DUNSBOROUGH

HEMA Map reference 74/G2

33° 37' 35" S 115° 07' 17" E

Statistics

Caravan Park

Dunsborough          08 9756 8300

Services

Attractions

Bunker Bay, Eagle Bay, Cape Naturaliste, Sugar Loaf Rock, Bannamah Wildlife Park and Greenacres Shell Museum.

Buildings of note

Unknown

Calendar of events

2nd Saturday each month: Markets. January: Australia Day breakfast. March: Arts festival, Jazz by the Bay. Easter: Easter fair. November: Anaconda adventure race.

Description

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.

It was declared a town in 1877 (another source quotes 1879) but land was set aside for a town site as early as 1830. The Aboriginal name for the area was Quedjinup.

Initially a whaling station was started there by Messrs Viveash and Coy.

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.

Located west of Busselton it is another alternative base if you are visiting the wine growing areas to the south.

The HMAS Swan was sunk just off the coast and provides an excellent dive site for diving enthusiasts.

The town has experienced unprecedented growth in the last few years and is all but unrecognisable to those who have not been there for some time.