Camels walking on Cable Beach, Broome, Western Australia during sunset

bmphotographer/Shutterstock

Cable Beach

Top choice in Broome


WA's most famous landmark offers turquoise waters and beautiful white sand curving away to the sunset. Clothing is optional north of the rocks, while south, walking trails lead through the red dunes of Minyirr Park, a spiritual place for the Yawuru people. Cable Beach is synonymous with camels and an evening ride along the sand is a highlight for many visitors. Locals in their 4WDs swarm north of the rocks for sunset drinks. Stingers are common in the Wet.

Cable Beach takes its name from the undersea telegraph cable from Java that came ashore there in 1899. It was used for international communications until 1914. Little evidence remains of it today, except for Broome Courthouse, which is the old Cable Station.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Broome attractions

1. Japanese Cemetery

2.07 MILES

A number of cemeteries testify to Broome's multicultural past. The most striking is the Japanese Cemetery with 919 graves (mostly pearl divers).

2. Muslim Cemetery

2.08 MILES

This small Muslim cemetery honours Malay pearl-divers and Afghan cameleers.

3. Chinese Cemetery

2.09 MILES

Located next to the Japanese Cemetery is a Chinese burial ground with more than 90 graves and monuments.

4. Nagula Jarndu Women's Resource Centre

2.69 MILES

Beautiful screen- and block-printed textiles and other crafts are on show (and sale!) at this studio/gallery run by Yawuru women. Enter via Pembroke Rd.

5. Short Street Gallery

2.7 MILES

Dating from the early 1900s and known originally as Hanoe's Cottage, this typical Broome-style corrugated-iron building with louvred verandahs now houses…

6. Old Convent Heritage Centre

2.75 MILES

An amazing archival collection of photographs spanning over 100 years of interaction between the Sisters of St John of God with the people of the…

7. Sun Pictures

2.77 MILES

Sink back in a canvas deck chair under the stars in the world's oldest operating picture gardens, dating from 1916. The history of the Sun building is the…

8. Hard Hat Diver

2.81 MILES

Life-size bronze sculptures of a hard-hat diver and three Japanese divers commemorate Broome's pearling past in the small park in the middle of Carnarvon…

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