Along Broome’s rugged coastline in Western Australia, the Staircase to the Moon appears as a fleeting marvel—an optical illusion born of tides, moonlight, and mudflats. This spectacle isn’t a conventional hike but a unique natural event that invites you to navigate the shorelines and shallow flats under the glow of a rising full moon. Here, the moon pulls the tides back sharply, exposing the wet mudflats which mirror its light and seem to form a glowing staircase ascending towards the night sky.

Located on Roebuck Bay, the landscape is fiercely alive during this event. Mudflats stretch outward, daring your footsteps to explore with careful balance; the water’s edge pulses with tidal currents that rush in rhythm with the moon’s gravitational call. The terrain is uneven and slippery, marked by scattered pools and crusted salinity that test your footing more than your stamina. You won’t find steep inclines or towering cliffs here but an evolving, dynamic surface shaped by water, light, and earth.

The event happens only on clear nights from March to October, when the full moon aligns with low tide. Timing is essential: arrive an hour before sunset to watch the first phases of the staircase materialize, and stay for a couple of hours to experience the moon fully ascend. Footwear with good grip and weather-appropriate clothing are vital—this is a coastal environment where temperatures fall quickly after dark, and the ground often holds moisture that challenges stability.

Photographers and nature lovers will find this setting rewarding. The moonlight animates the mudflats into pools of liquid silver, where shadows lengthen and the bay’s wildlife becomes quietly active. Egrets and crabs claim the shore, while the breeze carries the faint brine-rich scent of the ocean mixed with wet earth. It’s a show that demands patience and respect for the environment’s unpredictable nature rather than one of straightforward physical conquest.

Practical preparation is straightforward but crucial: hydration is important, especially if you arrive earlier in the day, and a flashlight will help with safe navigation once darkness deepens. Avoid walking on fragile areas to preserve the bay’s rich ecosystem. The Staircase to the Moon is less about vigorous trekking and more about blending observation with a gentle exploration of a landscape shaped by the planet’s celestial rhythms. This experience rewards those ready to engage attentively, matching steps with tides and gazing upward, grounded in a moment shared between earth and sky.