The Kimberley and Broome
The Kimberley and Broome
Broome
Broome is a unique, exotic town and the southern gateway to the raw wilderness area known as the Kimberley. Established as a pearling port in the 1880s, Broome boasts a multi-cultural population made up of the many nationalities who flocked to the shores of Roebuck Bay in the hope of making their fortune from the pearling industry. As a result of this mixture of cultures, an unusual style of Colonial/Asian architecture has developed and this is evident in Broome's bustling Chinatown. Pearling remains one of the two major industries due to the cultured pearl, which revived the industry after theadvent of the plastic button in the late 1950s.
Broome's unique beauty needs time to explore. Pristine beaches and bays fringed with glistening white sands, red cliffs and the sparkling waters of the Indian Ocean are some of the wonders of this coastal delight. Broome's climate is also something to boast about with the warm sunny days, balmy nights and summer tropical storms during the tropical summer season.
Broome has many cultural attractions which include dinosaur footprints over 130 million years old, seen at low tide at Gantheaume Point. This is also an ideal place to observe the red craggy cliffs of the Broome Peninsula. The famous Cable Beach is one of the most stunning beaches in the world with 22kms of white sand and clear tropical water.
Take a wander through Chinatown which was once a bustling hub of pearl sheds, saloons and Chinese eateries and today features sidewalk cafes and some of the world's finest Pearl Showrooms. Visit the Willie Creek Pearl Farm, the only pearl farm in the Kimberley granting access to the public. The Courthouse Markets are held every Saturday. Broome waters boast a variety of different varieties of fish with fishing charters available and charters also available to Rowley Shoals, one of the best diving areas in the world. A tour to the Dampier Peninsula is also well worth the trip.
Major shops are open seven days a week with restricted hours on public holidays and Broome boasts three shopping centres. Pearl retail outlets in Chinatown are a showcase to some of the world's finest pearls. Other attractions include the Broome Bird Observatory; Kimberley Natural Eco Centre; Sun Pictures; Staircase to the Moon and the Japanese Cemetery.
