Busselton Jetty's remarkable history

It isn’t just the second-longest jetty in the world that the timber piles beneath the Busselton Jetty support; they’re also the fundamental pillars of the community itself.

Tom De Souza investigated the story behind the Busselton Jetty and discovered that, as well as surviving fires, cyclones, storms, and demolition plans, Busselton’s jewel attraction has lived to become one of Western Australia’s most recognised landmarks.

“It’s a symbol of community spirit and resilience when people fight for something they want”, says Lisa Shreeve, Busselton Jetty CEO.

Lisa continues to highlight that the jetty is the lifeblood of the community and an invaluable source to the region.

“It really is idyllic, and those who visit Busselton appreciate it just as much as those who live here. The jetty is one of the world’s top ten shore dive sites – we have thousands that snorkel here every summer, swim, and even do yoga on it. What better place to enjoy recreational pursuits than somewhere with a 360-degree view of the ocean? It’s calming and makes you feel good. I think that is incredibly important when we are all leading such busy lives.”

Busselton Jetty History State Library 1915 — Children at Busselton Jetty in 1915. Image: State Library of Western Australia

Built in 1865, the Busselton Jetty serviced ships trading between the south west and the Swan Colony. It was a lifeline; corn and vegetables went north and building supplies came south. As the colony grew, more foodstuffs were exported, and international routes opened up. Potatoes were a major export, along with local timber.

There were no permanent longshoreman on the jetty. Instead, local farmers, and, in particular, group settlers topped up their income by labouring when the ships arrived.

Then steam powered engines replaced sail boats, and the jetty had to be extended into deeper water until it reached its present length of just under 2km. Eight separate extensions were completed between 1872 and 1896, and a ‘skeleton jetty’ – 166m east of the existing jetty enabled steam engines to travel further along the jetty with their loads of coal, timber and potatoes.

Throughout the first half of the 20th century, the jetty was a paradoxical place of recreation and work. The sheltered waters are perfect for a casual swim, building a sandcastle, promenading, fishing, or participating in a competition such as the iconic Busselton Jetty Swim.

The arrival of the modern era meant a decline in the use of rail transport for passenger travel and goods, and in 1972 the jetty was officially closed as a shipping port. By then, the Busselton Jetty was in dire need of repair, even before the major damage inflicted by Cyclone Alby in 1978. The cyclone destroyed 700m of the jetty, over a third of its entire length.

Busselton Jetty in 1915 History — Ships tied up at Busselton Jetty in 1915. Image: State Library of Western Australia

The loss galvanised the community, and through the hard work and commitment led by the Busselton Jetty Environment and Conservation Association, they have gone above and beyond to raise money for restoration and building a revenue model around the attraction to maintain and keep up with repairs.

Today, the train still runs along the length of the jetty, but it carts passengers instead of timber, coal or potatoes. In 2016, the petrol-powered locomotive was replaced with a more energy efficient solar-powered, electric version.

Today, at the end of Busselton Jetty, the Underwater Observatory lets visitors explore beneath the waves without getting wet. Although, if that is your jam, surrounding the jetty stands 13 stunning underwater sculptures created by local WA artists, forming an artificial reef and dive/snorkel trail.

The Busselton Jetty is also a great source of recreation for the local community. On any given night, throngs of fishermen line the jetty edges and wheelchair access fishing platforms, throwing out nets for crabs and jiggling lures for squid, herring, whiting and skippy, with the occassional tuna fish caught in deeper waters. Frosty Waterhouse holds the record for the biggest fish, when in 1948 he caught a whopping 170kg north west groper from the jetty.

Busselton Jetty Sunset — The iconic Busselton Jetty today.

Busselton Jetty’s remarkable history