Beagle Bay

Beagle Bay is one of three Aboriginal communities on the Dampier Peninsula north of Broome, and an interesting part of Western Australian history. If you’re four wheel driving along the track to Cape Leveque it’s well worth a stop to see the Beagle Bay Sacred Heart Church with its mother of pearl shell altar. The church was built entirely by hand by local Aborigines and the Pallottine monks who started the Catholic mission in the late 1800s. The area is home to the Nyul Nyul people who’ve existed in this harsh but pristine coastal environment for thousands of years. Beagle Bay has an interesting history. It was named after a boat which was moored at the bay during a brief stay. Once used as a home for Aboriginal children separated from their families, it is now administered by those same children. The monks are still there and are responsible for running the church and school. There’s no accommodation available at Beagle Bay, which is about a two to three hour drive from Broome.