Six of the 15 flying boats destroyed in the 3 March 1942 Japanese raid on Broome lie on the mudflats off Town Beach. On a low spring tide beneath about 1.1 m they are exposed on the drying mudbanks, about 1 km from the boat ramp. Visitors can walk among the remains of Catalinas and Dornier flying boats — engines, wing spars and fuselage frames — for a short window before the tide returns.

The raid killed at least 80 people, many of them Dutch refugees from Java aboard the flying boats. The wrecks are protected under the WA Heritage Act and treated as war graves.

Planning notes: this is primarily a snorkelling site. Expect to spend most of the dive around 0 m, with a maximum of about 1 m. It is a shore-access site that can be visited independently when conditions suit. Currents are significant, so timing around the tide is part of the plan. Best season: Spring low tides below ~1.1 m (a few days per year; check Broome tide tables). Traffic: popular (weekly charters).

From Town Beach (Robinson Street, Broome) walk out about 1 km across the mudflats from near the boat ramp on a spring low tide below about 1.1 m — only a few days a year. Allow about 15 minutes each way and start back before the tide turns; the tide returns fast. Guided walks (e.g.

Broome Historical Walking Tours) run on suitable tides.

Entirely tide-dependent: the wrecks are exposed only on the lowest spring tides. The tide returns quickly across the flats; start back well before low water ends. Mud is soft and sharp shells and stonefish are possible.

Crocodiles and sharks are present in the bay. Mid-year (June–August) spring lows are often the lowest of the year; walk only in daylight.

Not a dive. Walk out on the lowest tide with a guide or tide table, view the wrecks without touching, and return promptly.

Guided low-tide walks by local history tour operators; independent walkers on the lowest tides.