I wasn’t sure if we were going to do this activity, as guided tours in Australia aren’t cheap and when you add it all up you can easily spend a small fortune. But as the weather wasn’t great for the beach, I ended up booking the tour! If you’re planning to visit the Busselton Jetty, I’d recommend booking a day or two in advance (at least during high season), as this is one of the main tourist attractions in the area and tickets sell out quickly!
Photo 1: Busselton Jetty beach
Photo 2: The train that takes us to the end of the Busselton Jetty
Photo 3: End of the Busselton Jetty, 1.841 km from the mainland
When I bought my tickets here, I chose the “Ultimate Experience Adult” option, which includes a return train journey (it’s 1.7 km each way), a visit to the Underwater Observatory, and access to the Marine Discovery Centre, which is definitely worth it. You can also choose your preferred time slot from the options available, with the first train of the day leaving at 9am and the last at 4pm.
Photo 4: Arrival at the Busselton Jetty
Photo 5: End of the Busselton Jetty
The ticket also includes a guided tour of the observatory, which takes you down three levels under the water. During the tour, our guide told us about the history of the Busselton Jetty, which is now managed by a non-profit organisation. Thanks to this community effort, the jetty has been preserved and remains a major attraction.
Photos 6, 7, and 8: Underwater observatory that goes 8 meters below sea level
It was a really fun day out, and if you have children, I’d say it’s definitely worth it. The train ride and the guided tour of the observatory takes about two hours, and we also visited the Marine Discovery Centre afterwards, a pleasant surprise!
Photo 9: Inside the interactive Marine Discovery Centre
Photo 10: Estimated amount of plastic ingested by one person per year 😲
At the end of your visit, if you’ve worked up an appetite, there’s a local brewery called Shelter, right next to the jetty, opposite from Busselton Beach. For more details, see the post Where to eat in Margaret River.
Photos 11 and 12: Busselton’s local brewery – Shelter
Photo 13: One of Australia’s amazing playgrounds, right in front of Busselton beach
