Dive into Busselton Jetty and its new Marine Discovery Centre

This new addition to the Busselton Foreshore offers a captivating glimpse into the rich marine life flourishing beneath the surface. The innovative onshore centre is Australia’s first marine park interpretive experience, and your ticket to ocean exploration without getting wet.

The Marine Discovery Centre is located next to the Busselton Visitor Centre and offers fun and educational encounters for families, groups and individuals when a short break from the sun is called for.

With a focus on environmental education and interactive experiences, the self-guided marine voyage is designed to engage people of all ages and is sure to inspire all of us to become future environmental stewards.

Once you step through its blue doors, you’re immersed in Western Australia’s marine world and offshore parks, including the species-diverse Ngari Capes Marine Park along the Margaret River Region coast.

A haven for fragile and unique species, the Ngari Capes Marine Park is home to the Wadandi (Saltwater) people, the traditional custodians of the region. ‘Ngari’ means salmon in Noongar, an important species for the park’s biodiversity and a crucial food source for the Wadandi people.

As you continue to explore the Discovery Centre, you’ll learn that the park also features a special marine environment where tropical and temperate waters meet.

Promising an unforgettable experience, the Ngari Capes Marine Park is just one stop on your exploration journey. You’ll also discover some of the continent’s most spectacular offshore marine environments like Geographe Marine Park, the South West Corner, and the Perth Canyon, adding plenty more fun facts to your knowledge bank along the way.

Travel over thriving ecosystems, explore both vast open seas and enigmatic underwater trenches, come face-to-face with a shark, immerse yourself in calming whale songs, plunge to the depths in a remotely operated submarine, and peer through a microscope to uncover the fascinating microscale marine life at the heart of our oceans.

A visit to the Marine Discovery Centre wouldn’t be complete without a stroll along the heritage-listed Busselton Jetty, the longest wooden-piled jetty in the southern hemisphere.

Whether it’s your first visit or beyond, each walk up and down the jetty reveals new wonders of Geographe Bay, as the ever-changing colours of the sky and ocean make every trip feel like a fresh experience. A wander to the end of the jetty and back will take around one hour, depending on how many times you stop to snap photos or soak in the view.

Alternatively, you can choose a round-trip on the solar-powered Jetty Train if you’d rather sit back while you enjoy the view, too.

Now that you’ve reached the end of the jetty, it’s time to explore the Underwater Observatory before heading back to land.

Located eight metres below the ocean surface, this remarkable observatory is one of only six in the world. Through its windows, you’ll witness a stunning array of marine life, including colourful and curious creatures such as dolphins, seals, stingrays, sea dragons, and octopuses. With a little bit of luck, you might spot them right from the observatory windows.

When the allure of the ocean’s crystal-clear water becomes too irresistible, take your snorkelling gear and dive into the unique Underwater Sculpture Park. Installed on the ocean floor along the Busselton Jetty, the Underwater Sculpture Park comprises 13 sculptures created by West Australian artists that doubles as an artificial reef, home to over 300 species of sea life.

There’s The Lighthouse, Ophelia the Octopus, The Diver’s Helmet, The SS Pericles Replica, the Bronze Mermaid and the Southern Right Whale, to name a few of these amazing sculptures.

To visit the Marine Discovery Park, book ahead online via Busselton Jetty’s website or visit the Interpretive Centre at the foot of the jetty to bundle your experiences and make the most of your visit.