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Nestled in Geographe Bay, 229km south of Perth, Busselton is just three hours of Perth, Busselton has been a popular holiday spot for West Australians since the 1890s. Beautiful beaches, excellent fishing, caves, coastline scenery, unspoiled bushland surrounds and world-class wineries are all in close proximity to this delightful seaside town. Busselton is one of West Australias earliest settlements and northern gateway to the Margaret River Wine Region, offering a diverse range of attractions and accommodation.
| Busselton Hotels Cars Tour Specials | |
John Garrett Bussell was Busseltons first European settler, arriving on the banks of the Vasse River in 1832. It was love at first sight; so captivated by the area that he lived there with his family all his life. The track he hacked from Vasse River to Geographe Bay is Busseltons main street.
The climate is temperate, warm and sunny summers and cold and rainy but quite mild winters. Busseltons hinterlands are ideal for farming and agricultural; the grass grows lush and long and supports its large beef and dairy industries. Vast inland forests sustain Busseltons timber production and the fertile waters of Geographe Bay sustain its fishing industry. More and more wineries and vineyards are being established around Busselton, an area ideal for growing grapes.
Busselton is the ideal base to tour the Margaret River region and to explore the many wineries and galleries of the area.
The festival of Busselton is held in January each year, as is the Yachting Regatta.
| Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse | |
Close to Busselton, the Tuart Forest National Park is a great place to lose yourself as you seek these delicate flowers. Historical buildings of interest include Western Australias first Butter Factory, St. Marys Church the oldest stone church in Western Australia and the Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse that was built in 1904. The well established Busselton town centre, pretty scenery, friendly people and diverse range of activities make Busselton an ideal place for families, couples and friends.
Wildflowers are a significant feature of this part of Australias South West. People flock to the areas surrounding Busselton to view golden feather flowers, the vivid reds and pinks of boronia and leschenaultia and striking, felty kangaroo paws in different colours.
Geographe Bay is the western boundary of Busselton. And an ideal location to walk or laze on the beach, swim in the clear waters or relax in a restaurant or cafe.
To the south of Busselton town, the wide curve of Geographe Bay is fed from riverlets located intermittently along the length of the Bay. The banks of the riverlets are home to many small species of fish and, rarely being fast running, have proven to be an excellent training ground for owanna be snorklers. The shallows are exceptionally safe and the thrill of sighting a small ray fish is an immense impetus to gain more experience.
The Busselton Jetty is counted in the top ten dive jetties in the world.
The Heritage-listed Busselton Jetty is a wooden structure that extends 2km out into Geographe Bay. The Busselton Jetty was badly damaged in the 1970s by cyclone Alby.
The jetty has been restored by the efforts of a fantastic group of Busselton volunteers and kids of all ages enjoy the Underwater Observatory at the base of Busselton Jetty.
| Busselton Jetty Underwater Observatory | |
The Underwater Observatory can be likened to a giant reverse fish bowl, with people on the inside, looking out at the underwater wonderland. Colourful ancient corals, multitudes of various fish, dolphins or even seals can be sighted through massive windows of the three levels of the Underwater Observatory beneath the Indian Ocean.
A train carries passengers over the water for the length of the jetty. It is possible to take the train for the return journey for the length of the jetty, or to perhaps take a long walk along this pier, once the longest in the southern hemisphere one way. Whichever way you make the journey, it would be a rare day indeed that you will not see many a visitor and local dangling a fishing line off the jetty to catch his dinner.
Busselton Jetty is not the only place to fish; catch whiting, herring and skipjack right off the beach. Squid, blue manna crabs are specialties and can be caught in abundance during season. Reach the deeper waters by boat to reel in larger species such as dhufish, salmon, small sharks, crayfish and other reef-dwelling fish. The Blue Water Classic fishing competition attracts international attention during March and April.
Central Busselton South West WA - Western Australia
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Western Australia - Map of Busselton Australia
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