Busselton/Margaret River WA

Mr Google has let me down! :rolleyes: Can anyone tell me where the ship's tenders tie up at Busselton, please? I understand they have the longest wooden jetty with a pay train and underwater observatory, but would like to be able to plan my day. :)

There is a small jetty adjacent to the long wharf where the tender boats tie up. You can organise when you arrive the tourist train to the end of the jetty and the aquarium.

It is all very flat walking and you are only a couple of minutes into the centre of Busselton.

Everything is very easily accessible.

Hope this helps.

Regards

Judy

There is a small jetty adjacent to the long wharf where the tender boats tie up. You can organise when you arrive the tourist train to the end of the jetty and the aquarium.

It is all very flat walking and you are only a couple of minutes into the centre of Busselton.

Everything is very easily accessible.

Agreed. Busselton is charming and the locals are very welcoming. They usually have a display of vintage cars, an arts/craft market, and an art display in an art gallery.

Thanks Judy and Aus T. Much appreciated. We are looking forward to our day in Busselton - hoping to fit in a swim if weather is good. :)

And it is the doorway to the Wineries, they will likely have booths set up for winery tours if you haven't already booked something.:D

And it is the doorway to the Wineries, they will likely have booths set up for winery tours if you haven't already booked something.:D

I haven't ever seen that on the few occasions we have visited Busselton.:)

I haven't ever seen that on the few occasions we have visited Busselton.:)

Our cruise itinerary actually lists the port as 'Margaret River', not Busselton, and Princess has tours to the wineries, however we are not interested in those and would prefer to explore Busselton and its history. It looks very nice on Google Earth :D

Our cruise itinerary actually lists the port as 'Margaret River', not Busselton, and Princess has tours to the wineries, however we are not interested in those and would prefer to explore Busselton and its history. It looks very nice on Google Earth :D

Margaret River sounds more interesting, but actually it isn't.:D It does have vineyards in the surrounding area, but the small town has some 'yuppie' restaurants, shops selling touristy stuff and a bottle shop or two. We have never been impressed.

If you want to buy some wine in Busselton there is a good bottle shop one street back from the main street (I mean running parallel).

On our visit to Busselton a few months ago we went on a tour to an olive 'factory' that included a scenic drive. I have to comment that it was one of the worst tours we have ever done. The olive factory was nicely presented, but we couldn't see anything of the process of making the products. The factory wasn't even in a olive grove. Also, the drive wasn't scenic. We didn't even drive to the coast - just through the bush going both ways. We were in a very old double-decker bus that was very noisy, so much that the driver/guide could only use the microphone once and that was when we were stopped at a traffic light in Busselton. I mention this not to complain but to warn. :D

Mr Google has let me down! :rolleyes: Can anyone tell me where the ship's tenders tie up at Busselton, please? I understand they have the longest wooden jetty with a pay train and underwater observatory, but would like to be able to plan my day. :)

not sure where the tenders tie up, but I see others are suggesting near the long jetty. We have booked privately for the train/underwater observatory tour on our day there (same day as you) & it is heavily booked. We booked for 1pm thru Viator, and the actual operator contacted to say no availability for that time slot, and changed us to the only 2 spots available on the 2pm tour. Other than that we plan a bit of a look around the town - I see we are not arriving until 10am

not sure where the tenders tie up, but I see others are suggesting near the long jetty. We have booked privately for the train/underwater observatory tour on our day there (same day as you) & it is heavily booked. We booked for 1pm thru Viator, and the actual operator contacted to say no availability for that time slot, and changed us to the only 2 spots available on the 2pm tour. Other than that we plan a bit of a look around the town - I see we are not arriving until 10am

As someone else said the jetty where the tenders tie up is near the long jetty. My estimation is 100-150 metres.

not sure where the tenders tie up, but I see others are suggesting near the long jetty. We have booked privately for the train/underwater observatory tour on our day there (same day as you) & it is heavily booked. We booked for 1pm thru Viator, and the actual operator contacted to say no availability for that time slot, and changed us to the only 2 spots available on the 2pm tour. Other than that we plan a bit of a look around the town - I see we are not arriving until 10am

Thanks for the heads up. Just phoned the Jetty people direct and they could only fit us on the 3 pm or 11 am trains. 11 am would be cutting it fine as we are arriving at 10 am, and 3 pm might be a bit late to do the observatory, (no money refunded if you miss it) so we opted for just the train ride at 2 pm. Will go snorkelling from the beach or the platform - the lady said plenty of fish there. She swims with them every day. :D

Spent the day in Busselton/Margaret River when my cruise ship stopped in Busselton earlier this month. Unfortunately I hired a car from Avis in the city. It was a 10 minute walk from the jetty where the tenders let you off. I was the first cruise ship passenger at the Avis office, but had to wait 50 minutes for my car. Others from the ship came and left while I continued to wait. Apparently my car was coming from Bunbury. Even before the car came, when they began to process the paperwork, I noticed they had an incorrect rate (of course the rate they had was higher, not lower than what I booked). Fortunately I had a confirmation in writing so they honored it.

Then when I returned the car, no one was there and the door was locked. Fortunately they returned not too much later. But then they had an issue processing the credit card machine after they took an authorization that morning. So they were going to close it out later in the day. As I was leaving the parking lot, the woman came running after me saying she needed my credit card number again. She admitted they already had it and it was already in the system, but she wrote it down on her copy of the rental contract. I find this a huge security issue.

All in all, I would never recommend Avis in Busselton again. In hindsight I should have just left when they told me it would be up to an hour before they had my car and tried to find another one. On my walk to Avis I passed a local rental company. My bad.