Busselton, Western Australia

Busselton
Western Australia

At 1841 metres, the Busselton Jetty is said to be the longest wooden structure in the southern hemisphere

Busselton

Coordinates

33°38′52″S 115°20′45″E / 33.64778°S 115.34583°ECoordinates: 33°38′52″S 115°20′45″E / 33.64778°S 115.34583°E

Population

36,285 (2015) (38th)

Established

1832

Postcode(s)

6280

Elevation

4 m (13 ft)

Time zone

AWST (UTC+8)

Location

232 km (144 mi) from Perth
52 km (32 mi) from Bunbury

Mean max temp	Mean min temp	Annual rainfall
22.0 °C ^{72 °F}	10.4 °C ^{51 °F}	812.6 mm ^{32 in}

Busselton is a regional city in the South West region of Western Australia. At June 2015 Busselton had an estimated urban population of 36,285. Busselton has grown by an average of 3.5 percent in each of the five years to 2015. Founded in 1832 by the Bussell family, Busselton is 220 kilometres (140 mi) south west of Perth, the capital of Western Australia. Busselton has been voted Western Australia's top tourist town three times in 1995, 1996 and 2005.

The early history of European exploration of the Busselton area focuses on the French expedition of 1801 which brought Nicholas Baudin, with his ships the Géographe and Naturaliste, to the coast of Western Australia. Baudin named Geographe Bay and Cape Naturaliste after his vessels, and named the river Vasse after a sailor, Thomas Vasse, who was lost as he went overboard and believed to have drowned.

Busselton was one of the earliest settlements in Western Australia. It was first settled by the Bussell family, who relocated there from their location on the Blackwood River after John Garrett Bussell discovered superior farm land in the area. The Bussells moved to the area in 1834, establishing a cattle station which they named Cattle Chosen. Cattle Chosen quickly became one of the most prosperous stations in the colony, and as a result nearly all of the settlers at Augusta relocated to the area within a few years. A number of settlers established themselves at Wonnerup, and eventually a contingent of troops were stationed there under Lieutenant Henry Bunbury. It was originally intended to locate the townsite at Wonnerup, but the area was low-lying and marshy, and Bunbury considered it unsuitable for a townsite. The present area was then recommended by the Surveyor General, John Septimus Roe.

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