Prior to European arrival, the coastal area was inhabited by the Bardi First Nation people. In 1688, Captain Read explored the Kimberley coast with crew member William Dampier noting the sandy terrain and diverse trees. French explorer Nicolas Baudin named Cape Leveque in 1803, while John Clements Wickham, in 1838, named Beagle Bay during coastal surveying. Pearling facilities were established at Roebuck Bay in the 1870s.

European settlement began in 1879, following positive reports from explorer Alexander Forrest. By the 1880s, Broome was a modest settlement with pearlers, luggers, and local First Nation people. In 1942, the Japanese invaded the coastline, leaving lasting impacts. In 1946, Cygnet Bay Pearls was established by Dean Brown.

Over the years, the Brown family introduced modern equipment, harvested cultured pearls, and achieved notable milestones, such as growing a golf ball-sized pearl in 2004. Cygnet Bay Pearls expanded its operations, opening a shop in 2009 and contributing to marine research with the creation of the Kimberley Marine Research Station in 2010.

Attractions

Cape Leveque

Enjoy a wide range of activities, including snorkelling, swimming, fishing, photography, beachcombing, mud crabbing, learning about bush tucker, scenic flights, charter boat trips, whale watching, bird spotting, or simply relaxing and enjoying the tranquillity and beauty of the surroundings. The area is known for its exceptional beauty, with white sands and blood-red cliffs contrasting against the blue sea.

Cape Leveque Lighthouse

The Cape Leveque Lighthouse is a beautifully designed prefabricated cast iron tower located on a rocky outcrop along the path from the Kooljaman Restaurant to the local beach. Commissioned on 9 August 1911, the tower is 13.1m high and was one of ten lighthouses built on the West Australian coast between 1900 and 1913. The lighthouse was designed and manufactured locally by Bela Makutz and was originally fitted with a third-order, dioptric triple flashing white light fueled by kerosene.

The lighthouse was manned by two light keepers and was modernised in 1965/66 with a new light and a non-directional radio beacon. The original quarters were replaced with two steel-framed, two-storey residences. In 1985, the lighthouse was converted to solar power and automated with a new light and Racon beacon, which has a range of between 10 and 20 miles and is used by ships equipped with radar.

During World War II, the RAAF had a base near the lighthouse, and an airstrip was built nearby in 1955. The tower remains an impressive structure, with a whitewashed circular building that tapers to an external steel bracketed perimeter deck off the top element, featuring a metal dome at the apex.

Other Attractions

Cygnet Bay Pearl Farm

Cygnet Bay Pearl Farm is located 16 km southwest of the Kooljaman Eco Resort and offers a range of accommodation options, including a pearling shack, safari tents, and a campground. You can explore the Pearl Farm, Dampier Peninsula, and Buccaneer Archipelago from the farm. Also, tour the pearl farm to see how pearls are made, watch the staircase to the moon, and relax beside the infinity pool.

The tours offered include a Pearl Farm Discovery, a lesson in carving pearl shells, and a demonstration of pearl grading. The local Bardi people offer a cultural tour of the tidal flats and a cruise through the islands of the Buccaneer Archipelago.

Beagle Bay Sacred Heart Church

The Sacred Heart Church arose from the efforts of the older First Nation peoples, who crafted about 60,000 bricks in a homemade kiln with Pallottine Brother Wollseifer's guidance. Utilising local resources, the Aborigines at the mission cooked trochus and giant clam shells to produce lime for whitewashing. In a resourceful move, the 'Children of Mary' fashioned work clothes from flour bags to safeguard their better attire while constructing and whitewashing. Generous donations from Broome Pearls added pearl shells to the project. Brothers Helmprecht and Krallmann managed the mission's cattle, contributing to its financial support. Brother Graf skillfully handled all the carpentry and joinery using local timber, while Brother Wollseifer played a pivotal role as the primary architect, envisioning a spacious church accommodating up to 200 individuals.

Father Droste, along with two boys, Joseph Neebery and Joseph Gregory, creatively arranged the altar using shells and pearl shells, showcasing a unique and meaningful touch within the church's design.

Fun Facts

Distance from Perth: 2,533 NNE of Perth