Western Australia Tourism & Accommodation Guide

Busselton Jetty

Busselton Jetty Experience

Extending almost 2km out over the protected waters of Geographe Bay, the heritage listed BUSSELTON JETTY is the longest timber jetty (pier) in the Southern Hemisphere. Located just a two and a half hour drive south of Perth, it is situated at the northern gateway to the Margaret River Wine Region in the seaside resort town of Busselton (three times judged Western Australia’s “Top Tourist Town”). Attracting up to 400,000 visitors per year, the landmark Busselton Jetty is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the South West region.

Closed as a port in 1974, the 140-year-old Jetty has since been ravaged by both fire and cyclone. It survives today thanks to the tremendous support of the local community and the hundreds of thousands of visitors annually that choose to stroll its length, shop in the Interpretive Centre and go on Underwater Observatory tours.

So why not partake in the Busselton Jetty Experience, take in the tangy salt air and delight in the exploits of local fisherpersons, as they snare their "catch of the day". You can also enjoy the majestic beauty of dolphins, and even seals and whales, as they play in Geographe Bay.

A small admission fee to the Busselton Jetty is charged to maintain an avenue of funding for on-going maintenance and development.

Underwater Observatory

Each year, during autumn and winter, the Leeuwin Current brings a narrow band of warm water down the Western Australian coastline. This warm southerly current brings diverse species of tropical and sub-tropical life into Geographe Bay, resulting in coral growth at a latitude of 33 degrees South. This is a remarkable phenomena when compared to the west coast of other Southern Hemisphere continents - Africa and South America, which have no coral growth below 5 degrees South. The Leeuwin Current is responsible for the introduction of an incredibly diverse array of marine life into Geographe Bay, with more than 300 individual marine species having been recorded in the ocean beneath the Busselton Jetty.

Described as Australia’s greatest artificial reef, the Busselton Jetty is host to an awe inspiring “forest” of vividly-coloured tropical and sub-tropical corals, sponges, fish and invertebrates under its seaward end. The Underwater Observatory, which opened in December 2003 is now one of Western Australia’s most popular eco tourism attractions.

Designed to accommodate 40 people at a time, visitors access the Observatory by walking about 1.7km from the shore along the Jetty before descending 8m below sea level. Eleven viewing windows at various levels within a 9.5 metre observation chamber allows patrons to be “touched by nature” as they look out onto an underwater garden teeming with life.

Already attracting significant local, national and overseas interest, the Busselton Jetty Underwater Observatory (UWO) enchanted 86,000 visitors in its first year of operation. The Underwater Observatory tour is $20 for adults and $11.50 for children.

Interpretive Centre

The Busselton Jetty Interpretive Centre opened in April 2001 and is located about 50m offshore. The new Cultural Heritage Museum situated in the Interpretive Centre gives visitors a glimpse into the Jetty’s rich past and its exciting future through interpretive signage, artifacts and audio visual displays. Open every day (excluding Christmas Day), entry to the Interpretive Centre is FREE. Along with excellent exhibits of history, the marine environment and art, the Interpretive Centre houses a unique range of souvenirs, including timber products crafted from recycled native jarrah decking and piles from the Jetty.

The History

The history of the Busselton Jetty can be traced back to the early days of the settlement when the American whalers came in their square-rigged sailing ships. In 1839 Governor Hutt appointed "the place in Geographe Bay opposite the Settlement at The Vasse to be the legal place for the loading and unloading of goods", but it was some time before a jetty was constructed. After strong and persistent pressure by settlers, sanction was given for the erection of a jarrah jetty in 1853.

In 1865 a rough wooden Jetty became available to ships from many parts of the world as well as the local shipping which included the coastal traders. Drift sand over the next ten years so shallowed the depth that in 1875 an additional 430 feet was added, giving a depth at low tide of eleven feet. Further extensions were made over the years until the 1960's. Horse drawn trucks were used for loading until 1909 when the railway jetty came into being. The Jetty was then believed to be the longest in the Southern Hemisphere. Its present length is 1841m.

In 1974 the Jetty was closed to commercial shipping by the Government of the day - after more than a century of usage. Once closed to shipping, Government maintenance of the Jetty ceased and it began to deteriorate, attacked by wood borers, rot and the occasional fire.

On April 4, 1978, Cyclone Alby swept south down the Western Australian coast from the North-West (a rare occurrence) and destroyed a large part of the shore end of the Jetty. Subsequently, townspeople banded together to try to save the Jetty and eventually persuaded the State Government and the Shire Council to provide some much needed funds for repair.

However, rebuilding timber jetties is an expensive business and the funds soon ran out. The Jetty Preservation Society, formed in 1987, then resorted to community fundraising. Over the past 17 years, in excess of $9 million has been committed to Jetty restoration and development projects.

The Busselton Jetty today stands as a monument to the spirit and commitment of the Busselton community.
http://www.busseltonjetty.com.au

Images
High resolution colour images & of the Busselton Jetty & Underwater Observatory are available on request by contacting the Marketing Department on (08) 9754 0903 marketing@busseltonjetty.com.au

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Click the picture for a larger view

Photographs and text courtesy of the Geographe Bay Tourism Association
 

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