Page 320 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Australia

318  WESTERN A USTR ALIA

used as an arts complex.
Here, the jail cells, police offices,
courthouse and bond store
all date from 1856. Local crafts
are sold in the old jail cells,
and other outbuildings act
as studio space for artists.
The 1871 Ballarat, the first
steam locomotive used in the
state, stands in Victoria Park.

Environs
About 10 km (6 miles) north of
Busselton is Wonnerup House,
a lovingly restored house built by
pioneer George Layman in 1859
Wide first-floor veranda and ornate ironwork of the Rose Hotel, Bunbury and now owned by the National
Trust. Three other buildings
4Bunbury  Dolphin Discovery Centre share the site, the earliest being
* 67,000. £ @ @ g n Old Lot 830 Koombana Drive. Tel (08) 9791 the first house Layman erected
Railway Station, Carmody Place (08) 3088. Open Jun–Sep: 9am–2pm; Oct– in the 1830s. Both buildings
9792 7205. ∑ visitbunbury.com.au May: 8am–4pm. Closed 25 Dec. & 7 stand in pretty grounds within
E King Cottage Museum farmland and are furnished with
The city of Bunbury lies about 77 Forrest Ave. Tel (08) 9721 7546. Layman family memorabilia and
180 km (110 miles) south of Open 2–4pm daily. Closed public artifacts. In 1874, Layman’s son
Perth at the southern end of the holidays. & 7 limited. built a school and, in 1885,
Leschenhault Inlet. The state’s a teacher’s house close by.
second-largest city, it is the About 20 km (12 miles) north
capital of the southwest region. 5Busselton of Busselton is the beautiful
Since the 19th century it has * 32,000. ~ @ Ludlow Tuart Forest National
grown into a thriving port and a n 38 Peel Terrace (08) 9752 5800. Park, probably the largest area
centre for local industry. It is also ∑ geographebay.com of tuart trees left in the world.
a popular holiday destination,
with many water sports available. Standing on the shores of P Wonnerup House
Historic buildings in Bunbury Geographe Bay, Busselton offers 935 Layman Rd. Tel (08) 9752 2039.
include the Rose Hotel, built in more than 30 km (19 miles) of Open 10am–4pm Thu–Mon.
1865, with its first-floor veranda beaches and an array of water- Closed Good Fri, 25 Dec. & 7
and intricate ironwork detail. based activities, including fishing,
The Anglican St Boniface whale-watching and scuba-diving.
Cathedral contains some pretty Busselton Jetty, 2 km (1 mile) 6Margaret River
stained glass. Nearby are the long and once the longest in * 13,500. ~ @ @
Bunbury Art Galleries, housed Australia, is a reminder of the n 100 Bussell Hwy (08) 9780 5911.
in the former Sisters of Mercy town’s origins as a timber port. ∑ margaretriver.com
convent built in the 1880s. Some of Busselton’s oldest
Today they are the centre for surviving buildings are located The attractive town of Margaret
community arts events. at the Old Courthouse site, now River, close to the Indian Ocean,
On the beachfront stands the was first settled by Europeans
Dolphin Discovery Centre, in the 1850s. The town became
which has fascinating audio- the centre of an agricultural and
visual exhibits and a shallow timber region, but in the past
pool where visitors can interact few decades has gained fame for
with dolphins. Wild dolphins its wineries (see pp40–41), and
regularly appear off the beach for its splendid surfing beaches.
in front of the centre, and Within the town are many
visitors come to see them and galleries, studios and gourmet
swim with them. The centre food and beverage specialists.
also runs cruises and swim- The Margaret River Gallery
with-dolphin tours. showcases works by Western
The King Cottage Museum, Australian artists. Featuring
is run by the Bunbury Historical painting, sculpture, jewellery
Society. It exhibits local artifacts and furniture, the gallery also
dating from the 1880s to the hosts exhibition openings. Set
1920s and a wealth of Entrance to Busselton’s original in 12 ha (30 acres) of bush on
photographs. courthouse building the outskirts of town, the Eagles
For hotels and restaurants in this area see p490 and pp519–21