Cable Beach in Broome, where long white sand meets telegraph history

Cable Beach on the Indian Ocean side of Broome in Australia links a nineteenth-century telegraph landing point with a sweeping shore of white sand and red bluffs.

Cable Beach on the Indian Ocean side of Broome in Australia stretches as a long band of pale sand backed by red bluffs and low dunes. Its name reaches back to the late nineteenth century, when an undersea telegraph cable between Java and the northwest coast of Australia made landfall here in 1889.

A long Kimberley shoreline shaped by sea and sand

Cable Beach runs along the western edge of Broome in the Kimberley region of Western Australia, with the suburb of Cable Beach and the town lying behind low coastal dunes. The shore faces the open Indian Ocean, and the beach itself extends for more than 20 km (about 12.5 mi) as a broad strip of white sand that meets shallow turquoise water at the tide line.22 km stretch of white sand Behind the sand, a line of foredunes and more active dunes rises onto red sandstone bluffs, creating a clear colour contrast between pale beach, deep blue water and rust-coloured rock.low foredune and red bluffs

At higher tides the strip of sand narrows, while low tide exposes a wide surface for walking, swimming and other beach activities. The seabed off Cable Beach is shallow for a considerable distance, and waves are relatively modest in height under ordinary conditions, although they rise when westerly winds blow in summer.waves averaging about 1 m Access tracks run through the dunes to the seafront, with a main car ramp at the northern end of the developed section giving vehicles access to the compacted sand when conditions permit.main access at the northern end

From telegraph landfall to resort shore

The name Cable Beach dates from the period when undersea telegraph connections were being laid between Southeast Asia and Australia. In February 1889 the Eastern Extension, Australasia and China Telegraph Company landed a submarine cable from Java on this stretch of coast, establishing a beach station that linked by an overland section to Cable House in Broome, where the line met the telegraph route from Perth.cable landed in February 1889 This connection formed part of an international communications chain linking Western Australia with Asia and, through onward networks, Europe.landing point in a global communications network

The telegraph cable to Broome carried diminishing traffic after a new route between Durban and Adelaide came into service in 1901, and the undersea cable was removed in 1914.cable removed in March 1914 Broome remained connected to the wider world through the overland telegraph line, and Broome Courthouse occupies the former Cable Station, preserving a physical link to this period of communications history. As the technology changed, the shoreline that once served as a specialised landing site became a general recreational beach, with resort development and beach facilities built on the bluffs and landward side of the dunes.

What visitors find along Cable Beach today

The developed section of Cable Beach near the northern access ramp carries a grassy park on the bluffs, a surf life saving club and resort complexes and cafés lining the inland side of the coastal road.surf club and resort facilities From here, paths and stairs lead down through the dunes to the sand, where space opens out for swimming, walking and other beach activities along a broad foreshore.

Cable Beach is closely associated with camel rides along the tideline, particularly in the later part of the day when the sun nears the horizon and the Indian Ocean reflects bands of colour.cable beach is synonymous with camels The combination of white sand, turquoise water and the deep red of Gantheaume Point to the south gives this stretch of coast a distinctive palette that is visible on photographs and videos shared widely among travellers.creamy white sands and fiery red cliffs

Visiting Cable Beach: what travellers from Western Europe should know

• Cable Beach lies west of central Broome on the Indian Ocean, reached by road from the town; local buses and taxis serve the suburb and beach area.
• The shore is a broad sand beach backed by dunes and bluffs; access paths and a ramp descend from the bluff-top park and road to the foreshore.
• The surrounding region is low-lying coastal terrain at sea level, and walking along the sand can cover appreciable distances, particularly at low tide when the beach widens.
• The official language is English and the currency is the Australian dollar.
• Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.

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Frequently asked questions about Cable Beach

Where is Cable Beach in relation to Broome?

Cable Beach lies on the western side of Broome in the Kimberley region of Western Australia, with the suburb and shoreline reached by a bitumen road from town.situated 7 km from town along a bitumen road

What can visitors expect when they arrive at Cable Beach?

Visitors find a long sand beach facing the Indian Ocean, with dunes and red bluffs behind, access paths and a ramp, and facilities including a surf club, park and resort complexes near the main entry.grassy park then the surf club and main resort

What makes Cable Beach distinctive among Australian beaches?

Cable Beach combines a telegraph history tied to the 1889 Java–Broome cable with a notably long expanse of white sand, red coastal cliffs and camel rides along the shoreline, set on the Indian Ocean at the edge of the Kimberley.telegraph cable laid in 1889 between Broome and Java