Just back from Cable Beach is the Broome Crocodile Park with crocs up to 5m long, an 80-year-old croc and cute hatchlings to fondle. Try to time your visit with a tour to get the most out of your experience, particularly during the afternoon, when feeding takes place.

A new Wildlife Farm has opened at the current park; ask at the visitor centre for details.

Broome's relatively long and fascinating story is detailed in the intriguing Broome Historical Society Museum. The museum is refreshingly honest in dealing with indigenous issues. Samples of Aboriginal Dreamtime stories contrast strongly with the cruelty of Broome's early settler days, illustrated by photos of Aboriginal people in chain gangs.

The sometimes-forgotten history of the Japanese air raids on northern WA is explored, revealing such happenings as the Carnot Bay Incident in 1942, which may compel you to go searching for diamonds on nearby beaches.

A visit to the Manbana aquaculture centre is highly recommended. The strong links between indigenous people and the sea and waterways of the Kimberley are explored through laid-back and informative tours. Ingenious traditional fishing methods are explained and there are touch tanks where you get to hold a number of slimy sea creatures. The kids will love it!

You'll see enormous barramundi (which the guide lovingly compares to puppies) being hand-fed and get a rundown of the trochus project (shell-like creatures that are bred here in huge hatcheries and then distributed back into the wild). You'll also get to see scorpion, stone and other hazardous fish close up.