Day 74. Margaret River

Busselton Jetty

Busselton Jetty

Wow! What's going on? We're not use to this! We're up early this morning as we are off to Busselton Jetty to catch the train out to the Underwater Observatory. After loading up the kids in the 3 x 4wd's, we head north for 30 minutes to Busselton, and we arrive to a beautiful day. The sun's shining, the seas are calm, and there is no wind! We couldn't ask for more.

Silly us soon discover that we are suppose to book a 'tour' to get a train ride and tour of the underwater observatory.

Scarlett and the train

The next suitable tour doesn't start until 1pm (and its only 10am), so we buy our tickets and then go exploring the township of Busselton. We soon realise that if it wasn't for the jetty, most people would probably bypass this quiet little town. Don't get me wrong, the area is beautiful, but there isn't a lot to do with the kids. We drive around a bit, and discover that the Australian Rally is in Busselton this weekend (tomorrow), and the town is blocking streets and setting up grandstands along the local foreshore. I think we are here one day to early!

underwater viewing

1pm arrives, and we board the train for a ride out along the 1.84km jetty, the longest timber jetty in the southern hemisphere. We enter the observatory and go down 6 flights of stairs to the ocean floor.

Here, our tour guide explained the history and significance of this jetty and local underwater sea life. It really is an amazing experience, and to see life going on all around you in real-time, and not in an aquarium really opens your eyes. The only other way of experiencing this is by SCUBA diving.

During our visit, there's a shout from the crowd that there's a shark! Everyone runs over to one of the windows, and we soon discover that Maya has discovered a 1.5 metre Grey Nurse Shark swimming around the underwater viewing observatory.

These sharks are on the verge of extinction, and are classed as critically endangered, so we are very privileged to see one during our visit. They aren't even common to the area, and this is a lone specimen that sometimes visits the jetty.

Grey Nurse Shark

After the jetty, we head west and visit the Cape Naturalist Lighthouse. The kids have a ball playing in the grounds while the adults enjoy the views and beautiful weather that WA is providing today! Even Bec gets into the swing of things and does a great 'Pebbles' impersonation when she finds a kangaroo leg bone in the scrub!

"Pebbles"

We then go our separate ways after the lighthouse, as Paul and Megan head back towards Margaret River, and Bec and Jo head off to a local jewelry studio to be dazzled by some fantastic works of art.

Jace and I have the kids in tow, so we do what all good dads do and head straight to another brewery! We find what might be the best by far, its a combined brewery/winery. (The Saracen Winery and Duckstein Brewery). There is a great playground for the kids to play in, and the gardens and landscaping have to been seen to be believed. Jace and I have a 'Cider' or two while waiting for the girls to return from their shopping trip, while the kids have a blast playing and exploring the grounds.



Saracen Winery

 Later that night, we enjoyed our 'last supper' together, as tomorrow we all have to head off in different directions. Hopefully we will all meet up again somewhere else along the road while exploring Australia!