Top Towns for 2022: Busselton is WA's underrated gem

A swag of new openings has pushed Busselton into the light and landed it at no.28 on your list of Top 50 Aussie Towns.

Find the complete list of the Top 50 Aussie Towns here.

Like many medium-sized regional cities, Busselton has a bypass road that has both pros and cons. For years, people en route to the Margaret River region would take the shortcut.

Lately though, drivers – myself included – are veering around the roundabout, into the freshly polished main street and down onto the revitalised foreshore. It turns out Busselton – known as ‘Busso’ to the locals – has been unfairly overlooked.

Before you even reach the dazzling coastline – the sheltered blue expanse of Geographe Bay fills every inch of peripheral vision – there’s reason enough to pause. The first stop should be Bistro Breton, a thoroughly French crêpe house where traditional buckwheat flour is used, just like in Brittany (mais, oui!).

A few doors down, Alberta’s is a hole-in-the-wall 50-seater run by the former head chef of Noma (yes, THAT Noma) and his WA-born partner, previously Noma’s head gardener. Opening – for now – only between 8am and noon, Friday to Monday, they’re defiantly pursuing their dream of work-life balance while serving unconventional breakfasts such as chicken bone broth or bun with cheese.

Alberta’s Kitchen and Store is a must-visit spot. (Image: Josh Ball)

Next door to them is Burger Bones, a spot that became an instant institution revered for its intensely flavoured, grass-fed Blackwood Valley Beef – locals report driving for miles for a taste of it. Hally’s Bar is a short amble around the block and, with its arrival, barflies can now gaze over the rooftops, cocktail in hand.

Hally’s Bar has a rooftop with a view. (Image: Mckillop Photography)

The views may draw you to the shore, famous for Busselton Jetty, which juts 1.841 kilometres out over the ocean, making it the longest timber-piled jetty in the southern hemisphere. Its deepest pylons give way to an underwater observatory, with coral and subtropical fish visible through huge windows.

Busselton Jetty is iconic. (Image: Tourism Australia)

A new cafe and marine discovery centre are currently being built at its tip, due to open in mid-2023. Back on the sand, a nautical-themed playground complete with a sinking ship and whale’s tail distracts the kids while the parents pop into Shelter Brewing Co.

The lofty beer hall is overlooked by a life-sized humpback whale mural, which is fitting as the floor doubles as a whale-watching spot. But nothing beats joining Naturaliste Charters on a tour of the bay where some 40,000 whales pass by from September to November.

Mothers escort their calves to southern feasting grounds as playful humpback pods demonstrate how to breach, tail and fin slap on the way. Watching it all unfold in Busselton’s calm waters is pure joy.

Geographe Bay is a top spot for whale watching. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

Explore more of South West WA in our travel guide or find out which other towns made it into your Top 50.