What is the Walmanyjun Cable Beach Foreshore Redevelopment?

The Walmanyjun Cable Beach Foreshore redevelopment will transform one of Broome’s high-quality natural assets into a global drawcard. The Council endorsed a Master Plan in 2017, and the Business Case was completed in May 2020.

Improvements set out in the Master Plan include reconfiguring the car park to create a new beach park, creating a new entry plaza and an upgraded entry with public art, an entry statement, a garden bed, and tree planting, increasing ocean views from the site, universal access across the foreshore area, and the potential for a buried seawall to manage coastal erosion. A copy of the adopted Cable Beach Foreshore Master Plan can be found by accessing the link below.

The Cable Beach Master Plan 2017 was the guiding document for the detailed design phase of the Cable Beach Foreshore Redevelopment Project.

Construction of Stage 1 commenced in September 2023. 

Why is this a major focus for the Shire?

In recent years the Shire has invested significant funds and channelled major energy to see positive infrastructure improvements at Town Beach and in Chinatown. It makes sense that Cable Beach would be the next precinct in line to be refreshed.

The project is a major focus for the Shire because the upgrades will prove to be a major asset for Broome, attract more visitors to our region and provide the community with improved spaces in the Cable Beach area, including an iconic water-play area and event space.

When did work begin and what can we expect?

Stage 1 preliminary works (Stage A1) started in September 2023 and included infilling the drainage channel behind the Surf Club, improving drainage along Cable Beach Road West and Sanctuary Road and excavating the drainage swale in Minyirr Park.

Main Stage 1 works (Stage B1) commenced in April 2024 and are scheduled to be completed in December 2024. The work includes the construction of new beach access stairs and a vehicle ramp in front of the Surf Club, new beach stairs near the restaurant, a youth activity space, reprofiling the dunes in the area to their natural state, a promenade between the Surf Club and restaurant and upgrading the Surf Club car park to make it more accessible and pedestrian-friendly - see below for more information about the construction works.

Stages 2 & 3

Stage 2 work is scheduled to commence in at the beginning of 2025.

The Shire of Broome received a $26.3 million Federal Government grant for Stage 2, which will transform the area near the Cable Beach House restaurant with a vibrant community plaza and a scenic lookout area over the dunes, enhancing the precinct's overall appeal. 

The amphitheatre at the north of the precinct being significantly altered to point more southwards to accommodate large-scale events and provide a better line of sight to Cable Beach’s world-famous sunsets. 

Stage 2 will also include crucial coastal protection works at the northern end of Cable Beach, which will funded by a $1.66 million grant was provided under the Hotspot Coastal Adaptation and Protection program (H-CAP), which provides grants to assist in designing and implementing coastal adaptation works across WA.

The completion of Stage 2 will make way for Stage 3, which will include interpretative signage and, most significantly, the water park that will make the Cable Beach foreshore an attractive place to visit all year round. Stage 3 is already funded by a $5 million LotteryWest Grant.

Why is the construction work being done during the busy tourist season?

A number of factors led to this phase of the work commencing in late April, including the availability of the contractor and the need to finish the project by the end of 2024 to satisfy a Federal Government funding requirement.

Even if the timing was more flexible, it would be very difficult to carry out earthworks during the quieter wet season due to isolated heavy rain.

Will we still be able to enjoy the Cable Beach Foreshore during the Stage B1 works?

Yes. The construction work is focused on the area south behind the Surf Club, south of the Cable Beach House restaurant. The restaurant, foreshore path, lawns, and amphitheatre will remain open, meaning you can still enjoy picnics and watch Broome's magnificent sunsets.

Safety fencing has been installed along the bottom of the dune along the construction zone, which will make that part of the beach difficult to access during king and sprint tides exceeding 9.5m.

Will the public be able to access the beach during Stage B1 works?

Changes to beach access are in place during the reconstruction of the southern and central stairs until December 2024.

• Primary pedestrian access to the beach will be stairs approximately 90m north the restaurant next to the play ground.
• There will be no public beach access from the Surf Club during the ramp and stair works.
• Beach access via the stairs in front of the restaurant will also be closed for rebuilding.
• The public vehicle ramp will remain open, subject to general restrictions and events.

What about disability access to the beach during Stage 1 works?

One reason for the Walmanyjun Cable Beach Foreshore Redevelopment is to make this popular destination more accessible, as the existing facilities are not ideal.

We will have similar arrangements to those operated from the Surf Club before the Stage 1 work commencing.

West Coast Water Safety, which provides the Lifeguard service on Cable Beach, will provide a 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.

Please note, as before, that the service is only available when the WCWS lifeguards are on duty. Delays may occur if the lifeguards are busy with other responsibilities.

Beach and Aquatic Wheelchair Loan

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

How do we access the Broome Surf Life Saving Club during Stage 1 works?

During the works, Surf Club will continue to operate, with access either through the foreshore path between the Club and Restaurant. or a new temporary path from the Surf Club car park, depending on what work is being carried out at the time.

Once completed, the Surf Club will have a new entrance, which will include an access ramp.

The Surf Club car park will be partially open while resurfacing works are carried out.

Can I take my dog on to Cable Beach during Stage 1 works?

As before, dogs are not allowed in Cable Beach's main swimming reserve, which extends north from the Surf Club to the rocks in front of the vehicle access ramp. This means dogs cannot enter the beach via the access stairs.

However, they can be taken down the vehicle access ramp ON LEAD and walked north of the rocks. Note that dogs must remain on lead for 1 km north of the rocks. Please keep dogs away from camels.

If you want to take dogs south of the Surf Club, you can enter from the access paths over the dunes, including those opposite the Divers Tavern and De Marchi Road, or from Gantheuame Beach.

What happened to the playground next to the restaurant?

We have temporarily located the playground further north on the foreshore lawn, close to the beach access stairs. This area has picnic tables, palm trees for shade, and great ocean views.

How will the Stage 1 work impact car parking?

The main foreshore car park near the restaurant will remain open, as will the angled car spaces opposite the Cable Beach Club.

The Surf Club car park has limited number of spaces open to the public before fully reopening in December 2024 with improved lighting and pedestrian accessibilty in December 2024.

How will Stage 2 work impact car parking?

There will be initial disruptions when the northern carpark is moved to the vacant toward the Surf Club car park. Once that is completed there will be a similar number of parking spots as there are now.

Will the Stage 2 works affect vehicle access to Cable Beach?

Yes, the road will need to be realigned which will lead to the ramp being closed. At this stage we do not have any timelines for this. It is possible that temporary track can be in place during certain stages of the works.

What coastal protection measures are being undertaken for the project?

As part of the detailed design process, a number of technical investigations have been undertaken to further understand the design considerations required for the protection options at Walmanyjun/Cable Beach. These investigations include an analysis of a buried rock revetment wall and sand nourishment. 

The technical investigations identified ‘sand nourishment’ as the preferred coastal protection approach for the dune system in front of Cable Beach House and the Surf Club. This approach would result in stronger natural coastal protection while providing a reasonable risk profile.

In the northern section of the foreshore, where the beach access and drainage outlet are located, the investigations found that the most suitable protection would be an exposed rock revetment. Key factors that influenced this recommendation included data obtained through wave modelling that identified localised wave run-up in the northern amphitheatre section, the presence of existing coastal protection structures (gabions) and the need to provide and protect beach access and drainage structures.

The recommended coastal protection options were endorsed at the Ordinary Meeting of Council on 24 February 2022. The report was been tabled in the Council Minutes and can be viewed here.

What drainage considerations are being undertaken for the project?

There is a large storage basin in the central area of the site that collects water from surrounding areas before being piped through the northern car park into the ocean. Some of the existing pipes are deformed and blocked. A wide drainage channel runs from the south into the basin. The channel creates a division between the parking and access and the foreshore and takes up a considerable area in a central part of the site that could be better utilised for civic purposes.

The basin and drainage channel to the back of the Surf Club have been filled in and replaced with a pipe network. The existing pipe network was also upgraded to compensate for the loss of the drainage basin.

Key drainage design considered included:

The existing basin central to the site will be filled (the existing storage volume = 8000m3). The lost storage capacity will be provided by maintenance and upgrades to the existing swale.

• A new headwall will be located just south of the existing bridge at the junction between the underground pipe and drainage channel.

• The northern outlets will be replaced with sympathetic outlets and rock revetment to slow stormwater and mitigate the beach scouring.

FINAL LandSCAPE DESIGN

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