Top 10 Fascinating Facts about Broome & the Kimberley Region

View of the Broome Shire Administration Centre, Cnr Weld, and Hass Streets, Broome, Western Australia By Bahnfrend – Wikimedia Commons

Top 10 Fascinating Facts About Broome and the Kimberley Region

The Kimberley region is one of the last remaining healthy refuges of significant size in the world for many threatened and endangered marine species, including dugong, six of the world’s seven species of marine turtles, and numerous species of dolphins, sharks, and fish, including the freshwater sawfish.

Broome, on the other hand, is the Kimberley region’s largest town and the capital of Western Australia. It has an exotic pearling town past that has left a rich history and a distinctive melting pot of a wonderful multi-cultural mix of people. From pristine waters, abundant wildlife, tropical climate, wide empty beaches, and breathtaking colors that attract thousands of visitors each year.

1. Ancient Rock Art

some Indigenous Australian rock art in the wandjina style By Claire Taylor  – Wikimedia Commons

The rock art found in Australia is some of the oldest and is painted on rock walls in the Kimberley Region. While the Colosseum in Rome was built less than 2000 years ago, rock art in the  Kimberley has been dated at least 16,000 years old meaning they were painted during the last Ice Age.

2. Pearling Industry

Pearl luggers at Roebuck Bay, Broome, Western Australia By http://nla.gov.au/nla.pic-an24294123 – Wikipedia

The town has a deep history based on the exploits of the men and women who developed the pearling industry, from the harvesting of oysters for mother of pearl in the 1880s to the current major cultured pearl farming enterprises.

Asians and islanders were given the dangerous job of diving; the Japanese were valued for their experience. The riches from the pearl beds did not come cheaply, however, and the town’s Japanese cemetery is the resting place of 919 Japanese divers who lost their lives working in the industry.

Many more were lost at sea, and the exact number of deaths is unknown. The Japanese were only one of the major ethnic groups who flocked to Broome to work on the luggers or the shore-based activities supporting the harvesting of oysters from the waters around Broome. In addition, pearl meat is a delicacy that costs approximately $150 per kg in Broome.

3. Kimberley a.k.a the Wonderland

The Kimberley may be sparsely populated, but it’s crowded with breathtaking wilderness experiences. Purnululu National Park, home of the Bungle Bungle Range, is UNESCO World Heritage-listed for its geological significance.

One of the most photographed natural icons in the region is Mitchell Falls – these towering, four-tiered waterfalls are among the most spectacular in Australia, and, no doubt, the world.

Nature buffs will also be fascinated to experience the Horizontal Falls of Talbot Bay, caused by Kimberley’s enormous 11m tides, the largest tidal range in Australia and among the biggest in the world.

4. Roebuck Bay and Staircase To The Moon

Being situated on a north/south peninsula, Broome has water on both sides of the town. On the eastern shore lie the waters of Roebuck Bay extending from the main jetty at Port Drive to Sandy Point, west of Thangoo station.

Town Beach is part of the shoreline and is popular with visitors on the eastern end of the town. It is also the site of the famous ‘Staircase to the Moon’, where a receding tide and a rising moon combine to create a stunning natural phenomenon. On ‘Staircase to the Moon’ nights, a food and craft market is operated on Town Beach.

5. Wide Open Spaces

There are few places on Earth where you can experience the same expansiveness and sense of remote isolation as the Kimberley. At an area of about 422,000 sq. km, it is roughly three times the size of England. 

With a population of only 35,000, to put that into perspective, that’s just over one-third of the capacity of London’s Wembley Stadium, which has a capacity of 90,000 seats. That’s a lot of room to move. The Naturalist Island is also a picturesque scenery off the Kimberley Coast.

6. Dinosaur Tracks

Dinosaur footprint By Greg Willis from Denver, CO, USA – Wikimedia Commons

Speaking of ancient history, while amazing rock art provides a glimpse of humanity’s past, there is nowhere else on Earth where you can see such clear dinosaur tracks as in Australia’s Kimberley region. Three distinct kinds of dinosaur footprints have been discovered in the 130 billion-year-old rocks on Broome’s beaches and the Dampier Peninsula.

7. Cable Beach

Cable Beach stretches for 13.7 miles and is famous for its brilliant white sand and turquoise water. 4WD vehicles rumble around the beach as sunbathers look for the right sand patch. Sunset camel rides along Cable Beach’s sweeping shoreline, sunbathing on Broome’s beaches, and whale-watching are all popular activities. You may also refuel at the restaurant and café after a day on the beach.

8. Various Animal Species

Conopophila rufogularis: Broome Bird Observatory, Kimberley, Western Australia By sunphlo from South Australia – Wikimedia Commons

There are over 300 species of birds in the Kimberley region. The present is the delightfully colorful Gouldian finch, and don’t miss a chance to witness the thousands of seabirds and shorebirds that breed on Adele Island off the Kimberley coast, popularly known as ‘the Galapagos of the Kimberley’.

Also, nothing quite compares to witnessing the elaborate courtship dance of brolgas at sunset, although hearing and seeing an enormous flock of magpie geese passing overhead at sunrise is equally awe-inspiring. Moreover, a third of Australia’s total species are found here.

9. Beautiful Broome Panorama

Blue waters, colorful sands of the Broome coast, located in Western Australia By Lizzy5 – Wikimedia Commons

Minyirr Park is a coastal reserve operated by the Shire of Broome and the Yawuru people, located just east of Cable Beach across the dunes. The Horizontal Falls seaplane ride from Broome provides you with numerous viewpoints of this stunningly gorgeous location. It provides a thrilling flight through the red cliffs and rocky islands of Western Australia to Cape Leveque.

10. Off-road Adventure

As earlier mentioned, the Kimberley is three times the size of England; Moreover, the region only has one sealed road. That means 4WD vehicles come into their own here.

The Gibb River Road slicing through the Kimberley wilderness, for example, is one of Australia’s most iconic 4WD tracks, passing through sprawling cattle stations and ancient gorge country where you can find stunning waterholes to take a plunge, cool off, and wash away the red dust.

Broome is a gateway to the natural marvels of the Kimberley region in Western Australia. It has an intriguing history from the gathering of oysters in the 1880s to the present pearl farming companies. Broome was previously known as the world’s pearling center, attracting numerous Japanese, Malay, and Chinese divers seeking their fortune. And ever since the Broome and Kimberley region has remained to be among the most exhilarating and fascinating places in the world.