Wednesday 8th October – Busselton Underwater Observatory

Why We Stayed an Extra Day in Busselton

The Busselton Underwater Observatory was the reason we decided to stay an extra day in Busselton, and it ended up being one of the most memorable parts of our trip. There are several ways to access Busselton Jetty and the observatory (mentioned in an earlier post), but we opted for the guided tour and booked onto the 9:00am slot.

The 1.84km Train Ride Down Busselton Jetty

We boarded the electric jetty train for the full 1.84km journey to the end. Small note — I was asked to leave my rucksack behind (website details what is and isn’t allowed), so it’s worth checking ahead.

Inside the Busselton Underwater Observatory

At the end of the jetty, our guide met us and took us down into one of only six underwater observatories in the world. The structure is a large cylinder reaching 8 metres down to the seabed, with windows on multiple levels. As we descended each staircase, we moved through different layers of ocean life — up to 300 species have been recorded around the jetty piles.

There were fascinating displays about how the observatory was engineered and how the piles have become a thriving artificial reef. I found the construction side genuinely interesting (I would).

Thirty Minutes to Explore on Our Own

After the guided walk-through, we had another half hour to look around by ourselves. Huge shoals of fish drifted past the windows, and the growth on the piles was incredible — corals, sponges, weed and a surprising amount of colour. You can snorkel at the end of the jetty, but we weren’t feeling that adventurous.

The Busselton Underwater Observatory was absolutely worth the extra night in town and we’d recommend it to anyone visiting the Margaret River Region, especially families.

Post-Tour Squid Fishing (and an Unexpected Ink Bath)

Lauren and the kids took the train back for lunch while I walked the jetty to try my luck with a squid jig I’d picked up the previous day. To my surprise, it didn’t take long to land the first one — and by the time I’d reached shore, I’d caught four.

I managed to avoid the worst of the ink for most of the walk, until the last one got me square in the face, “Squinked,”! My clothes sat for two weeks before we figured out how to get the stains out.

Lunch at Shelter Brewing Co.

Back on land, we headed to Shelter Brewing Co., a craft brewery right at the start of the jetty. Founded by two local families, it serves cold beer and generous plates — ideal after a busy morning. The view of the foreshore didn’t hurt either.

Heading South to Gracetown

After lunch we drove 45 minutes south to our next campsite near Gracetown, stopping briefly at Gracetown Beach — a popular surf spot with the classic dramatic WA coastline.

We arrived at Gracetown Caravan Park, which was lively and family-friendly. Our pitch overlooked the play area and the kids were off making friends within minutes. We’d unknowingly turned up on Mexican night, with Dos Amigos serving gluten-free tacos and bowls — the perfect easy dinner.

We finished the day watching Paddington in Peru at the park’s outdoor cinema.

A great end to an amazing day!