Middle Lagoon on Cape Leveque

Cape Leveque is the huge chunk of land north of Broome. It’s home to some of the most amazing beaches you will ever see, with plenty of places to stay. Middle Lagoon is one of the more highly recommended destinations, and for good reason! 

The water is warm and blue, the beaches are white and clean, and the coastline is pristine, remote and beautiful.

If you are looking for somewhere to spend a few nights, Natures Hideaway Middle Lagoon is somewhere I’d highly recommend. Yep, there’s lots of Cape Leveque Camping options, but there are a couple that are seriously worth the effort.

If you are looking for places to stay in the Kimberley, along with where to get fuel, what to see, tours that are worth doing, park passes required and more, check out this – The ultimate guide to travelling the Kimberley.

Where is Middle Lagoon?

Middle Lagoon Cape Leveque is located roughly 2/3 of the way up the Cape, with the exact GPS coordinates at 16.773712, 122.576161. Broome to Middle Lagoon is 177km.

How long does it take to get to Middle Lagoon?

From Broome, its bitumen all the way up Cape Leveque road until you turn off to Middle Lagoon. If you head there when the roads have just recently been graded, it will only take about 2 hours.

Head there after the road has been hammered by a huge number of tourists and it can take a bit longer, but at least there’s only a short section of sandy/slower driving section.

The road into Middle Lagoon from Cape Leveque Road has a bad reputation at times too, and we found it fair rough towing trailers in to Pender Bay (which is also on the same road).

Remember to slow down, adjust your tyre pressures accordingly and drive to the conditions! The Middle Lagoon Road Conditions usually allow for towing a trailer in, but it does pay to find out up to date information.

The distance from Broome to Middle Lagoon is 177km, and its a fairly straightforward navigational task. 

You’ll go past Pender Bay, which was one of our favourite destinations in the Kimberley, and absolutely worth a stop.

Middle Lagoon day visits

You can call in for a look, but the moment you drive past the office gates, you need to pay $10 per vehicle. Pretty cheap really; you get to use the incredible beaches all day if you want. It’s really worth more than a look though; do yourself a favour and stay a night if possible.

Middle Lagoon Camping Cost

Unpowered camp sites are $18 per person, per night.

Powered camp sites are $22 per person, per night (restrictions apply!)

Cabins range from $200 to $300 for 2 adults per night.

Middle Lagoon Map and general information

Below is the paperwork you get when you check in. The Middle Lagoon Phone number is (08) 9192 4002

What’s at Middle Lagoon?

The beauty of this place is it’s been kept pretty well in its natural state. There is no 5 star resort; its basic facilities and a pristine, beautiful environment.

There are two main beaches, the camp sites, a couple of ablution blocks, the homestead and office, and that’s pretty well it! This is the attraction, and you most certainly don’t need anything more!

Get up when you want, do what you want and relax for as many days as you want. It’s the perfect place for a break, and is popular with Broome locals as well as national and international tourists.

Are the facilities and good?

We were not at all unhappy with the facilities at Middle Lagoon. They aren’t anything fancy, but they were just as good, if not better than most places we stayed at along the Kimberley. You’ve got warm showers, flushing toilets, washing machines and lines, BBQ’s, public phone and plenty of room.

When should you visit Middle Lagoon?

The dry season is the time to visit. This usually starts in May, and finishes around November of each year. This is when the weather is warm, sunny and it doesn’t rain!

If you have never been north, you need to know that when its winter down south, its the dry season up north. That means sunny days, blue skies and beautiful temperatures. For more information, check out How to get the best weather in WA.

Does it get busy?

I’m told in peak season (June/July/August) Middle Lagoon gets quite busy; its a very popular location for anyone looking for a break. In early May, there were only a couple of other vehicles spread out; everyone was well away from each other.

We had the side beach to ourselves for a couple of days, and really appreciated the tranquillity.

What can you buy at the shop?

If you need to get some bait (we totally forgot to get some from Broome), you can get small or large packets of squid from the office. We grabbed a couple of small packets, and used half of one in the two days we were staying at Middle Lagoon.

Beach shacks

If you aren’t up to camping, you can hire their cabins, or beach shacks. These are nothing fancy; think timber structures with shadecloth walls, but they are a step up from camping!

Where’s the best place to camp?

Realistically, you could probably camp anywhere and you’d love it. I’ve uploaded a map here though, so you can see where the camp sites are located. The private ones are overlooking the lagoon itself, and are neatly hidden away.

We stayed at campsite 29, which has a couple of nice trees, grass and plenty of protection. A lot of people recommend the ridge, which has amazing views over a beach just meters below you.

This certainly looks nice, but you are closer to others and you don’t have quite as much protection. If you are in a caravan or camper trailer this may mean less to you than if you are in a tent!

Middle Lagoon Fishing and Boating

The map that you are given upon arriving to Middle Lagoon has a couple of places that are recommended for fishing. We gave flat rocks a go, but gave up as the rocks are pretty hard to cast off, and the chance of losing fishing gear was almost guaranteed.

Middle Lagoon crocodiles and stingers

We were told not to worry about crocodiles or stingers at the two beaches, and we didn’t. However, no doubt crocodiles would probably be seen occasionally, like most of the coast, so bear it in mind! For more information, check out Crocodile Safety.

If you are wondering whether you can swim at Cape Leveque, speak to the locals at each area. A lot of people do, and if you are well away from creeks and in clear water your risk is greatly reduced, but you still have to weigh up if its worth the chance!

Camp fires

Camp fires are permitted at Middle Lagoon, and you can grab firewood off the track going in. Please don’t take timber from the property itself.

How does it compare to Kooljaman?

I’ve got a full post coming out reviewing Middle Lagoon vs Kooljaman, but both are amazing. The whole Cape itself is stunning, and so long as you like the beach and relaxing in nature, you are going to love it!

I will say though, that Middle Lagoon is much less ‘touristy’ than Kooljaman, and that is very attractive to some people.

If you want something free, and different, check out James Price Point, which is a spectacular place to camp.

Overall

If you haven’t been to Middle Lagoon, I’d highly recommend it. It’s a magic area, and one we will most certainly visit again!

Have you been to Middle Lagoon? What did you think of it?

Sharing is caring!