Bunbury, Western Australia

The holiday begins. On Monday 20 November 2023 we were up at 5.30 to finish packing for our trip to Bunbury in south-west Western Australia. Our driver collected us from home and took us to the airport. We checked in and then had a quick breakfast before boarding the 9.15 plane. The plane arrived at Perth at 10.30 (Perth time) – a flight of just over four hours.

At the airport in Perth we collected the hire car which we had booked for our stay in Western Australia. Once Robin became used to driving the car, we made our way to Bunbury stopping at a service centre for a vegetable pastie and a cheese and spinach roll. We booked into the Best Western Lord Forrest Hotel. 

Our rooms were on the third floor with a view of the beach, a short walk from the hotel. 

The guest rooms overlooked the restaurant and recreation area on the ground floor.

On one of my walks around the city I discovered a sculpture of Lord Forrest who was at one time Premier of Western Australia. The sculpture was located on the corner of Victoria Street and Stephen Street.

The hotel was centrally located in the town and after unpacking our bags we went for a walk looking for the Visitor Centre which was not in a hurry to be found. We had dinner at the hotel – spaghetti Bolognese. We sent Nick a photo as we often have pasta on a Monday at home.

After dinner we went for another walk. The weather in Bunbury was sunny with temperatures from 14 degrees to 32 degrees.

Exploring Bunbury 2

After breakfast we went for a walk to find the information / visitor centre and were eventually successful after an hour of going around in circles. At the centre staff gave us some maps and information about the area. They recommended that our first visit should be to the Dolphin Centre.

We walked to the Dolphin Centre crossing the pedestrian bridge across the estuary.

Each of the rib structures on the bridge represents a shipwreck in the area.

The names of the shipwrecks and their location on a map is set into the footpath.

As near the beach there are plaques providing information about shipwrecks, whalers and mineral sands.

By the beach at Koombana Bay is a large piece of public art - Wardandi Boodja, a five and a half metre corten steel bust  sculpture representing a Noongar face. It seeks to merge traditional sculpture and advanced fabrication technology to create a striking contemporary artwork.

Closer to the discovery centre we came across some colourful artworks of dolphins.

At the the Dolphin Discovery Centre we started investigating the displays when we were alerted that a dolphin had arrived at the beach.

We all trooped down to the beach to admire the visitor. 

After looking at the various displays we had hot drinks and a scone each in the café at the centre. We also purchased fly nets to put on our hats if flies continued to be annoying.

Another view of the Dolphin Discovery Centre.

On the walk back we watched a cormorant devour a fish.

Back to the hotel and then went for a drive first to Donnybrook to check out the ground for Thursday’s match and then to Australind to check the ground for Friday’s match. 

Dinner in the hotel restaurant was chicken parmigiana – delicious. 

Bunbury’s weather on Tuesday was warm and sunny– minimum temperature 14.1 and maximum temperature 33.1.

Exploring Bunbury 3

Wednesday 22 November
I was up early and went for another walk before breakfast – this time along the estuary. 

This metal sculpture acknowledges the contribution the railways made in the development of Bunbury.

An early morning rowing session on the water.

In Queens Gardens by the estuary I discovered the South West Migrants memorial in the form of a tree sculpture which lists the names of early European settlers in the region.

The Bunbury Garden Labyrinth is a major feature of the gardens.

The Queens Gardens Playground is a popular location for families.

Corellas abound in the area and attempts are made to persuade the birds to move elsewhere.

After breakfast Robin had cricket practice and I explored the shops. 

Later in the morning we drove to Wellington Dam to check the large mural on the wall. 

The bridge near the dam wall was closed but we still had a good view of the mural.

Dardanup was where we had lunch.   

Dardanup celebrated its centenary in 2023. It is a very small community with café and general store, two churches, two schools, shire hall and library.

It acts as the community centre for a large agricultural area. 

The Meet and Greet for the National Championships was held at the Dolphin Discovery Centre. It was good to catch up with people we had not seen since the last last cricket tour. On this occasion the food provided for the event was great and there was plenty of it. - A great improvement on other Meet and Greets we have attended in the past.  

Bunbury weather – sunny, minimum temperature 18.4 and maximum temperature 36.4.

Exploring Bunbury 1

Tuesday 21 November.

I woke up at 5.30 and went for a walk along the path by the beach up the hill to beyond the lighthouse. It was a  beautiful morning except for the over friendly Bunbury flies. 

Along the walk there are signs describing the history of the local area.

On the beach are the remains of the site of the old quarry used to provide rocks for the roads from the 1890s.

The black basalt rocks are the remains of a lava flow that occurred ten million years ago.

There are signs warning dog owners about the dangers of  sea slugs.

This area is known as Wyalup Rocky Point.

A wooden carving - timber marker - on the foreshore.

Colourful plants grow along the pathway.

There were attractive views of the sea.

It was a great place to go for an early morning walk.

On the way back to the hotel I passed a garden with a giant model kangaroo.

Back at the hotel we had an excellent buffet breakfast. I enjoyed the muesli, yoghurt and fresh fruit on offer, plus a Danish pastry, while Robin had a cooked breakfast. We then continued exploring Bunbury.

Exploring Bunbury 4

Sunday 26 November 

A quiet day. After breakfast I went for a walk along the foreshore in the opposite direction to last time. 

The surf club was holding activities on the beach. 

I also located the remains of the seawater baths which existed until the Second World War. 

There were lots of flies so I used my fly net on my hat which helped to protect me a little. 

We drove to Eaton, a suburb seven kilometres from Bunbury and had a hot drink at San Churro at Eaton Fair Shopping Centre. From another shop we purchased salad wraps to eat for lunch back at the hotel. 

In the afternoon I went for a walk along Victoria Street to take a photo of the war memorial.While I was taking the photo from a round-about in the road, a motorist kindly stopped so I had a clear view. We then exchanged smiles and waves as she drove off.

The next stop was the Bunbury Regional Art Gallery housed in the former Convent of Mercy built in 1885. The art gallery has operated in the centre since 1987.

There was an exhibition of paintings by Rhona Wallam,

 Alternative Archive – artworks from regional Western Australia,

ceramic artworks by Stewart Scrambler,

and a photographic exhibition of lunch bars in different parts of Western Australia.

The gallery was an excellent place to visit.

For dinner we shared the second cheese and chicken with salad wrap that we had purchased for lunch. 

Bunbury weather –partly cloudy, minimum temperature 17.5 maximum temperature 33.9.