Coastal Vine Thicket Walkway

Coastal Vine Thicket Walkway

Broome town contains the southernmost occurring vine thicket in Western Australia, between Gubinge Road and Cable Beach.

This unique bushwalk is an enjoyable way to see the three very special yet different vegetation eco-systems which are found within our coastal fringe. The pindan, vine thicket and sand dunes systems contain a magnificent variety of nutritious bush fruits and wild life. Over 200 species of plants including 49 bush foods ( Gubinge, Blackberry, Coffee fruit, Bush plums, Bush bananas, Bush passionfruit, Sandalwood) and 22 medical plants. The Royal Australian Ornithologists Union has recorded 67 and Lord McAlpine 80 bird species in this area among them bower bird species and coucal. Up to 47 reptiles are known as well as mammals such as agile wallabies, flying fox, possums bats, and echidnas.

For Aboriginal people the management of natural resources is inseparable from the sustenance of culture. The coastal areas are used as a place for living, for maintaining cultural and spiritual practices, fishing, food and medicine collecting, for which they derive considerable economic benefit and recreation.

The Broome Botanical Society established the walkway. There are pine logs with yellow arrows to follow to ensure you stick to the track. Some native trees are posted with information signs.

Vine thickets are an important habitat for birds and agile wallabies. As many of the plant species have edible fruits and berries, they represent an important traditional resource for Aboriginal people.

Broome's vine thickets are threatened by increasing fire frequencies, dumping of refuse, proliferating access tracks and illicit camping. A botanical reserve, off Gubinge Road, is recommended to conserve a representative area of vine thicket, behind Cable Beach dunes.

More to see in this Bushwalk. (Click here!)