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Bunbury Western Australia

The first recorded mapping of what is now Koombana Bay and the eventual
City of Bunbury, was in 1803 by the French explorers Nicolas Baudin and
Louis de Freycinet, from their ships the Geographe and Casuarina. In
1831 there was a temporary English military settlement with the first
settlers moving to the area named after Lieutenant Henry William St
Pierre Bunbury in 1838. A growing port serviced the settlers and the
subsequent local industries that developed.

The area is the traditional land of the Noongar Aboriginal people with
many Noongar names and travel routes still widely used today.

Enjoying a mild Mediterranean climate, the city is bordered by the
Indian Ocean, Koombana Bay and Leschenault inlet and naturally enough
water sports, port and harbour facilities as well as a growing seafoods
industry, feature highly in the local lifestyle and economy. Bunbury's
port is Australia's ninth largest port by volume and by 2020 should be
rated within the nation's top five.

Located 175km south of Perth, the city and its neighboring suburbs have
a population of 52,000 and Bunbury is one of Australia's fastest
growing cities. Bunbury is the commercial hub to WA's "South West", an
area that is home to the Margaret River wine region and major coal,
alumina and mineral sands industries; a region that boasts around 8,000
businesses and a GDP of over $5 billion. Presently it is about a 2 hour
drive from Perth to Bunbury, but this will be reduced by 30 minutes on
the completion of the recently announced Bunbury Highway or Peel
Deviation.

Bunbury is well known for its "Cappucino Strip" restaurant and café
precinct and more recently the fast developing Marlston waterfront area
that already includes the upmarket Vat 2 restaurant, Taffy's "live"
confectionary outlet, Barbados tavern and nightclub, Jiving J's
waterfront bar and eatery and "Surprise Chef" Aristos's own seafood
boardwalk.

Thousands of years ago Bunbury was subject to lava flows which resulted
in both the unique basalt rock formations on the city beach as well as
the present Marlston Hill and Boulters Heights, where today some of
Bunbury's most exclusive residential real estate is located.

There are numerous property choices in the Bunbury area ranging from
trendy cosmopolitan apartments to traditional suburban family homes and
from beach retreats to rural or semi-rural properties.

There is a wide variety of attractions, with Bunbury the home of the
Dolphin Discovery Centre where you can learn about and interact with
wild dolphins, whilst in 2005 the city hopes to host a round of the
Formula Nippon motor racing circuit. There is an indoor skate centre,
ten pin bowling, cinema within the CBD area with the Bunbury
Entertainment Centre alongside. Bunbury boasts a major aquatic and
fitness centre with a smaller indoor pool located at Australind.

There are 9 secondary schools in the central Bunbury area, a campus of
Edith Cowan University, TAFE College, several shopping centres,
sporting grounds and major private and public hospitals.

Shops are normally open 8.30am-5.30pm Monday to Friday and
8.30am-5.00pm Saturdays with late night shopping until 9pm on Thursday.
The Eaton Fair Shopping Centre in Bunbury's northern suburbs has
extended trading hours 7 days a week. Banks only operate 10am - 4pm
Monday through Thursday and until 5pm on Fridays, although credit and
building societies normally also open on Saturday mornings. There are a
host of automatic teller machines and bank agencies dotted in and
around Bunbury.

To get around Bunbury there are ample modern taxis, a public bus
transport service and more recently a tourist "tram" that will carry
you about the city areas and give you an explanation of the local sites
as you go. The Bunbury Visitor Centre in Carmody Street near
Centrepoint Shopping Centre will also assist with additional maps and
local knowledge.

There are several Bunbury medical practices and we have a listing of
emergency medical contacts on our "Contact" page.

There are a number of Post Offices in the Bunbury area and postage
stamps can also be purchased at local newsagencies. Postage for a
standard letter, anywhere in Australia, is 50c.

Free to Air TV channels in Bunbury are the ABC, GWN, WIN and SBS but
many homes also receive the Perth networks 7, 9 and 10. Foxtel pay TV
is also available in Bunbury. The electricity supply in Bunbury, like
the rest of Australia, is 240v.

City and suburban locations in the Bunbury area include Australind,
Eaton, Dalyellup, Vittoria Heights, Marlston Hill, Clifton Park,
Gelorup, Mangles, Leschenault, Crosslands, Sandridge Park, Glen Padden,
South Bunbury, Withers, College Grove, Carey Park, Picton, Davenport
and East Bunbury. There is a full listing of Bunbury real estate in our
Bunbury real estate guide.

The Bunbury region of Western Australia includes the areas of Harvey,
Capel, Dardanup, Binningup, Myalup, Burekup, Boyanup, Peppermint Grove
Beach, Stratham, Yarloop, Wokalup, Benger, Brunswick, Roelands,
Leschenault and the Ferguson Valley.

Bunbury is now also home to a substantial expat community from the USA,
Canada, South Africa, Zimbabwe and Botswana. Our Bunbury real estate
guide is of obvious benefit to both business migrants and the local
Bunbury community alike.


Keith Palmer
WA Online
Building information bridges for Western Australian communities
PO Box 342 Bunbury WA 6231
Phone: 08-979 15556 Fax: 08-979 15900
www.bunburyonline.com