COASTAL ADVENTURES


These two coastal cities are bursting and bustling with beautiful beaches, dolphins, galleries and gorgeous sea side caravan parks

WORDS AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY IAN ROBERTSON

Busselton and Bunbury are twin cities located on the sparkling coastline of southern WA. To drive between both will take you approximately 39 minutes, but each town is so packed full of adventures you could spend at least three days in either one before venturing to the next. We chose to begin our short journey exploring everything Bunbury had to offer, before setting off for Busselton. However to truly get to know the two towns, its best to take the unofficial Bunbury to Busselton scenic route. You start by taking the northern city centre exit off the main Eulup Roundabout, then on to Forrest Highway, which will loop you back onto the Bussell Highway at Washington Avenue, allowing you you get to take in all the hidden gems this beautiful places have to offer.

BUNBURY

Bunbury is the place “where you’re free to be…” A city surrounded by three waters – the Indian Ocean, the Leshenault Estuary and the Collie and Preston Rivers – the community celebrates a wonderful lifestyle and promotes Bunbury as a place to indulge the senses. For vanners, Bunbury is a great base to venture out from for day trips or just to rest and refuel both the van and yourselves. A place where you can choose your own level of activity – from the huge recent surge in new bar restaurants and coffee establishments, to a dolphin interaction zone, wineries, wildflower walks, fishing – you name it, it’s all here.

The Dolphin Discovery Centre is the jewel in the sea, situated on the Koombana Bay Road entrance to the city. Dolphins can be sited anytime but a major interaction by the shore is around 8.30 in the morning in front of the interpretive centre – which is itself well worth a visit as is home to a world recognised marine research centre. Plans are underway for a $12 million redevelopment of this key location. Across the road from the Dolphin Centre and adjacent to the Koombana Bay Discovery Caravan Park, our chosen accommodation for this trip, is the most southerly found mangroves in Australia. Here you’ll find a walking trail that goes past a buried site of the shipwrecked whaler, Samuel Wright, which came to grief in 1840. This is an ideal walk if staying at the Koombana Bay Discovery Park, which is also walking distance to the city.

Further along the bay, turning right at the large navigational stainless steel artworks centred in the roundabout at the city’s edge, more re-developments promise to enhance the already present waterfront restaurants like Mash Brewery, Aristos Fish Restaurant and Vat 2. Turning left will take you past the caravan parking area in front of the Tourist Information Centre, housed in the converted railway station adjacent to the Graham Bricknell Music Shell – access here for shops, banking or cafes. At the end of the main Victoria Street, opposite the Post Office and War Memorial, is Cafe 140 with its brainchild artisanal Wood Fired Bread and Butter shop. Hmmm! you can smell it from here. Just up the hill is the new St Patrick’s Cathedral with contemporary windows designed by Robert Juniper. On the art theme, one block further away on Wittenoom Street is an iconic pink building housing the Bunbury Regional Art Galleries. Always a varied display for art aficionados (with free entry) in what was a convent and chapel – definitely worth the visit for the building alone. On the way detour up to Boulters Heights for an overview layout of the Bunbury CBD.

Returning to the main Victoria Street, check out the new restaurants like the Market Place and Sala Bar (Voted Best Small Bar in WA 2016) with great share plates, then take a detour up Apex drive to bask in the spectacular view of the whole region from atop the Rotary Lookout. There is limited parking and tight turning for larger rigs, we recommend walking up from the Art Gallery – everything is very close. Continuing southward, you’ll go past the unique black and white checkerboard painted City Lighthouse along Ocean Drive, this road will take you to the Backbeach Café – ideal to while away some time with the surf under your feet.

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Of course Bunbury isn’t just good for a walking tour, the council have also provided excellent cycle ways that link all the water areas. Alternatively, you can join one of the many cycling groups – there’s even one for over 55 – for a morning ride. If walking and cycling don’t take your fancy, there’s plenty of fishing off the beach for mulloway or herring, or from the rocks at The Cut for tailor in the summer season. You can also go crabbing in the estuary and catch bream in the river.

If you want to further your fishing experience continue south along Ocean Drive to Busselton’s wooden jetty – watch out for the flags to pick up some local fresh fruit and vegetables from the stall. This beautiful structure is the longest in the Southern Hemisphere.

If you’re looking to venture further, set off for Ferguson Valley through historic Dardanup – see the oldest Catholic Church outside Perth and the local butcher for his sausages and bacon and on to Gnomesville via the scenic Wellington Mill Road. It started with one gnome being left on the roadside, now its home to thousands of gnomes left by individuals and groups from all over the world. Once you’re finished, return along Ferguson Road to visit Hackersley Wines, Moody Cow Brewery or St Aidan’s Winery, which are part of the now established Geographe Wine Region. If you’re visiting in October, Dardanup is home to the Bull and Barrel Festival, which ends with the burning of a huge wooden sculpture.

Another day trip on the last Sunday of every month should take you to nearby Boyanup, approximately 20km away, for the market and a visit to the old Rail Museum – locos, blacksmithing and displays for the history and railway buffs.

BOUND FOR BUSSELTON

Take the scenic route to Busselton off the main highway along Tuart Drive. There is a free camp spot if needed among the trees at the edge of the Tuart Forest National Park (also known as Ludlow Tuart Forest). The Park was established in 1987 to protect what is the largest remaining stand of pure tuart trees in the world.

Turn right along Layman Road for a few hundred metres then make a choice – on the right is historic Wonnerup House, on the left is Malbup Picnic area and Bird Hide. Kangaroos, possum spotting at night and the hide itself situated on the edge of wetlands provides a great photographic vantage point for many of the migrating birds.

Continue past Port Geographe Marina to the city of Busselton, which has a leisurely tourist feel about it. Named after the early pioneering Bussell family, it is home to an historic precinct. You can see the inscription on the gravestone of Alfred Bussell at St Mary’s church opposite the Vasse River. The old Fire Station has been resurrected as a bar with local brews as well as old favourites. The centre point at the other end of Queen Street being the Courthouse ArtGeo complex incorporating the old gaol, where you can sit in the original cells or stand in the courthouse dock denying the charges! If legal matters from days of old don’t intrigue you, you can just stroll around and view the local arts and crafts on display in the complex often with resident artists. No caravan or truck access is allowed down Queen Street, so this end of town with its street side caravan parking is an ideal point from which to explore.

Walk down to the Esplanade savouring cafes and that amazing wooden jetty which dates back to 1865. Many additions and losses have taken place over the years. Mother Nature dealt a massive blow in 1978 when cyclone Alby struck, losing some 700m in length. The Government decided to demolish what remained of the jetty, but strong public opinion successfully lobbied for funding to be reinstated to allow reconstruction. The piles on which the jetty is supported are jarrah logs 16m in length and driven some four or five metres into the limestone seabed. Crossbeams then connect to provide the base for the 12m wide deck area. In December 2003 an underwater observatory was completed at the rail head near the end of the jetty. Then in 2011 a further $27 million injection of funds allowed completion of a major refurbishment.

I suggest to pre-book entrance to the Underwater Observatory, especially at peak times. Step down below the  waterline to view the various forms of marine life through the large windows. “Awesome! Magical!” were words I heard as people returned to the surface. When you’re ready to head back into town, there’s a train to save you the 2km walk. You will need to pay an entrance fee to the jetty, but it contributes to the upkeep. We found it an easy way to spend the day, we even returned that night to catch some squid! The jetty is only a short walk from an overnight stay at the Kookaburra Caravan Park on Marine Terrace, near the town centre.

There are so many activities and so much variety in this short stretch, it really gives a beaut sample of the whole area, especially if time does not allow you to venture further south to the Margaret River wineries and coastline. The Bunbury/ Busselton Region truly is the place “where you are free to be…” doing whatever you enjoy.