Broome and Kimberley guide - top things to do and see

What to do in Broome, the Kimberley and Australia's North West

Broome

Broome, gateway to the Kimberley, has a range of appealing attractions that kickstart your northern Western Australia getaway. Broome is accessible on a 4.5-hour nonstop flight from Melbourne twice weekly; with stopovers, you can reach Broome daily.

One of Broome’s highlights is Cable Beach, Western Australia’s most famous landmark and often classed as one of the world’s best beaches. Its squeaky white sand, sparkling turquoise waters, epic sunsets, and red-duned trails through Minyirr Park impress. A popular Cable Beach activity is taking a sunset camel ride. You’ll also want to head to the southern end of Cable Beach, to Gantheaume Point, to see the 130-million-year-old dinosaur footprint fossils, visible at low tide. 

While you may never have heard of the snubfin dolphin, you won’t want to pass up the chance to see them on a dolphin-watching cruise. These rare round-nosed dolphins are the only resident snubfins in the world, calling Roebuck Bay home. Bottlenose dolphins may also make an appearance. 

Horizontal Falls

According to David Attenborough, the Horizontal Falls are "Australia’s most unusual natural wonder". In a country like ours, this is a significant statement. Located 255 kilometres from Broome, the Horizontal Falls have the unusual phenomenon of fast-moving tides gushing through narrow gorges in the Buccaneer Archipelago. The speed of the water, matched with the narrowness of the gorge gap, makes the water reach more than 10 metres, with the tide also changing direction daily. 

Take a speedboat road through Garaanngaddim (the Horizontal Falls), where you can feel, as much as see, the effect of this phenomenon as you ride the tide. A scenic flight over the falls is equally as wondrous.

The Bungle Bungle Range

To stand in awe of the incredible tiger-striped beehive-shaped rock formations in the 360-million-year-old Bungle Bungle Range is truly astounding. The Bungle Bungles are in the UNESCO World Heritage Listed Purnululu National Park, around 900 kilometres inland from Broome. While only brought into the public eye in the 1980s, this area has been inhabited by the Gija and Kara people for over 20,000 years.

The Bungle Bungle Range is in the southern end of the Purnululu and is enjoyable to explore on foot, navigating the narrow chasms, striking gorges, and orange-and-black striped domes up close. Not only are the Bungle Bungles a natural phenomenon, but they are also culturally and spiritually significant to the traditional owners. While you can self-drive through the Bungle Bungles and Purnululu, a guided tour led by an indigenous guide will deeply enrich your experience. You can also access tours from Kununurra or Broome.

Other landmarks to include in your Purnululu explorations include the natural acoustics of Cathedral Gorge, a hike through the dramatic Echidna Chasm with its Livistonia palms, and Kungakaylani Lookout at sunset. If you’re a keen hiker, the creek bed walk along Picaninny Gorge will appeal.

To maximise your time, experience, and the best of the park’s night sky, choose one of the accommodation offerings close to the Bungle Bungles.

Gibb River Road

For an iconic Australian Outback road trip, take the 660-kilometre Gibb River Road from Derby to Kununurra. Only accessible by 4WD, this is truly off the grid, taking you through untouched wilderness. This includes touring stunning gorges, refreshing waterholes, cascading waterfalls, and native flora and fauna. Originally constructed to transport cattle (you can still see vast cattle stations en route), the Gibb River Road has since been deemed a bucket-list worthy journey through the heart of Kimberley. 

Typically, travellers allow 7-14 days to traverse the Gibb River Road. Highlights include Dalymanyi (Bell Gorge), a peaceful horseshoe-shaped gorge with cascading waterfall. Take the 2–3 hour hike to the swimming hole at the base of the falls for a rewarding and refreshing swim. Manning Gorge is another firm favourite, thanks to its scenic pool, high cliffs, gushing falls and indigenous rock art. 

While you pass through five impressive national parks along the Gibb River Road, the four-tiered Mitchell River National Park is a standout - not only as an iconic Kimberley landmark but as one of Australia’s most breathtaking waterfalls. Explore Punamii-Uunpuu (Mitchell Falls) on foot or by air on a scenic flight. 

Across the Kimberley, the Aboriginal rock art is some of Australia’s oldest, dating back 50,000-60,000 years, and the Mitchell Plateau has some of its finest. In particular, the Munurru art site is spectacular and experienced on tour with the Unuguu Rangers.