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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
harbor 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 "Cappuccino 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" confectionery 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 Center 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 center, ten pin bowling, cinema within the CBD area with
the Bunbury Entertainment Center alongside. Bunbury boasts a major aquatic and
fitness center 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 centers, 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 Center 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 Center in
Carmody Street near Centrepoint Shopping Center 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 news agencies. 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.
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