What is Broome known for?
Broome is a tropical town in the Kimberley region of Western Australia, known for pearling, Cable Beach, camel rides at sunset, the Staircase to the Moon and its multicultural history.
Broome grew in the late 1800s as a pearling port. Divers from Japan, China, Malaysia, the Philippines and Indonesia worked alongside Aboriginal people, collecting pearl shell from the sea floor. Many lost their lives to the bends, cyclones and accidents.
The Japanese Cemetery holds the graves of hundreds of divers and is one of the largest Japanese cemeteries in Australia. Today Broome remains famous for South Sea pearls, some of the largest and most valuable in the world.
Culture and history
Chinatown, the old commercial centre, has pearl showrooms, shops and cafes. Sun Pictures, opened in 1916, is often described as the world's oldest operating outdoor picture garden. During the Second World War, Japanese aircraft attacked Broome in March 1942.
At Gantheaume Point, red cliffs meet the turquoise sea, and dinosaur footprints can be seen at very low tide. The Yawuru people are the Traditional Owners of the Broome area.
The best time to visit is the dry season, from about May to October, when skies are clear and temperatures are pleasant.
Did You Know?
Broome's tides can rise and fall more than ten metres, among the largest on Australia's coast.