Celebrating its 150th Anniversary this year, the historic Busselton Jetty, having been almost totally wiped out by a cyclone, burnt to the waterline by fire and a string of other dramas, the old girl is today looking better than ever!
HISTORY
When the first 161 metres of Busselton’s famous landmark was built out into Geographe Bay way back in 1865 at a cost of £80 ($160), no-one would have imagined that the old girl would still be standing, let alone enjoying a new lease of life 150 years later.
Originally constructed to service a busy timber trade in the southwest of Western Australia, the jetty at first saw thousands of tonnes of timber (mostly jarrah) loaded from its long wooden platform onto sailing ships, and later steamers heading both interstate and overseas to Europe. In those days timber was hauled from the local timber mills into Busselton and then out onto the jetty by horse drawn wagons. This slow and very cumbersome procedure was revolutionised in 1909 when rail was introduced. For the next 50 years, steam locomotives were part of everyday life on the jetty, hauling timber as well as potatoes and other produce in what were indeed busy times in the district with the jetty playing a vital role in servicing the rapidly growing southwest corner of the state. In its early days, the Busselton Jetty also played host to American square rigged whaling ships that operated out of the town for many years.
By 1911 the jetty’s length had been increased in various stages to 1,828 metres out into the bay to allow bigger ships, both in length and draught, to berth at the port. Half a century then passed before a further small extension to the jetty was carried out in 1960, bringing its total length to an amazing one and a quarter miles (almost two kilometres).
DESTRUCTION
Although other ports in Western Australia’s southwest (like Albany and Bunbury) had largely taken over from Busselton and the road transport system much improved, the Busselton Jetty still continued to operate as a working jetty until 1972 when the old girl suffered a double blow. A devastating fire partly destroyed her and to rub salt into the wound, in the same year the Busselton port was officially closed. Ongoing maintenance on the jetty then virtually ceased and it slowly began to deteriorate.
Indeed, the old girl’s future began to look quite grim, but the really cruel blow came a few years later, on 4 April 1978 when Cyclone ‘Alby’ roared down the west coast of Western Australia unleashing his full fury on the old jetty and other parts of the state’s southwest. With some 60% of the main structure completely washed away and dumped unceremoniously on the beach, the devastation she suffered looked certain to bring the old jetty’s life to an inglorious end! Plans were made for it to be totally dismantled and it seemed that Busselton’s famous landmark was soon to be gone forever.
SAVED
The local community however, stood up and said ‘No’. They wanted to preserve their most identifiable piece of history, a real landmark of the region and the town’s undoubted recreational focal point for well over 100 years … and they were prepared to put their hands in their pockets to help pay for the project. The Busselton Jetty Preservation Committee was formed and set about the task of raising funds and restoring the jetty to its former glory.
Little by little the project started to come together and the committee (with help from the WA State Government) having raised over $2 million was able to get restoration and reconstruction work underway.
By April 1995 a quaint little red open-air jetty train had commenced operation helping raise further funds (for ongoing maintenance) as it regularly carried up to 40 passengers every hour or so to the end of the jetty, including divers, disabled and thousands of others who simply wanted to experience the trip without walking the two kilometres out along what is the longest timber jetty in the southern hemisphere.
A FURTHER DISASTER
Just when things were really looking good, a further disaster struck on 12 December 1999 when a fire took hold on the old jetty approximately 1.6 km out from shore. Thought to have been started by a cigarette butt (however, no-one knows for sure), the fire totally wiped out a 70 metre section near the end of the jetty with an estimated damage bill put at around $900,000.
All involved with the project were devastated! The old jetty had once again been sent reeling backwards!
More money would be needed urgently to cover this cost (insurance is reported to have covered only $195,000 of the loss) and, once again, the local team, more determined than ever, began yet another wave of activity to cover their latest setback … and their efforts were once again rewarded with funds continuing to roll in to get the old girl’s restoration program back on track.
Unfortunately, due to safety concerns along some of the structurally less sound sections of the jetty, trips of the little open-air train were cancelled and walking the jetty became the only option.
MAJOR REPAIRS
The old jetty was in need of a major reconstruction and at a cost of around $27 million (including $24 million from the WA State Government) extensive refurbishment was carried out. Much of the old wooden decking was replaced with concrete and many of the jetty’s support piles were also replaced. To retain some heritage values of the old jetty’s decking, a small timber section was then restored.
IN THE MEANTIME
Whilst all of this was going on however, a boatshed-style Interpretive Centre and Eco Museum was developed on the jetty just 50 metres or so from the shore. A wide variety of jetty and Busselton souvenirs and mementos (including furniture and home décor pieces crafted from recycled jetty timber) is available here and the centre also has a splendid record of the jetty’s history, including many photos (and audio visual displays) featuring its highs and lows and the changes that have taken place over its 150 years of operation. There is also here a fully restored ‘old crane’ which was originally put into use on the jetty back in 1885.
In addition to its historical value, the old structure has, for years, also been a splendid fishing and crabbing spot for both locals and visitors alike. Fish cleaning tables, each supplied with water and lighting, have been installed at several locations out along its length and, almost regardless of the time of day or night, keen anglers of all ages can always be seen catching a feed. Dolphins and sometimes even seals, are sighted playing around in the water under the jetty … and from a special jetty platform kids are allowed to jump off the jetty into the clear, pristine waters of Geographe Bay.
A WORLD CLASS DIVE SITE
A few metres below the water level is one of the jetty’s lesser known, but possibly its most amazing attraction – a spectacular array of colourful soft corals, sponges, sea squirts and other marine growth as well as exotic fish and sea life colonising the jetty pylons and thriving in the clean, clear, warm waters of the Leeuwin current that flows close to this part of the WA coastline. This underwater world in fact, has built a reputation with snorkelers and scuba divers as one of the best dive sites in the country. With more than 300 different marine species recorded in the waters around the pylons, many who have experienced this marvellous underwater world believe it more than matches other notable dive sites they have seen elsewhere around the globe – giving rise to the jetty’s claim as Australia’s most spectacular artificial reef!
UNDERWATER OBSERVATORY
To capitalise on the wonderful underwater world out here at the end of the jetty, yet another brave venture was the completion a number of years back, of a splendid underwater observatory nearly two kilometres out from the shore.
Extending to a depth of around 8 metres to the ocean floor beneath the jetty, the cylindrical concrete observation chamber measuring 9.5 metres in diameter was constructed off site and then gently lowered into place. After being secured in location, fitted out and readied for operation, the observatory has proved to be a really popular attraction.
An information/reception centre is located on the top level and from there a spiralling staircase (and also a lift) takes visitors down below. With numbers on each tour limited to just 40 people, visitors descend through four different levels, past 11 large observation windows from which a number of vibrantly coloured marine encrusted piles, featuring vividly coloured tropical and sub-tropical corals, sponges and invertebrates (resembling an underwater forest) can be clearly seen. In this beautiful natural aquarium on most days, hundreds of fish, both large and small, can be seen swimming close to the observatory windows – a colourful and truly fascinating experience. This is a ‘must see’ eco-tourism adventure for all visitors.
JETTY TODAY
With reconstruction works finished and jetty train (now seating 50) back in full operation, the heart of Busselton is these days, beating stronger than ever!
With now well over 200,000 people visiting the jetty each year, it seems Busselton’s most famous landmark, having come back from the brink of destruction and despair time and again, hopefully will go on providing fascination and enjoyment to both locals and visitors alike for another 150 years or more into the future.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
- A number of local events are planned to celebrate the Jetty’s 150th Anniversary in 2015.
- Divers are not allowed to come closer than 10 metres of the Underwater Observatory out near the end of the jetty and a 150 metre fishing exclusion zone applies around it. Local scuba diving and snorkelling tours of the jetty are available.
- Walking access to the jetty including out to the Underwater Observatory is $3.00 adults (17 years +), children 0-16 are free. Open every day.
- Underwater Observatory Tour $32.00 adults (15 years +), children (3-14 years) $15.00, family pass (2 adults and 2 children) $85.00. Prices include return train ride. Reservations – phone (08) 9754 0900.
- Return train ride experience along the jetty – $12.00 adults (15 years +), children (3-14 years) $6.00.
- Subject to weather conditions, the Underwater Observatory and jetty train operate every day except Christmas Day.
- Busselton is approximately 225 km south of Perth.
- For additional information:
Phone (08) 9754 0900
Fax (08) 9754 3670
Email: bookings@busseltonjetty.com.au
Website: www.busseltonjetty.com.au