Reddell Beach
Reddell Beach is a picturesque place, especially at sunset when the light highlights the radiant reds of the rocks. This beach is popular with the locals and is located on the unsealed Kavite Road to Gantheaume Point Lighthouse - a short drive from Broome. Access is via carpark 3. It can be quite rocky on low tide, but it is lovely to discover the interesting rock formations and take those 'Kimberley colours' photos that are so iconic for the region. White sand, red rocks and the ocean. There are no facilities or life-saving duties at this beach.
If you time your visit at high tide, you may be fortunate to witness a spectacular phenomenon when the ocean meets the pindan cliffs and the ochre colour bleeds into the normally crystal blue waters. The calm refreshing waters are ideal for swimming or paddling with the children, and the lack of crowds makes this well kept secret spot an idyllic location. Enjoy a picnic lunch or just laze about on the beach and soak up the sun.
Photos by Matt Moreton-Deakin and Ash Vagh from Ocean Arcadia.
Back to top
Explore Broome app
A new interactive tool to help visitors Explore Broome’s major precincts, learn about the town’s history and discovery our major attractions.
After collaborating with major local stakeholders for over a year, the Shire of Broome released the Explore Broome app in August 2021. The app features interactive self-guided walking trails for the Town Beach and Chinatown precincts, while also linking to existing apps and sources of information. The Town Beach Trail is designed around heritage and the environment of the area, which has recently been the subject of a $24 million redevelopment. Chinatown has two trails; one showcasing the highlights and amenities of the precinct, and the other an arts and heritage trail.
The Explore Broome app can be downloaded from the Apple App Store or Google Play.
Conti Shared Path
Conti Foreshore Shared Path is a 1.3km path, which provides an all-access link between the award-winning Town Beach precinct and the Jetty to Jetty Trail towards Chinatown. The 3m-wide Conti-Foreshore Shared Path is separated from the road and accommodates a range of users including pedestrians, cyclists and people requiring mobility aids.
Learn about Staircase to the Moon
Staircase to the Moon is a natural phenomenon which occurs when a full moon rises over the exposed tidal flats of Roebuck Bay.Staircase to the Moon is a natural phenomenon which occurs when a full moon rises over the exposed tidal flats of Roebuck Bay. The Staircase to the Moon happens 2 - 3 days a month between March and October. Learn more about Staircase to the Moon
Broome's Dinosaur Footprints
Discover 120 Million Year Old Dinosaur Footprints!The dinosaur footprints around Broome (Rubibi) are recognised as the most significant in the world with track ways stretching for about 80km along Broome’s sandstone coast line from south of Broome up along the Dampier Peninsula. Learn more about Broome's Dinosaur Footprints.
