Scratch below the surface and discover the new and the wonderful of this seaside town.
You can easily spend a sublime weekend walking the famous Busselton Jetty, jumping aboard a whale watching cruise and watching the world go by at one of the excellent beachside restaurants.
But we dare you to try something new; discover Busselton’s best kept secrets and fall in love with the jewel of Geographe Bay all over again. You might enjoy it so much that you need to extend your stay!
Not for the faint-hearted, you’ll score incredible views of Busselton right over to Dunsborough and Cape Naturaliste as you loop the loop with Tiger Moth Adventure Tours. It’s a vintage ex-RAAF plane, and pilot Steve can take you for a ‘mild’ or ‘wild’ adventure spotting whales, the Busselton Jetty and performing the loops, barrel rolls and steep turns the Tiger Moth was designed for.
Two hours of climbing swaying ladders, ‘snowboarding’ between treetops and riding countless flying foxes goes really, really fast at Forest Adventures South West. But step off the six-level adventure course and you’ll immediately be planning your next visit, it’s that fun. Dial up the adrenaline and get ready for some serious tree top challenges. Perfect for adults or families with slightly older kids, as you must be 7+ years to take part.
This one’s for the warmer months; imagine waking up, walking the length of the jetty, yoga mat tucked under your arm, then stretching it all out with yachts sailing past and the sound of water lapping the timber piles of the southern hemisphere’s longest jetty.
KatieYoga runs the class, with part proceeds going towards Busselton Jetty restoration projects.
Coral shouldn’t grow this far south, but the Leeuwin current brings warm water into Geographe Bay, helping create a unique maritime ecosystem for coral, sponges, octopus, starfish and fish. See it for yourself at the Busselton Jetty Underwater Observatory, nine metres below the surface at the end of the jetty. Adventure lovers, do the underwater helmet dive or snorkel tour in summer – an exhilarating experience.
Bit of a local’s secret; 50 metres west of Busselton Jetty is a U-shaped timber jetty, enclosed by a huge net. We love jetty jumping on hot days, jumping in and climbing out, over and over till the kids get tired. You’ll also find Aquatastic set up in front of The Equinox in summer; a huge floating obstacle course – plenty of fun in the sun.
Check out the historic ArtGeo complex; tour the old gaol cells, browse the seasonal art exhibitions, meet the artist in residence or take part in their workshops. There’s also a café/shop and the Settlement Art Project – a series of bronze sculptures depicting the people and industries that contributed to the town’s development. Alongside ArtGeo is the Merenj Boodja Bush Food Garden – created by the Undalup Association, the region’s Aboriginal representative group. The garden creates an ideal path in reconciliation with the community, a place of remembrance for the Aboriginal people, acknowledging the past and moving into the future.
Phil Hollett Gallery features stunning landscape photographs from around the region, presented in his Fig Tree Lane studio. It’s great shopping in the centre of town; surrounded by indie bookshops, boutiques, cafes and kitchenwares. Also in Fig Tree Lane is Jenny Taylor Designs with a pop up studio. Jenny’s paintings and hand-painted glassware are perfectly south west in look and feel and make great travel mementos.
Wednesday night is Film Harvest night at Orana Cinema, featuring a different independent film each week. Book ahead – it’s popular.
The Equinox is fabulous, with rock star views. Shelter Brewing Co is an awesome addition to the area, next to Sea Play by the Bay playground and Busselton Visitor Centre.
Burger Bones has a cult-like following – we’ve queued next to people who’ve made the journey from Perth especially for one of Cooper DeVille’s esteemed burgers. Get there at 11.15am or 2.45pm or prepare for a well-worth-it wait.
Whicher Ridge is a well-kept secret; an award winning cellar door and wine sensory garden (the only one in Australia) about 20 minutes south of Busselton. The garden gives visitors both a wine education and wine and food pairing experience rolled into one. It is also a fascinating garden for garden lovers to visit as it planted out with heirloom vegetable sand a variety of herbs, flowering plants and fruit trees. Take a seated wine tasting or one of their guided garden tours and tastings, some of which include a lunch hamper full of Jersey Farm Olive Grove goodies.
BG’s Farmstand sells awesome local fruit and veg, alongside a great array of gluten free products. Western Growers Fresh has fresh fruit and veggies as well as a fabulous selection of pre-prepared meals such as pies and salads, perfect for your self-catered holiday.
Another brilliant addition to the craft brewing scene is Rocky Ridge and their chilled-out cellar door near the foreshore. Margaret River Burger Co is often parked out the back, serving up awesome burgers and fries.
Cheeky Monkey HQ Taphouse is Cheeky Monkey Brewing Co’s lesser known cousin; it’s their production facility in Vasse’s light industrial area. Grab a pizza and taste the complete range of Cheeky Monkey specialty beers.
The Quill Collective is a quirky but fabulous café-artisan gift shop-creative garden just outside Busselton. It’s the kind of place you can relax with a great coffee and croissant, pick up some locally designed gifts and watch the kids play in the bell tents and extensive kitchen garden.
There are plenty of wonderful accommodation options in Busselton; and many are scattered along the bay, just a short walk from the beach. Aqua Resort, Abbey Beach Resort, Mandalay Holiday Resort and Busselton Villas and Glamping Village are all on the beach side of Bussell Highway. While Tree Chalets and Chapman Hill Cottages are tucked away a little south of Busselton.
