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The history of the Busselton Jetty can be traced back to the early days of the settlement when the American whalers came in their square-rigged sailing ships.
In 1839 Governor Hutt appointed "the place in Geographe Bay opposite the Settlement at The Vasse to be the legal place for the loading and unloading of goods", but it was some time before a jetty was constructed to take the place of this spot.
After strong and persistent pressure by settlers, sanction was given for the erection of a jarrah jetty in 1853.
In 1865 a rough wooden Jetty became available to ships from many parts of the world as well as the local shipping which included the coastal traders.
Drift sand over the next ten years so shallowed the depth that in 1875 an additional 430 feet was added, giving a depth at low tide of eleven feet.
Further extensions were made over the years up till the 1960's. Horse drawn trucks were used for loading until 1909 when the railway jetty came into being. The Jetty was then believed to be the longest in the Southern Hemisphere. Its present length is 1841m.
The last commercial ship visited the Jetty on 17 October 1971. On 21 July 1972, the Jetty was closed to shipping by Governors Proclamation in the WA Gazette after more than a century of usage. Once closed, Government maintenance of the Jetty ceased and it began to deteriorate, attached by wood borers, rot and the occasional fire.
On 4 April 1978, Cyclone Alby swept south down the Western Australian coast from the North-West (a rare occurrence) and destroyed a large part of the shore end of the Jetty.
Subsequently, townspeople banded together to try to save the Jetty and eventually persuaded the State Government and the Shire Council to provide some much needed funds for repair.
However, rebuilding the timber jetty proved expensive and funds soon ran out. The Jetty Preservation Society, formed in 1987, resorted to community fund-raising.
Over the past 15 years in excess of AUD $9 million has been committed to Jetty restoration and development projects.
The Busselton Jetty today stands as a monument to the spirit and commitment of the Busselton community.
The Centenary of Federation Project 2001
- "Jetty Views" -
...is a life sized, embroidered representation of the pylons and marine life found at the end of the jetty.
Approximately 2 metres in height this artistic interpretation was presented to the Museum on behalf of the Busselton Geographe Embroiders Group. |