Itseemsquitealotoflocalshavedecidedtomakethemost
ofagoodday:aswetrundledowntheheritage-listedjetty
inalittletouristtrain,weseechildrenjumpingintothewater
fromsectionsoftheoriginaljettythatabutsthecurrentone.
Menlanguidlycastlines,and,becauseeveryoneshouldbeable
tofish,facilitiesforwheelchair-boundfishermenarewell
marked.Aheadortwobobsinthewater;anannual4kmjetty
swiminthefirstweekendofFebruaryforsoloswimmers,
duosandgroupsisapopulareventontheregionalcalendar.
OurtrainfinallycomestoastopbytheBusseltonJetty
UnderwaterObservatory,almostattheendofthejetty,
andwetroopdownstairsintoanotherworld.Inthedimlight,
wefindourselvesbanginthemiddleofanartificialreef
teemingwitharecorded 300 speciesofmarinelife,seemingly
putthereforourpleasure,butactuallypresentduetothree
factors:thejettydeckingoverheadprovidesshade,allowing
telestowhitesoftcoral–otherwiseseenonlyinunderwater
caves–toflourish,thepillarsholdingupthejettyareideal
foranimalstoattachthemselvesto,andtheLeeuwinCurrent
fromthewestcoastofAustraliaisamagnetforatemperate
marinebiodiversity.Thewholeisafascinatingmicrocosm
thatnon-diversmightotherwiseneverbeprivilegedtosee.
Backup,wewalktotheendofthejetty,almost2kmfrom
theshore,overlife-sizedmuralsofthedifferentwhalesthat
passthiswayfirstinMayandtheninAugust-September.
Istandbesideamassivebluewhaleandfeelverysmall.Wedrovetwo-and-a-half-hoursfromPerthdowntheBussell
HighwaytogettotheMargaretRiverregion.Theskywasvery
bluewithwhitepuffyclouds,theyellowblossom,belovedofthe
nativebirds,brightontheredgumtrees.WepassedMandurah,
knownforitshalf-submergedthrombolites,livingfossilsdating
back 570 millionyearsthatarebelievedtobeoneofthefirstlife
formsonEarth,anditswell-submerged,friendlydolphins.
InBusselton,atthenorthendoftheMargaretRiverRegion,
wegotourfirstlookatSouthWesternAustralia’sgloriousocean,
hereshowingoffwithitsfoamcapsa-sparkle,edgedby30km
ofwhitesandybeach.GeographeBayisanaquaticplayground,
madeforthosewholiketoimmersethemselvesinthedeep
blue(read:everyoneinSouthWestAustralia).If,likeus,you’ve
comeunpreparedtojumpin,walkingtheBusseltonJettyisthe
coolestwaytogetdeeperintotheoceanwithyourclotheson.
Busseltonhasalwaysbeenknownforitstimberindustry,
centredaroundthekarriandjarrahwooditexported.Some
ofthatwoodfounditswayintotheBusseltonJettythatjutted
outintoGeographeBay,startingrightfromthemiddle
oftown.In1978,acyclonedestroyed 900 metresofthejetty,but
thelocalswerehavingnoneofthat.Theyraisedfundsandbuilt
itagain,andthendecidedtomakeitthecentreoftheirlives.
Thisbrightmorning,MayorGrantHenleytellsusabout
howtheforeshorewillsoonbetransformed,evenasBusselton
becomesincreasinglypopularasacruiseshipstopforaday
tripintoMargaretRiver.Theformercarparkisnowaspace
forlocalsandvisitorstoenjoytheocean;alreadyinplace
arearestaurant,performingartsspace,award-winning
playgroundwithaclippershipforkidstoclimbonto,and
anettedareaforsafeswimmingandsnorkelling.Morefood
options,arailwaystationtohousethehistoricBallaratengine,
andamicro-breweryarecomingsoon.Essentials- BusseltonJetty& UnderwaterObservatory: 0 0 - 61- 8 - 975 4 -
0900;www.busseltonjetty.com.au;beachendof QueenStreet,
Busselton;underwaterobservatoryandjettytrain:1,650adult,968 child(three– 17years)
CHASING THE SUN
AND SEA INMARGARETRIVER
THE WINTER LIST SOUTH WEST AUSTRALIA
PHOTOGRAPHS: TOURISM WESTERN AUSTRALIA (MAIN, FACING PAGE 1,3, 4), PRIMROSE MONTEIRO--D’SOUZA (FACING PAGE 3)