Strangest thing I saw on a Broome beach
THIS tropical Aussie destination is famous for its camel rides on the coast. But this ride left Leah McLennan surprised.
TROPICAL holiday destinations are easy to become infatuated with and a week or weekend’s stay is never enough.
So when the opportunity came up to move to Broome in Western Australia, before I knew it, I’d packed up my house, sadly farewelled family and friends, resigned from my job and headed off to give life in an Aussie holiday hotspot a chance.
The reasons to go were many, such as the option to visit Cable Beach everyday, a chance to explore the Kimberley region, and the opportunity to live in a place with more sun than you could poke an umbrella at.
If you haven’t been to Broome before, here are some reasons why it might appeal to you — and why you might find it hard to leave.
JAM-PACKED ITINERARY
“There’s way more to do in Broome than I expected there would be,” says my friend as I drive her to the airport at the end of her two-week holiday.
Indeed, it has been a busy 14 days.
She has ticked off a camel ride, a visit to the Malcolm Douglas crocodile park, a drink at Matso’s Broome Brewery overlooking Roebuck Bay, sunset at Cable Beach, a movie under the stars at Sunset Pictures, the scramble down the red rocks to see the dinosaur footprints of Gantheaume Point, and dinner at one of the best restaurants in town — Aarli Bar near Chinatown.
We also went camping for two nights — once at Cygnet Bay Pearl Farm and the other at the indigenous-owned Kooljaman wilderness camp at Cape Leveque, which are both 200-odd-kilmotres north of Broome on the Dampier Peninsula.
My friend said another highlight of her trip was our visit to Ramada Eco Beach Resort, located 100km south of Broome.
This hideaway of villas and tents is one of the Kimberley’s most attractive resorts.
Think beach views, whale watching cruises, fishing off the beach, daily yoga sessions and dining at Jacks Bar and Restaurant, which is run by international award winning chef Karl McPhail.
The only thing that my friend didn’t manage to tick off her Broome itinerary was a visit to Broome’s impressive Bird Observatory, situated 25km east of Broome on the shores of Roebuck Bay.
LAYERS OF HISTORY TO DISCOVER
Broome is possibly Australia’s most historically multicultural town thanks to its indigenous heritage and extraordinary past as a pearling town.
Many of the townspeople today are descendants of those who came from Japan, Malaysia and the Philippines to work as divers in search of the pinctada maxima, the only oyster species that produces South Sea pearls.
No one encapsulates Broome’s multicultural history in living form more than Bart Pigram, a descendant of the Yawuru people and part of the large and musically gifted Pigram-Puertollano family.
With a desire to share his Aboriginal and multicultural perspective, Bart started his brilliant Narlijia (meaning “true for you”) tours in 2015.
We are in Chinatown (Broome’s main shopping district) on a “town tour” and Bart is using historic maps to take us on a journey back through time to Broome’s early days as a frontier pearling town.
“This is Johnny Chi Lane,” he says as we walk down a pedestrian lane that has a variety of shops built out of corrugated tin with red trim.
“In the early 1900s this shop was a brothel, next door was a billiards saloon, then another brothel, a barber shop, an opium den and another brothel,” he says.
Now we walk around the corner and step inside the historic Sun Pictures cinema, the world’s oldest open-air cinema in operation.
Bart explains how the cinema went through a period of racially segregated seating.
“Cane chairs with cushions in the middle of the theatre were for the Europeans,” he says.
“Deck chairs behind them were for the Japanese and Chinese people.
“Aboriginals entered through this separate door and had to stand at the back.
“Thank goodness times have changed,” he says and the four of us on the tour all heartily agree.
We finish our two-hour jaunt at Streeter’s Jetty, the original jetty for the pearling luggers based in Broome, and Bart points out how the surrounding mangroves are alive with mudskippers, mud crabs and a variety of birds.
A BRILLIANT BEACH
To me, Broome means colour — red cliffs, teal blue water and sunsets that turn the clouds the hue of a giant, squashed blood orange.
It’s absurdly photogenic.
Cable Beach is 7km from Chinatown and boasts some of Australia’s whitest sand and the water is gin-and-tonic clear.
(But before you throw your swimmers in the suitcase, remember potentially deadly Irukandji jellyfish are present in the Kimberley in the traditional wet season — from about November to April).
Broome’s famous 22 kilometre-long beach attracts plenty of visitors but thankfully it’s not that hard to find a patch all to yourself.
Also if you’re not in to tan lines you can head to a section of the beach that is known as “north of the rocks” to swim, sunbake and fish in all your naked glory.
But mind the camels — the “clothing optional” section of the beach is also the same 100 metres where you can go on a camel ride.
It was quite a novelty being atop Malachi from Broome Camel Safaris as he ambled past a couple who had stripped off for a sunset fish.
Everything did look very small indeed from atop a two metre high mammal.
STAYING THERE
Luxury eco resort Ramada Eco Beach Resort, one hour south of Broome, has two chic beach houses, villas and safari tents and amenities include a restaurant that uses produce from a kitchen garden, a gorgeous pool and a yoga room.
Australia’s longest working pearl farm Cygnet Bay Pearl Farm is located three hours drive north of Broome on the Dampier Peninsula. Accommodation includes ensuite safari tents, several shacks, a house and caravan and camping sites. It has a lovely restaurant and pool and offers a range of tours.
Unique indigenous-owned wilderness camp Kooljaman, close by Cygnet Bay Pearl Farm on the Dampier Peninsula offers campsites, beach shelters, ensuite safari tents, cabins and units. Its restaurant offers stunning views over red pindan cliffs to dramatic sunsets.
TOURING THERE
Bart Pigram runs Narlijia Cultural Tours, which offers several tours, including a fascinating two-hour town tour.
Willie Creek Pearl Farm, located 38km north of Broome, offers pearl farm tours that include a boat trip and a mouth-watering morning tea.
Broome Camel Safaris offers morning, afternoon and sunset camel rides on Cable Beach.
Scenic Helicopters operates various helicopter flights, including helifishing and crabbing adventures, flights to Ramada Eco Beach Resort for lunch and many more.
The writer travelled with some assistance from Australia’s North West Tourism.
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