Busselton Jetty

1.8 km of timber pylons reaching into Geographe Bay

The jetty is the reason Busselton exists in its current form: a working timber pier that grew to be the longest of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere, and the centrepiece of the town's identity since the late 19th century. Closed to commercial shipping in 1972, it now functions as a 1.8 km promenade, fishing platform, and tourist attraction.

A small electric train runs the length of the jetty out and back. At the seaward end, the Underwater Observatory drops eight metres below the surface, with windows looking out onto the artificial reef that has grown up around the pylons — over 300 species of marine life, including soft corals, sponges, and the resident schools of bullseye fish. Booked tickets only for the observatory dive; walking the jetty is free outside summer.

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A story
Built from 1865 onward to load timber and grain onto the bay's shallow-draft ships, the jetty was extended again and again as ships grew bigger — eventually to its current 1,841 metres. After a 1972 fire and decades of neglect, locals fought a 25-year campaign to save it; the underwater observatory opened in 2003 as part of the rescue plan.

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