These regional cruise ports in Australia are making big waves

Last week I flew to Broome for an expedition down the west coast. It's an exciting time in north-western WA, with the opening of a floating wharf designed to handle the area's extreme tidal flows. The state government is also investigating the potential for a new cruise terminal that would be able to process overseas passengers upon arrival in Australia.

The current regulations do not allow international ships to use regional ports as the first point of entry, which means sailing all the way down to Perth's Port of Fremantle. Not very convenient when Broome is so much closer for ships arriving via Asia. Many ships don't bother cruising back up north, so travellers are missing this stunning region.

Instead, these luxury ships on round-the-world cruises head to places that are closer to Fremantle. Busselton, near Margaret River, and Albany, WA's southernmost town, have both seen increased visits. In other states, some ports have struggled, especially since this year's shutdown of P&O, as this was the company that really opened up regional cruising.

Australian Cruise Association CEO Jill Abel says: "We are very confident that these gaps will be filled in the very near future as regional itineraries are so popular with guests." Successful regions are investing in new experiences and facilities for cruise passengers. In Queensland, a huge project has widened Townsville's shipping channel to accommodate larger vessels. After a record 21 cruise ship calls in 2024/25, the city has 26 visits scheduled for 2025/26. In NSW, Eden is expecting 34 calls, including visits from two of our biggest ships this summer, Discovery Princess and Anthem of the Seas.