Review of Cable Beach Club Resort & Spa, by Caroline Major

Lord Alistair McAlpine, English collector, philanthropist and property developer built the Cable Beach Club in Broome as part of his infatuation with North Western Australia. The resort is a testament to the town’s history, a cross between a colonial homestead and a Japanese Ryokan. Painted red in an oriental style, it’s home to a number of large objects collected by McAlpine on his world travels.

Walking around the landscaped property, you cross Japanese style bridges over lily ponds surrounded with frangipani, jasmine and bougainvillea. There are bluestone Chinese lions, large urns and replica terracotta warriors standing guard at the front door. The restaurant with its floor standing candelabras casting light over more oriental collectibles is very grown up, serving modern Australian bushtucker. Expect kangaroo filet with a cassis sauce, or crocodile marinated in lime and coriander. For romance, you can eat under the stars.

Thoughtfully, there are two swimming pools, one for the families, complete with splash-pool and waterfall, and a second, salt water affair with a cocktail bar on the other side of the property. Here, you can enjoy a book or a massage by the pool without the company of under 18s. Out front, there’s a bar overlooking the Cable Beach (80kms of pure fine, white sand), which at sunset is full of sunburned people wearing a satisfied smirk as they down their sweating cocktails. It’s always hot here.

Broome is the regional centre for touring the more remote areas of north Western Australia (gorges, crocodiles, ancient painted rocks…). In this part of the world, you must stay at the Cable Beach Club. After a few days of Gin and Tonic at sunset you will be ready for your adventure in the Australian outback.