Caravan Parks - Broome

Stayed Roebuck Bay CP few years back. Seem to remember some grass, but not very green, and certainly not much shade as there had been a big cyclone the previous summer. However, this cp did have a good view across the bay. Stayed palm Grove CP at Cable Beach in 2007. Small gravel sites, was some shade where we were. Cost 36.50 for ordinary powered site for 2. Was early Sept. No views, but within walking distance to Cable Beach. At that time of year, you will need to book well ahead to get in anywhere in Broome, and you may have to book for a whole week at a time. Broome does not really start to empty out until after the Shinju Matsu Festival in early Sept.

Caravan Park in Broome would rate as a third world experience for many who travel in the outback...we were there 3 years ago about same time and there was not a square metre of space free in the park, actually the van windows, when open touched 'next door'...
It was the absolute pits of an experience , and the chances we will ever go back there are NIL..
There are no facilities to cope with the amount of backpackers and day trippers , never mind those of us who want to stop there for a spell, replenish stocks, fill the tanks, and check out the town ...

Best advice: Dont even visit the joint ..its the pits and all the operators want is your money...and lots of it, and nothing in return ..Attitude: Pay Up or bleep Off !!! Np public toilets either ..so bleep off down the road !!

As for shade and grass...well no shade and the locals can probably fix you with a bit of the other stuff..but there is none on the ground...

We had some vehicle dramas when in Broome recently and needed caravan park accommodation desperately. Broome was fully booked out, but we were looked after very well by the Tarangau park who managed to fit us in . It's back from Cable Beach a bit, clean, new amenities and some green grass. Check them out at
Site Link

John

Yep - all of the above - you may have difficulty obtaining a booking in advance, but rest assured if there are several sq metres available they will fit you in. I may be wrong, but I think one of the parks near Cable Beach closed in the past 2 years to be developed as land. Last year one of my mates stayed at the Cvan Park at Roebuck Plains -35 kms into town as there was nothing in town. I also understand that they use one of the ovals for overflow from the parks.

Stayed at the Palm Grove Holiday Resort at Cable Beach 3 weeks ago very nice place but you will need to book early as the grey nomad start to leave about mid September.
Nice place and nice people and only 500m to drive if you want to drive along Cable Beach.
Web site is www.palmgrove.com.au
Contact number is 08 9192 3336

Would agree with the above posts, Palm grove was supposed to be closing for caravans and becoming all cabins at the end of this season, for the F.I.F.O. brigade.
Cable beach caravan park has a nickname by the locals, that says it all "Kosovo".
Tarangu is quite small and I have had no experience there, not stayed at Vacation village either, as it just does not look that appealing.
Broome has become too commercialized in recent years and is not known for its caravan friendliness,especially if travelling with a dog, we found Broome caravan park (5 klms out of town) to be about the most bearable! for a week maybe.
Some still love it but many are now giving Broome a miss ! it does not take long for the "caravan grapevine" to work.
A much better bet would be Port Smith, Barn Hill or 80 Mile beach.

All of the replys probably reflect the situation in Broome at that time of year, as itis very difficult to get accomodation without advance booking, but you will find that you get the best response from the Broome C.P which is only 10 mins drive to the beach and has many shaded sites.Get there between 7 and 10am and there is every chance they will fit you in.

I was up there around June/July this year...loved Broome and will be there again next year for sure !!

Most places won't take bookings, but when I asked if I can extend my stay at Roebuck Bay, they told me the site was booked...What the ???

Anyway, I got there around 9am in the morning and got a place for 10 days...when I had to move, I rang Broome C/P (7km out of town) and they booked me in for 7 days...too many sites for the amount of dunnies etc...I hate having to line up for a crap !!!
But I think they may improve it...just be aware.

Vacation Village was another good spot...apparently, so check that out...as once you're in you can stay up to 11 weeks !

If all else fails there is a PCYC overflow park in the next block over from Roebuck Bay C/P which a lot of people seem to like...and walking distance to town and a few pubs

Good luck...might see you there.

Yes I don't think much of Broome either. I was there last year. I only stayed long enough to pick up supplies and then went bush. I found that the whole town was a bit of a rip off. Why not try Derby?

Hi Kevin R, we were in Broome Aug/Sept 2007, we were in out tent at the time, we went to Roebuck Bay CP and they put us on a van site, 2 tents/couples on the one site, tight but not uncomfortable, we had a nice shady spot with plenty of grass. Will try to put photo in. As for Broome itself, as others have said, it's not a place I would rave about but then there is worse. We were happy with Roebuck Bay CP.

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Hello Kevin,

Broome is a tourist town but don't let that put you off. For all the negative comments made by some there are equal amounts of positive. Go and see for yourself.

Broome has a rich history and you can still find traces of it around the town. Visit the museums, the art galleries , go to the movies at the Sun Picture Theatre, walk around the strangely shaped, brilliantly coloured rocks at Ganthaume Point, relax on Cable Beach and spend a morning at the market. Those things and a lot more will give you plenty to do. If you're there during the racing round you could have a day at the races and mix with the locals.

We've stayed at both Tarangau - small, basic but clean and friendly and Broome Vacation Village. We had an ensuite site at Vacation Village which we booked about three months in advance and were lucky to get. We thought it was excellent. We like the ensuite sites for when we stay a few days as it means no waiting for the showers.

Broome is busy, crowded and touristy but it's also beautiful. We've been there four times between 1993 - 2006 and seen a lot of changes but would still go back again.

Best wishes,

Viv

Was in Broome middle of August this year on an 11 week trip round WA - we liked it and had a good time there. We are more into the 'natural attractions' of such places and rarely pay for the 'buzz' 'experiences' on offer at the tourist centre (flights, tours etc.) - we tend to walk and take in the atmosphere and the scenery etc, plus see what the locals are doing. Towing our camper, we arrived in Broome at about 11am from Port Smith - straight to the nearest CP - Tarangau - straight into a lovely space under a spreading mango tree - heaven ...... in my view, if you arrive early at the closest CP you enhance your chances - worked for us - may not always. Though our space was tops, Tarangau was 'ok' overall - can't count on shade but - most campers had to make their own...Broome is like a desert at that time of the year - powdery dust underfoot everywhere - with mid 30's every day and a scorching sun, you have to have shade of some sort. The Tarangau grounds were tidy and the amenities we used were new and spotless. We did several of the short walks from this park to Cable Beach.The next CP we saw was the Cable Beach CP (adjacent Tarangau) - walked around inside - very shaded like a forest, but as mentioned above, they were packed in sardine-like - and we saw vans lined up outside about 9am waiting for vacancies. The third CP we saw was the one way over on the town's foreshore (Roebuck Bay CP I think) - we walked that one too - hoards of permamanets and long stayers there - spoke to a couple of 'locals' - they were there for 4 months - can get very (very) blowy on occasions but they still liked it - not a heap of shade overall and they didn't seem to be packed like sardines either. The only other spot we happened to see was a so-called 'overflow' CP' - down near the town's cargo jetty - looked like a complete dust bowl. There are other CP's I think - we didn't see them. We walked the old town twice (great), the town beach and Reddell beach / Pt Ganthaume area (excellent at middle and low tides) - cable beach itself was 'ok' :-o). ... Broome worked out well for us. BTW - if you happen to arrive out of hours at a CP and see a "NO Vacancies" sign out the front, it is probably not true - they just do that to keep us pests away while the office is closed !

We've stayed at Cable Beach CP most times (about 7) and it's been good with pleasant staff.
This year they were packed out in June and the site we had was used as a drive through on their hire scooters by the many friends of "Emma" who had a van at the back of our site.
If I was younger I'd have wanted to be one of her friends as well!!
And the plumbers next door drank heavily and boasted at the top of their voices for half of every night!
Not a good spot but that was the only time we've had any complaint about that park. Rumour has it that it has been sold to Cable Beach Resort for mega millions.
Roebuck Bay was run by a woman with a face that would sour lemons, but if you manage to get a good site it's good as the sites at the front are grassy but do cop a fair bit of wind at times.
We enjoy Broome and will still go back in the future and don't find it's any more a rip off than other tourist places. But book early as others have said.
Alan.

Kevin,

I have just got off the phone from booking all my stops, including

Broome caravan park 4 nights

Middle Lagoon 3 nights

Cape Leveque 3 nights

all with grassed, shady sites

Roebuck c.p took my contact details and they said they would be in touch at around February time if i was lucky enough to get a site.

Palm Grove and Cable Beach c.p were booked out, and they only take 1 week at a time.

The lady at Cable beach c.p recommended Broome c.p to me.

cheers,

Lance

To every one who replied, thank you. We are both overwhelmed at the quick and huge reponse. It has obviously stirred up some interesting comments.

The last time I was in Broome was with the RAN staying at the Bocal Oil Camp in 1975 while conducting flying surveillance over our waters. It was a sleepy backwater then. I expect a huge change when we get back. Nothing at or on Cable Beach or on the road to the beach. Hope we aren't disappointed.

Cheers
Kevin