Hi everyone! Thanks for taking the time to read our travel guide on Broome. We are Lewis and Hannah – a British couple who are currently doing a lap of Australia in our 4WD. We arrived in the country at the start of October 2022, and initially hired a campervan for an east and west coast road trip.
During these experiences, we fell in love with life on the road. Western Australia, in particular, made us aware of how much more of Australia’s beauty becomes accessible with a 4WD. So, we decided to invest in our own set up and begin a full lap to see as much of the country as we could.
Highlights of the Kimberley Region
The Kimberley region is the most northern part of WA which we are fortunate to have explored a lot of. The Gibb River Road is one of Australia’s greatest 4WD adventures. The 660 km stretch of unsealed road takes you through the rugged landscapes of the Kimberley with river crossings, gorges and waterfalls. Some highlights for us included Bell Gorge and Galvan’s Gorge, both gorgeous waterholes to swim in underneath multi-tier waterfalls. Plus, Galvan’s Gorge has a rope swing which is a lot of fun!
We also made the big detour off the main Gibb River Road stretch up to Mitchell Falls. The journey is renowned for its horrendous corrugations but if you are prepared, it’s worth it – the view is jaw-dropping! The waterfall is four tiers and as we were traveling through late in the season, we were lucky enough to be the only ones there which made it feel extra special.
Lastly, Tunnel Creek is another spot on the Gibb River Road not to be missed. It’s a cave in which the only route through is to swim in deep, ice-cold water in the pitch black with freshwater crocodiles. It was one of the most unique experiences we have had, although it was a little scary but so much fun. Our only advice is to make sure you have a head torch!
Once safely back on tarmac after completing the Gibb, the next decent sized town in the Kimberley region is Kununurra. There are so many waterfalls in the surrounding area to explore. The best ones we found were through word of mouth as they are considered hidden gems amongst the locals. This is why we have found it important to speak to fellow travelers and the locals, as you never know where your next destination could be.
Another amazing spot in the Kimberley region is Purnululu National Park, where the heritage listed Bungle Bungle Range is located. This is another place where a 4WD is required as the road is unsealed, corrugated, and has many creek and river crossings. The Bungle Bungle Range boasts extraordinary sandstone domes, rising as high as 300 meters in parts, which were remarkably not widely known to the world until the mid 1980s!
They were mesmerizing to see as you can walk between them to Cathedral Gorge, a natural amphitheater within the Bungle Bungles. Also, within Purnululu National Park, the Mini Palms Trail is a must-do as well as the Echidna Chasm – which when the sun is in just the right position – gives a phenomenal glow between the gorge walls which you can walk through.
A final awesome part of the Kimberley region is Lake Argyle. It’s almost incomprehensible that it’s a man-made lake: 18 times the size of the Sydney Harbour! We hired a small boat with another couple who we met in Broome (and continued to travel with for the next month). We spent the day on the water fishing as we cruised around the lake. We ended our visit with a stay at the Discovery Resorts – Lake Argyle Caravan Park, which has the famous infinity pool over the lake, making for an incredible photo!
Spending 10 Epic Days in Broome
If traveling clockwise around Australia (like us), Broome is the most east of the Kimberley region – so will be the first location you explore. We spent 10 days in and around Broome, and both really liked its vibe. It has a laid back atmosphere and, at the time of our visit, there seemed to be lots of other like-minded travelers. We also stayed at some of our favorite camps out of the whole of Australia so far in the surrounding areas of Broome, which you would not believe are free (something we delve into later on).
Our Favorite Place in Broome
Out of all the places we visited in Broome, we would say James Price Point was our favorite – a coastal headland and one of the incredible free camps in the area. Located an hour north of Broome town, the unsealed road becomes a little softer towards the end – so we did let our tires down slightly. Once there, you are greeted with rugged red cliffs and stunning turquoise water. You can either camp up on the top of the cliff where the view is breathtaking or, like us, drive down onto the beach area.
Famously described as “camping on Mars”, it truly felt like we were on a different planet as we set up camp against an immense backdrop with no phone signal and not another soul in sight. This is what made the place so special! It felt like the epitome of being off-grid and encompasses the freedom of living on the road. This is what we fell in love with, and what led us to buying our 4WD and starting our lap of Australia in the first place!
Awesome Places to Visit in Broome
1. Cable Beach
The main beach in Broome is a 22 km stretch of hard packed sand – meaning you can drive onto the beach, go for a swim and watch camels walk along the water’s edge. Definitely don’t miss the sunset – it’s magic. The sunset was our favorite memory of Broome (more on that later)!
2. James Price Point
As already mentioned as our favorite place in Broome, James Price Point is a coastal headland and one of the epic free camps accessible by 4WD. Located just 52 km north of Broome, the drive here is worth doing to soak up the landscapes of rugged red cliffs and turquoise waters.
3. Barred Creek
Barred Creek is another unreal free 4WD camping spot in Broome, situated on a white sandy beach boasting crystal clear waters. The creek transforms daily with the tide, so be sure to check before parking up as you can still see the remains of a stranded vehicle out there that clearly didn’t!
4. Coconut Wells Lagoon
Don’t be fooled when you first pull into the parking area at Coconut Wells Lagoon, as it can look a little underwhelming. But as the tide comes in you can drift along the whole lagoon. A little planning is required to ensure you don’t miss out. Firstly, the tide needs to be at least nine meters. Aim to arrive an hour before high tide to walk up the beach ready to jump in when the water starts rushing in from the ocean and remember to bring a floatie!
5. Coconut Wells Rock Pools
We were confused when we arrived at Coconut Wells, as we thought the rock pools and lagoon were the same thing, but from the main car parking area if you follow the sand track further to the right you will find rock pools. As the tide recedes, many tiny rock pools are exposed but be sure to check the tide times again because if the tide is too low the pools will be empty.
6. Roebuck Bay
Broome is known for its colorful landscapes and Roebuck Bay is one such example of this. Simpsons Beach is an area of Roebuck Bay not to be missed as it has an incredible viewpoint of the deep orange sand against the turquoise water. Again, the landscape here changes with the tides.
7. Gantheaume Point
When visiting Gantheaume Point, search for hidden rock pools amongst the striking red sandstone cliffs. Note: most of the rock pools here require between an eight to nine meter tide to be filled. You will also find real dinosaur footprints embedded into the rocks which are visible at low tide.
8. Crab Creek
Take a tinny out for the day and go fishing/exploring at Crab Creek on an incoming tide. You can expect to find fish species such as threadfin salmon, queenfish, trevally and barramundi – which we were really hoping for – but unfortunately, we ended up catching stingrays, lots of catfish and even a hammerhead shark (which is not what you want)! We did, however, catch mud crabs which we cooked for dinner that evening on Cable Beach.
9. Matso’s Broome Brewery
Matso’s Brewery is the only brewery in Broome and is the perfect place to enjoy a couple of drinks in the afternoon sun. They offer a range of unique local handcrafted beer flavors. We both thought the mango beer was 10/10!
10. Cygnet Bay
Unfortunately, we didn’t get north enough into the Dampier Peninsula to do this because we had to wait for a car part before the Gibb River Road. However, we heard great things and it gives us a reason to come back!
Where to Free Camp in Broome
There are multiple caravan parks in Broome town but note these get booked out in the peak season. If you are visiting in a 4WD, you 100% need to maximize the free camping options that are available particularly: Barred Creek and James Price Point, which we have already mentioned a lot about. Another place we recommend is Willie Creek!
An additional tip we would recommend for these spots is to utilize the satellite view on Google Maps. On our journey to Barred Creek especially, the satellite view allowed us to see where the openings in the bushland were in order to find the track to the coordinates of our desired destination.
Best Time of Year to Visit Broome
The best time to visit Broome is during the dry season, from May to October. During this time, the humidity is lower and there is little rainfall. We were in Broome in mid-September, towards the end of the dry season, and it was hot because the humidity had already begun to increase. However, on the plus side, some of the usual hotspots were less crowded.
General Tips for Your Broome Trip
The key tip to remember for Broome is the tides! It is so important to check the tide times and heights, and plan your visit accordingly as lots of the top places to see, things to do and camp spots can be dependent on the tides.
Remember to book ahead if you want accommodation in town during the peak season. If you are going to camp at the off-grid spots, it goes without saying to make sure you are stocked up on food and drinking water for the duration of your stay to save having to drive back into town.
Finally, if your trip coincides with a full moon, you might be able to witness the natural phenomenon that only happens in certain parts of the world: Staircase to the Moon. Check the VisitBroome website for estimated dates.
A Final Treasured Memory of Ours
To finish, we would like to leave you with our favorite memory of Broome: seeing the camels at sunset on Cable Beach. It is one of those iconic moments we have seen captured so many times online and on Instagram, but you always never know what to truly expect until you witness something with your own eyes. It was every bit as magical as we imagined!
Every night we were in Broome town we drove onto the beach, cooked our dinner, had a cold beer, sat with the new friends we had made, and watched the camels walk by as the sun set over the ocean and the sky kept changing colors. These are memories that we will always treasure!