Participatory mapping is common in marine and coastal research for capturing human-environment interactions; it often, however, uses predetermined ‘stakeholder’ categories (e.g. “fishers”, “general public”) that may underrepresent social variability. In contrast to participatory mapping, segmentation, common in tourism and visitor research, groups are endogenously derived based on shared attributes. Despite recognition of social complexity in marine and coastal areas, segmentation is rarely applied within participatory mapping research. Sea Country around Rubibi (Broome, Western Australia) demonstrates social complexity, encompassing diverse users and uses, including protected areas, economic activities, recreation and Indigenous users. As part of Yagarrajalajalan Nagula Buru: We all care for saltwater Country, participatory mapping data were analysed using unsupervised multiple correspondence analysis and hierarchical clustering to identify internally coherent user segments based on participants’ personal activities and assigned values. Four distinct user segments were identified: three were dominated by residents; two with significant association with Indigenous participants; while one reflected visitor-oriented use. These findings challenge the common application of homogeneous stakeholder groups, which may obscure important social variation. This study demonstrates that segmentation based on emergent properties offers a less-biased understanding of marine and coastal area users, with important implications for planning and management.