Walmanyjun Cable Beach foreshore redevelopment works in full swing

Published on 05 April 2024

After an extensive seven-year design and consultation process, Stage 1 of the Walmanyjun Cable Beach Foreshore Redevelopment project is becoming a reality.

With drainage works now complete, work has begun on transforming the area behind the Broome Surf Life Saving Club into a beautiful and more accessible gateway fitting of the world-renowned Cable Beach.

Where there was a drainage channel will now be a youth activity area featuring basketball court and skate park.

The adjacent area will feature permanent shade and seating, exercise equipment, barbecues, and a grass picnic area.

The pedestrian steps and vehicle access ramp in front of the surf club are also being transformed to allow for safer and more accessible entry to the beach.

The car park behind the Surf Club will be resealed and made more pedestrian-friendly, with wider footpaths and brighter LED lighting.

The foreshore works will have little impact on the beach below but the dunes in this area will undergo coastal protection works, including dune profiling to better sustain storm surges and erosion.

During this work, pedestrian access between the Surf Club and the new Cable Beach House restaurant (formerly Zanders) will be maintained.

Measures in place during the works will include:

• Beach access stairs next to the Surf Club and near the restaurant will be closed while new ones are built.
• Pedestrians can access the set of stairs ninety metres north of the restaurant.
• The car park adjacent to the restaurant will be open, and car spaces opposite the Cable Beach Club and some behind the Surf Club will be available. 
• The Surf Club is now accessible from the adjacent car park and via the foreshore path from the restaurant. At certain times one of these routes will be closed to facilitate construction work.
• 4WD vehicle access to the beach will be maintained from the existing ramp, subject to standard opening arrangements.
• The playground next to the restaurant has been relocated to a temporary location near the northern access stairs. A shade sail will soon be installed at the playground.
• Dogs will still not be allowed on the access stairs, and in the swim zone between the Surf Club and vehicle ramp. 

Disability access to the beach

The work will have no impact on disabled access to the Cable Beach Foreshore area. 

Due to the steep dunes, disabled access to the beach need to be arranged through similar arrangements to those operated from the Surf Club before prior to the Stage 1 work commencing.

West Coast Water Safety (WCWS), which provides the Lifeguard service on Cable Beach, also provides an ATV (beach buggy) service for people with physical disabilities who cannot use the stairs. 

The pick-up point will be near the ACROD parking places next to the restaurant.

Call the Cable Beach Lifeguards at 0447 668 300 to arrange for this service when you arrive. The service is only available when the WCWS lifeguards are on duty from 9am to 4pm. Delays may occur if the lifeguards are busy tending to other responsibilities.

The Shire of Broome, in partnership with the Disability Services Commission (DSC), is also pleased to provide a beach wheelchair to use on Cable Beach. More information on hiring the beach wheelchair can be viewed here.

The Stage 1 works are scheduled to run until December 2024, with most of the foreshore area and restaurant remaining open during this time.

Shire President Chris Mitchell said he understands the inconvenience the works will cause.

"But as we have seen with other transformational projects in Broome, the results are going to be spectacular and will make Cable Beach an even more desirable destination all year round," he said.

"On behalf of the Shire, I thank our community and stakeholders for their engagement during the past seven years. 

"It is an exciting time for Cable Beach and the broader Broome community.

"We look forward to keeping you updated during the remainder of these Stage 1 works."

For more information in the Walmanyjun Cable Beach Foreshore Redevelopment, visit the project website.