DESCRIPTION
Dunsborough is located west of Busselton and is an alternative base to the larger town if you are visiting the wine growing areas to the south west.
Located at the northern end of W.A.'s best known wine growing area, Dunsborough is close to some extraordinarily beautiful beaches and coastline.
Bunker Bay, Eagle Bay, Meelup and Cape Naturaliste are the closest attractions but there is a great deal more to see within just a few minutes drive.
The destroyer HMAS Swan was scuttled in December 1997 just off the coast and provides an excellent site for diving enthusiasts.
The Swan is one of the largest easily accessible dive wrecks in the southern hemisphere.
HISTORY
Land for a town site was set aside as early as 1830 and whaling operations by Messrs Viveash and Co. were based in the bay around 1850.
It wasn't until 1879 that the town site of Dunsborough was formally declared.
The origins of the name are unclear but old marine charts list a 'Dunn Bay' in the area. Dunn Bay was named by
James Stirling
after a fellow naval officer Capt. Richard Darling Dunn. The original spelling was Dunnsbro. Another suggestion is that the name comes from a small
town in Scotland and yet another source claims that Dunn was an American whaler who used to anchor in the bay.
The Aboriginal name for the area was Quedjinup.
In 1907 the survivors of the Carnarvon Castle came ashore in life boats after the ship had caught fire and was abandoned far out to sea. A number of people lost
their lives during this tragedy.
Development in the area was fairly slow with a general store opening in 1925, a bakery 5 years later, a hall in 1957 and a primary school in 1963.
As surfing became popular in the 1960s the area began to become more important as a tourist destination and more major development took place from the 1970s.
TALL TALES AND TRUE
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OTHER INFORMATION
ATTRACTIONS
Eagle Bay Brewing Co., Whale watching (in season), Bunker Bay, Eagle Bay, Cape Naturaliste, Sugar Loaf Rock, Shelly Bay and the Meelup Trail.
BUILDINGS OF NOTE
Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse.
ELECTORAL ZONES
State : Vasse
Federal : Forrest
OTHER INFO.
Postcode : 6281
Local Government : City of Busselton
PHOTOS
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