Chilling out in Bunbury, the perfect base in WA...

If you're at the tail of end of what has probably been a long flight, and are about to land in Perth, and are making a final glance through your Rough Guides or Lonely Planet handbook, Bunbury is probably not going to jump out as one of the places that you add to your list of places to visit while you're in Western Australia. It seems to go pretty much with out mention in every travel guide I checked before my trip down under—which was a little disconcerting as it was the place I was going to be spending a lot of my time. And it is true, that it may not be the place in WA most packed with things to do and see. But luckily the friends I stayed with in Oz lived in this fantastic little town, and I got the benefit of one of the best base points for seeing the south west coast I could have hoped for.
If you're having a rather rushed trip, and aren't planning on spending too many days lazing about and enjoying the great Aussie atmosphere, then Bunbury may not be for you. But it is an excellent place to visit while you're relaxing, and as a staging place for all the hundreds of day trips available from this area, to see what there is to see in this little corner of Australia. The beaches are some of the most chilled and atmospheric for taking the beach towel and a book and watching the sunset before taking a quick dip in the Indian. (Koombana Bay is the one widely known, but I highly recommend the Back Beach.) There are a number of fantastic restaurants in the area, as well as having a great town for walking around, sightseeing, doing a bit of shopping, and all in all just enjoying Western Australia. It's a very friendly and scenic place, extremely easy to get around, and as I said, perfect for shooting off south to the coastal towns, or Margaret River, or some of the little inland towns all with in a few hours drive.

Sit and have a coffee at one of the little cafes, and spend the afternoon writing postcards before heading off to the beach for a stunning view and a pristine beach to relax on.

Quick Tips:

Bring a book and a beach towel to Bunbury. It's not the best known for surfing, as there are some amazing surfing beaches just down the coast, but for swimming and sunbathing it is hard to beat. The waves the roll in off the Indian Ocean are perfect (both in size and temperature) for a bit of swimming and body surfing. If you want a bit more peace, go for the Back Beach with a view of the local lighthouse as well as some truly Amazing sunsets. Also try Koombana Bay for great views of sailboats, good sunbathing, and possible dolphin sightings.
There are several little sight seeing excursions with in Bunbury, but its greatest charm is its sense of welcome—that 2 days in you begin to feel as if you live in this great little town, and by the third you feel like a proper Aussie—waking up, grabbing your bathing suit and beach towel, and heading out to see where the day takes you. The shopping district is all within easy walking distance of the little town, and there is a good variety of shops to choose from. It has a very small town feel, with a bigger town's choice and selection. There is a great movie theater, if you feel so inclined, and plenty of coffee shops along the main street to stop in on the way to or from the beach to sit in the shade and enjoy the scenery.

It is hard to put into words the pleasures of a town like Bunbury... there aren't loads of things I can list to do and see. Its greatness, I think, is in its simplicity, and when I left I felt like I was leaving home. I really fell in love with this little town, and could easily have seen myself living there.
On a side note... for some great kangaroo spotting, drive north into Australind at sunset and hug the coast. A few miles in you will come to some horse farms that are generally flush with lazing gray kangaroos. The first night in town we saw hundreds laying about in the fields, and it's a great way to start an Australian trip. It's always better to see these things in the wild than in a zoo, I feel.

Best Way To Get Around:

You do need a car if you're going to be spending any time at all in Bunbury—or most of Western Australia for that matter. It's very conveniently located, about 1½ hours south of Perth on the coast, and pretty much a straight shot down. It's also about 3 hours north of Margaret River, and 2 hours north of some of the best surfing and sightseeing in Western Australia, in the towns of Dunsborough and Yallingup. There is a huge variety of scenery and little towns each with their own thing to offer in the surrounding area, but getting to them will be tricky if you don't have a car. You can get a bus down to Bunbury from Perth, but they don't run very often and are a bit on the expensive side.

Once you are into Bunbury town, walking around is both easy and extremely enjoyable. The town is well laid out and nice to look at and with a very pleasant vibe. It's impossible to get lost as most of the town encompasses one long street, with a few shopping districts all with in a few blocks.

If you are into cycling, this too is a good way to get around (the intense heat aside), as there are very well organized sidewalks for all the local walkers and cyclists, and you can get all over the Bunbury area with a good bike a bit of leg power. If you have the energy, this is a very good way to get around.

Bunbury is a rather small place, with a good sense of itself. There isn't much in the way of tourist attractions here, and that goes for the restaurants as well. There are a good selection of rather interesting places to eat, but only one if you're looking for a good time Australian experience themed restaurant.

I will have to give mixed reviews of this restaurant on the main strip in the centre of Bunbury, because when I was there they were in the process of changing chefs. My friends who lived locally all said that Walkabout was their favourite restaurant, and the best place in town to get a good sirloin steak...but that while they were looking for a new chef the quality had fallen drastically.

Despite this advice, we wandered past the open area several times, watching the locals enjoying giant hamburgers and chips (steak fries) or a variety of meals that all looked excellent while enjoying a local Australian beer (something the Aussies are very proud of). Eventually the scenery of it all (as well as the name) drew us in, and we decided to have lunch there.

Firstly let me say, that the atmosphere of the place is good. It feels a bit more 'authentic' then say Outback Steak House in the US—although, don't expect the same caliber of steak.

It has a very Aussie feel to it, with rough wood walls and local signs and pictures covering most surfaces. A small bar with a good selection near an open area to look out across the street, or tables under an awning outside on the sidewalk. The eating environment was very enjoyable. We came in one afternoon for one of the lunch specials (intrigued by the prospect of kangaroo sausages...), and ended up getting a couple of Ozzie Burgers and some Crown Lager.

They weren't bad...I'll say that right upfront, but neither were they anything to shout about. They were my first experience of the Australian institution that is putting beetroot on hamburgers (a not altogether unpleasant concoction) But the meal was just ok. Nothing more, and probably a little bit pricey for the quality we got. The service was substandard as well...the waitress seemed extremely bored, and even though we were one of only three customers in at the time only came by to check on us once.

All in all the food and service was pretty average, and the setting was quite cool and rather enjoyable. Probably a better spot to just stop and have a beer and maybe share some nachos.

Having said all this, keep in mind that I was assured by many locals that normally it was a magnificent place to eat with excellent food. So if the venue intrigues you, grab a few locals and ask if the Walkabout's got a new chef yet...it might we well worth stopping in.

If you are driving down the west coast of Australia, heading south towards Cape Naturaliste and the southern oceans, you can find more visually stunning beaches than the Back Beach in Bunbury. You can even find more secluded beaches. But of all the little local beaches I have been to in the world, this is one of my favourites.
For anyone relaxing in the Bunbury area, either just for the pure joy of the location and the small, home town feel, or as a base camp for sight seeing other bits of west Australia, Back Beach is something truly not to be missed.
Not far from the Dolphin Discovery centre, it's not totally uncommon to see a dolphin fin skirting the waves at dusk.
The beach isn't always completely empty, but neither is it packed full. The locals do as most locals are apt to do, and totally take this wonderful spot for granted. The temperature of the water was perfect every time we visited this beach (which was a lot in our month long stay in the area). Any day that didn't involve any hard core exploring or sight-seeing we ended up with beach towels and books laying on the pristine sand of the Back Beach and enjoying the total peace and calm of the waves from the Indian Ocean.

The waves here are near perfect, as well. They range from very small and great for doing a bit of wading and swimming in, to big enough to have a great time body surfing. Sunsets over the Back Beach and the Indian Ocean are hard to beat anywhere in the world…and they do have their own sense of style and place…feeling very distinct from all the other sunsets I've witnessed.

While we sat on borrowed beach towels devouring the view and in awe of how we somehow had ended up in such a place, we often watched a couple of locals jogging up the beach, some swimmers out getting their evening exercise, and the occasional other visitors enjoying the spot. But there is plenty of room for everyone and at no point did our space feel crowded.

There aren't huge numbers of tourists who come to the Bunbury area, and there aren't many great beaches in the world left that that can be said of. So sitting there, you really do feel like you're on your own little beach near home, rather than visiting a happening tourist spot-which is right up my alley.

Often you get nearby brush fires, whose smoke billows in at sunset and makes for The Most amazing sunsets you are ever likely to see…and with any luck, you can catch a few sailboats sailing past for once in a lifetime photos.
It's just a moment from the centre of town, and with a fantastic little seafood restaurant at the top of the beach. When you finish your time relaxing, rinse off in the outdoor showers, then pop over for some incredibly fresh seafood. An amazing beach.

If you have been flipping through guide books to see what there actually is to do in Bunbury, just about the only thing of note you're likely to find is the Dolphin Discovery Centre. Staying with locals, we went to try and avoid the touristy things (not that there is all that much of it in Western Australia, the reason we came west instead of east in the first place), but decided on a nice day of puttering around town that we might as well stop in and see the town's one big attraction.

The Dolphin Discovery Centre is one of those things you can enjoy having done mostly because you're visit is contributing to something well worth contributing to. If you think of it as a way to give a small donation to the support of dolphins in the wild and dolphin research and get a little something back then you will leave feeling happily pleased with yourself, and not disappointed. If you go expecting a big tourist attraction, you are likely to feel a bit let down.

It's a small place, with a room for viewing dolphin videos, a smallish room posted with dolphin information and pictures of the local dolphins, and a gift shop. And that's about all you get with out paying an extortionate price for swimming with dolphins that you aren't allowed to touch or come in contact with in any way. (In my opinion, you may as well try your luck swimming in Koombana Bay.) I met up with an Irish couple on a trip down south who had been on the boat tour at the Discovery Centre and said it was brilliant--that the dolphins swim all along side you and it's a great thing to see. But for $35 you can take an hour long cruise on one of the amazing Bussleton yachts and see just as much dolphin activity. However, the money wouldn't be going for any preservational purposes.

It is, actually, worth stopping into the centre if you have any interest in the local marine life at all--as I said--mostly to pay homage to the institution. It's all done with volunteer work, and they definitely have their work cut out for them. And not only that--your $4 entry ticket is good for three months, so if you don't spot any dolphins in the estuary when you arrive, you are free to pop back in any time for the next three months at a chance to see them. (They recommend early morning for the best chance.)

The centre is open every day from 8am-4pm

Driving east out of Bunbury, about 50km you can find the incredible hiking/biking forest of Wellington. Located near the town of Collie, this is a great place to visit for those who enjoy the Great Outdoors. A hearty welcome to the Australian bush.

The terrain in this area of Western Australia changes dramatically in a fairly short distance, and so driving from the very flat beach community of Bunbury, you may be surprised to find yourself quickly passing through the golden hill area of the Ferguson Valley and into the deep green growth of Wellington Forest.
For those of you looking for a bit of outdoor fun, there is a great variety to do in this area, and whether you want a pleasant drive around to enjoy the trees and scenery, (possibly spotting some roos) or want to spend a week hiking the forest, bike riding the magnificent bush trails, or camping out in some of the world class campsites, there really is a bit of something for everyone.

Simply driving through the dirt roads that lead through out the forest and out to Wellington Dam is a great experience. The scenery turns so green and so thick so quickly it's a little bit bewildering. Have your camera ready, because there is a lot to shoot here.

But if you are one who likes to hike, take your boots and some water and don't plan to come back for a few days. I regret that I never got back to Wellington Forest to do any more than a small bit of exploring, because the amount of trails and terrain there is here to explore could very easily keep you occupied for an entire week.

The bikers love this area, too, and though I never got on a bike out here, was assured by my mountain biking-Ozzie friend that it was one of the best places in the area for doing just that. And it's easy to see why. The forest is lush and thick, and truly stunning, but the trails are there for those wanting to take their bike out and see where the day leads them.

So if you are out, hiking all day and decide that there simply isn't enough time for you do see all you wanted to see and get back before dark--I highly recommend you find one of the impressive campsites that are found in the area. Of all that I encountered in my time in Western Australia, one of the things that impressed me the most were the efficiency and layout of the campsites. We rolled into one at dark, just as the campers were all setting up for the night. Each camper had a space to set up and river near by, a very sanitary toilet set up, and probably most impressive--an honesty box for paying the reasonable A$5 camping fee. Simply set up, leave your money and enjoy a nice evening relaxing by the fire. A perfect outdoor lover's experience.

I couldn't possibly review Bunbury with out adding this little eccentric and amazing tidbit. Though Gnomesville isn't actually in Bunbury, it's in the general area and is something you absolutely must see, particularly if you are on your way out to Wellington Dam anyway.

We heard about this little local oddity kind of as if it were a myth. It was mentioned in a guidebook that someone once had, and then someone else would say that yes--they had heard about that. But no one we spoke to, including our local friends, had actually seen the place.

On a beautiful afternoon on the way out to Wellington Dam, we decided to side track through the breath taking Ferguson Valley and see if we couldn't find this illusive and mysterious sight.

What we saw when we arrived was so far from what we had expected that we all pulled in with mouth's agape and grabbing up extra rolls of film we though we would be using for sunset shots.

I am going to keep my description of this oddity to a minimum, because I'd like any that read this and venture there to be as amazed at it as I was. So instead of a massive description, I'll fill you in a little on the somewhat myth-like history behind it.

No one seems to actually know how it got started, or who actually started it, but at some point someone planted a standard garden gnome at the corner of this round about, and it has grown into an unbelievable community known to all the locals as "Gnomesville." People who visit the area for years have brought their own gnomes, and over time it has grown to amazing lengths. There are gnomes from all over the world--and you really do feel as if you've stepped into some surreal and unimaginable place. We arrived at dusk and the eerie and yet exciting feeling that the gnomes certainly came to life and began their Aussie fun at night was extremely powerful. It really is one of the most outstanding things I've ever seen, and however dubious you may be, I can not stress highly enough that this is something you should see.

And on that note, I also suggest that you find a gnome before you go, customize it, and leave it with his clansmen--purely to save time. I can almost guarantee that once seeing this place you will want to leave a contribution.
I leave the rest up to your imagination...but I can not stress enough how much you should see this totally unique and unexplained local treasure.