Coconut Wells (reef edge / Ngunungurrugun lagoon)

Coconut Wells is a high-tide reef-edge fishery: when the flood covers the limestone platform north of Cable Beach, queenfish, trevally and bream push in over it to feed, and for the rest of the cycle the reef is a long walk over dry, sharp rock. The platform and its low cliffs start here, about 25 minutes' drive from Broome, and run north towards Barred Creek, some 40km north of town. The beach and the Ngunungurrugun (Coconut Wells) lagoon behind it sit inside Guniyan Binba Conservation Park, jointly managed by the Yawuru native title holders, the Shire of Broome and DBCA. The lagoon only fills on spring tides of about 9 metres, and the reef edge keeps the same timetable.

Be set up on the sand or the dry back of the platform before the top of the tide, and cast to the reef edge and the sand gutters off the beach while the water covers the platform. Cast metal slugs and stickbaits along the reef edge for queenfish and trevally, and fish a lightly weighted prawn or squid strip in the gutters for bream and whiting. As the tide drops the reef dries out over a long distance and the fish go with it — use the low to find the gutters and holes, not to follow them out. The rock pools at low tide belong to the photographers.

Queenfish, trevally, bream and whiting are the high-tide catch, with threadfin salmon an occasional bonus rather than a reason to come. Tuskfish — bluebone — also turn up off the reef on the high tide. King threadfin are 450mm minimum with a daily bag of 2, and no licence is needed to fish from the shore.

Fish the big highs: Broome spring tides run up to 9–10 metres, the reef edge fires when they cover the platform, and the same beach a week later on the neaps barely gets wet. Walk back before the water starts running in behind you, not when the tide turns. The surrounding Coconut Well area is also a small residential community, so stick to Denham Road and the public tracks and keep off any track signed private.

The reef edge is a 15–20 minute walk on soft sand from the car park at the end of Denham Road, so travel light — one rod, a small bag and plenty of water. From Broome, take Broome Road to Cape Leveque Road, follow it north for about 3 km, turn left onto McGuigan Road, which becomes Lawrence Road, then left onto Denham Road to the sandy loop at the end. A 2WD reaches the car park, but the sandy track on to the beach is 4WD-only and DBCA restricts some Yawuru park tracks to authorised vehicles, so walk it unless signs show it open. Beach driving in the Yawuru parks is allowed only on Cable Beach, from the vehicle ramp to north of the rocks, below the high-tide mark and never in the dunes; the Shire most recently closed that ramp for the Walmanyjun works and limits it to essential and approved vehicles in turtle season — overnight and around highs over 9 metres in November, around the clock from 1 December to 28 February — so check its Cable Beach Vehicle Ramp page before planning a drive up the sand. There is no camping: the Yawuru parks have no designated camping areas and the Shire of Broome bans all free camping, sleeping in a vehicle included. Don't count on toilets or water at the car park. The reef is sharp limestone and suits sure-footed adults; with kids, visit the rock pools on the last of the falling tide, keep everyone out of the water and be back on the sand before the low turns.

Tides drive everything here — spring tides of up to 9–10 metres cover the reef deep and flood the lagoon, while neaps barely wet the platform. The beach faces the open Indian Ocean on the coast north of Cable Beach, so westerly swell and onshore wind come straight onto the reef. The dry season, May to October, is the settled window with consistent easterlies; the wet, November to April, brings heat, storms and cyclones.

Fish from dry sand or rock, never in the water: saltwater crocodiles are common around Broome and move around, and in late August 2026 rangers captured a 3.5-metre crocodile about 100 metres offshore just north of Cable Beach after the third beach closure in a few weeks. In late May 2026 a fisherman was bitten after treading on a crocodile in waist-deep water at Barred Creek, further up this coast — don't wade, stand back from the edge, and don't clean fish at the water. Spring tides of up to 9–10 metres run in fast over the flats and reef, so walking out at low tide and fishing your way back is how people get cut off. Irukandji and box jellyfish are mostly reported from November to June but have been recorded in every month. The limestone is sharp, the sand is soft enough to bog a 4WD, there is no shade, and at least a litre of water per person per hour is the sensible ration.

Yes — fish the high tide from the beach, casting to the reef edge and the sand gutters for queenfish, trevally and bream, because the reef is dry for much of the cycle. The beach and reef are inside Guniyan Binba Conservation Park, which is managed for activities including fishing under the normal DPIRD rules, and no licence is needed to fish from the shore.

Not to reach the car park. Turn off Cape Leveque Road onto McGuigan Road, follow it as it becomes Lawrence Road, then take Denham Road to the sandy loop at the end — a 2WD manages that. The sandy track from there to the beach is 4WD-only and DBCA restricts some park tracks to authorised vehicles, so most people walk it in 15–20 minutes. Beach driving in the Yawuru parks is only allowed on Cable Beach from the ramp through to north of the rocks, below the high-tide mark, and the Shire most recently closed that ramp for the Walmanyjun foreshore works, with turtle-season limits on top — check its Cable Beach Vehicle Ramp page before planning a drive.

Yes. Saltwater crocodiles are common around Broome and move around. In late August 2026 rangers captured a 3.5-metre croc about 100 metres offshore just north of Cable Beach, and in late May 2026 a fisherman was bitten after stepping on one in waist-deep water at Barred Creek, further up the coast. Don't wade, keep back from the edge and don't clean fish at the water.

No. The Yawuru parks have no designated camping areas, and the Shire of Broome bans all free camping, including sleeping in a vehicle, with on-the-spot fines. Coconut Wells is an easy day trip from Broome, so stay in town and drive out for the tide.

The Ngunungurrugun (Coconut Wells) lagoon is a long lagoon running parallel to the shore that fills on spring tides, needing a high tide of about 9 metres. On smaller tides it is mostly sand. For fishing, the same big tides are the ones that push water and fish up over the reef edge.