Episode: 1
Broadcast: 23rd October 2015
Presenter: Eamon Sullivan & Caty Price
Known as the Gateway to the Kimberley, Broome is one of WA’s most loved holiday destinations and it is just a short 2.5 hour flight from Perth to experience all of the stunning natural beauty and culture Broome has to offer.
- The sun-kissed white sand of Broome’s iconic Cable Beach stretches for an impressive 22 kilometers and it’s no wonder it’s consistently voted one of the world’s best beaches. Whether you enjoy lazing in the sunshine, fishing or a sunset camel ride, Cable Beach is a must see!
- The “Staircase to the Moon” is a breathtaking phenomenon that occurs when the rising of the full moon is reflected off the exposed mudflats at extremely low tide. It only occurs in Broome, on the full moon, from March to October and make sure you arrive early to grab a seat as hundreds of locals and tourists will flock to Town Beach and Roebuck Bay to experience this spectacular event.
- Check out the Staircase Markets before and after the full moon. This pop-up market runs in tandem with “Staircase to the Moon” and showcases Broome’s arts and crafts, music and food from around the globe.
- It’s easy to see why Broome is a magnet for WA holidaymakers eager to escape chilly winter weekends but at certain times of the year, it really comes alive. If you’re here in late August, the Shinju Matsuri festival (Festival of the Pearl) is a 10 day festival and the only festival in Australia with a Japanese name and a Chinese Dragon as a mascot. It started in 1970 around the lay up time for the pearling industry and developed by the beautiful cultures in Broome.
- One of the newest events on the calendar is the Floating Lantern Matsuri where everyone is invited to create beautiful lanterns and come together at sunset to float them in the ocean, letting them drift out with the tide. This is a Japanese ritual. The lanterns are meant to carry prayers, wishes for peace and messages of hope to honour the memory of loved ones as well as the many pearl divers who lost their lives off this coast over the last century.
Australia’s North West Tourism: Contact – 08 9193 6660
Website - http://www.australiasnorthwest.com