Bunbury WA Western Australia
Australia
Frequently Asked Questions
In the port itself, facing Koombana Bay. A free shuttle takes passengers to the shopping streets, and keener walkers can reach the districts near the waterfront on foot.
Yes. Bunbury remains a town on a human scale : short streets, terraces, galleries and cafes follow one another down to the shore, and you can find your way without a map.
Yes, and it is the reason for the call. About a hundred bottlenose dolphins live year round in the calm waters of Koombana Bay, right where the ships berth : the encounter begins practically at the foot of the gangway.
A centre on Koombana Bay, near the port, dedicated to studying and protecting the resident pod. Its interpretation pavilion features aquariums, pools and interactive displays on the local ecosystem, including rescued turtles.
In front of the beach, an interaction zone allows visitors on some mornings to watch from shallow water as dolphins choose freely to come closer. The experience is supervised by volunteers and respects the animals' rhythm : they remain wild and visit on their own terms.
Sixty to ninety minutes in the bay and the nearby waterways. Naturalists on board explain the behaviours and identify each animal by its dorsal fin.
Yes : one variation of the cruise runs along the working port installations, where cargo ships over 200 metres load their holds in full view. The contrast with dolphins playing in the wash sums the place up nicely.
Regional produce leads the menus in the main street restaurants : fish and South West wines above all.
About two hours' drive north. Bunbury is the state's second port after the capital's, and serves as the gateway to the South West and Geographe Bay.
Very much so. Children often leave the Dolphin Discovery Centre wanting to become marine biologists, and the waterfront offers town beaches, coastal paths and lawns where families settle in for hours.
