Australia is a huge, largely uninhabited country. It stands to reason that some of the most beautiful places on the continent are at some of its most extreme points. Port Douglas and Broome are both located on the far northern reaches of Australia – though on opposite sides. There are plenty of reasons to visit Australia’s remote northern destinations, these are just a few of them.
Broome
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Red cliffs in Broome
Of the two, Broome is both the more remote and less known. A pearling town in the Kimberly region of Western Australia, Broome receives around 30,000 tourists per year. 2,200 kilometers north of Perth, Broome isn’t exactly a top pick on the tourist trail – which is exactly why you should visit.
The Kimberly is one of Australia’s most beautiful regions, and the relative lack of people in the area means that visitors have that beauty mostly to themselves. The landscape of Broome is characterised by deep, rusty red dirt, white sand beaches, green scrub and the clear turquoise blue of the Indian Ocean, lending Broome perfectly to outdoor adventures.
Visitors to Broome have access to some of Australia’s best national parks, which showcase flora and fauna not found anywhere else in the world. Whilst the waters off Broome lack the famous reef that their eastern counterparts enjoy, there are still spectacular reefs to be seen around the town. Snorkelers are treated to colourful underwater displays of fish and coral, and for the very lucky, dugongs.
Port Douglas
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Four Mile Beach at Port Douglas
Port Douglas is often overshadowed by its bigger neighbour, Cairns, which sits 70 kilometers to the south. Cairns is a big city, so Port Douglas isn’t strictly that remote. The landscapes of the area are, however, reserved for the tropical far north, and Port Douglas is a world of its own.
The main difference between Broome and Port Douglas is climate. Where Broome is semi-arid, Port Douglas has a climate classified as tropical monsoon. What this means is that Port Douglas has a world heritage rainforest right on its doorstep. The Daintree Rainforest is Australia’s most famous, and one of the prime attractions in the area – the other is the Great Barrier Reef.
The Great Barrier Reef is, undoubtedly, Australia’s biggest tourist attraction. Visitors to Port Douglas find themselves perfectly situated to spend their days snorkelling the reef. Tongue Reef and Batt Reef sit directly offshore, and day trips from nearby Cairns take visitors to pontoons on the outer reefs to spend the day marvelling at this underwater world.
There are many differences between Broome and Port Douglas. One is dry and arid, the other, lush and tropical. West Coast, East Coast. Gorgeous waters and reefs to yourself versus a world famous reef shared with every man and his best friend. Despite their differences, both Broome and Port Douglas are unmissable Australian attractions.
East vs. West — Australia’s Remote Northern Destinations from Australia Things to Do
