Welcome to The Geographe Gazette!

In today’s edition:

• Extended Fire Ban: Learn about the prohibited burning period extension and its impact on the community.

• Dunsborough Arts Festival: A three day festival including sculptures, concerts, an art market, and a firework display.

• Live Music Lowdown: Discover the hottest gigs happening this weekend.

• And more…

“Many of us go down a sad path when we let our egos make us suffer.”

—Mo Gawdat

Here is this week’s trivia question. The answer will be shown in next week’s newsletter. Which do you think it is? No cheating!

What was the first jetty built in Busselton used for?

What was the first jetty built in Busselton used for? A) Fishing B) Timber export C) Passenger transport D) Military purposes

• A) Fishing

• B) Timber export

• C) Passenger transport

• D) Military purposes

Answer to Last Week’s Trivia:

A) Meelup Beach.

Busselton

Busselton Foreshore Markets: Held on the first, third, and fifth Sunday of each month at Signal Park, these markets offer local arts, crafts, and culinary delights.

• Date: Sunday, March 2nd, 2025

• Time: 7:00 AM to 12:30 PM

• Location: Signal Park, Busselton Foreshore

Origins Market: From Thursday, February 27th to Sunday, March 2nd, 2025, visit Origins Market for local produce, artisan products, food, and drink vendors. The market is located at 86 West St, Busselton. Hours are Thursday - Saturday: 8:30 AM - 9:00 PM, Sunday: 8:30 AM - 6:00 PM.>.

• Date: 27 Feb - 2 March

• Time: Thursday - Saturday: 8:30 AM - 9:00 PM, Sunday: 8:30 AM - 6:00 PM

• Location: 86 West St, Busselton

• Dunsborough Arts Festival & Sculpture by the Bay: This annual festival takes place at the Dunsborough Foreshore from Saturday, March 1st to Monday, March 3rd, 2025. It includes sculptures, concerts, an art market, and more. A fireworks display will occur on Sunday, March 2nd, from 5:30 PM to 10:00 PM at Geographe Bay Road, Dunsborough Foreshore.

• Busselton Fringe Festival: The festival kicks off on March 1st and runs until March 23rd, offering dance, comedy, and circus acts.

• Seafood BBQ Feast: On Saturday, March 1st, enjoy fresh seafood with views of the underwater observatory at the Busselton Jetty Underwater Observatory.

• Fringe Fun Fest!: The opening weekend of the Busselton Fringe at the Old Courthouse Complex is on Saturday, March 1st.

• Pride Wellbeing Festival Planning Workshop: Participate in a workshop to plan the Pride Wellbeing Festival at The People Place Busselton on Saturday, March 1st.

• Beerfarm RODEO: The Rodeo is back in 2025 at Beerfarm, Gale Road, Metricup WA. This multi-day event showcases rodeo action, local musicians, and food vendors. Friday, February 28. Tickets

Friday:

• Har Bar | Autumn Beats feat: Edlin | 7:30pm

• Caves House | Pete Matthews| 5:30-8:30pm

• Shelter | Southern River Band | 6pm

Saturday:

• Aravina Estate | Eloise Connel | 1-4pm

• Bootleg Brewery | Andy McManus | 12-3pm

• Caves House | Chris Hawker | 5:30-8:30pm

Sunday:

• Aravina Estate | Ollie Quinlan | 12-3pm

• Aravina Estate | DJ Swami | 3:30-7pm

• Bootleg Brewery | Seth Lowe | 12-3pm

• Caves House | The Baked Beats | 1-4pm

• Caves House | Howie Morgan Trio| 5:30-8:30pm

• Prohibited Burning Period Extended: Due to the high fire risk, the City of Busselton has extended the prohibited burning period until March 14. Adhering to this fire ban is crucial for public safety and preventing bushfires. This measure is likely influenced by the recent bushfire in Dunsborough.
  

• Dunsborough Fire Update: A fire broke out in Dunsborough, prompting a rapid response from various fire services, including bushfire brigades, fire and rescue, and parks and wildlife. Thanks to the coordinated efforts of over 120 firefighters and aerial support, the fire was contained. Busselton Detectives and Dunsborough Police are investigating the bushfire.
  

• Busselton Jetty Train Renamed: The famous train at Busselton Jetty has been given a new name. This popular tourist attraction continues to evolve and provide entertainment for visitors.
  

• Coastal Dune Resilience Project: Maintenance work will be carried out on the coastal stretch from King Street to Margaret Street.
  

• New Water Pipeline Installation: Busselton Water will install a new water pipeline along Caves Road from Mitchell Street to Marybrook Road, Marybrook, starting February 3.
  

• Community Concerns Regarding Fire Safety: A veteran brigade firefighter has raised concerns about fire safety and called for changes to current practices. This call for action comes in the wake of the recent Dunsborough bushfire and highlights the need for ongoing evaluation and improvement of fire prevention and response strategies.
  

• Dunsborough Precinct Structure Plan Update: The City of Busselton is working to incorporate new building heights into the Dunsborough Precinct Structure Plan (DPSP) following a decision by the Minister for Planning. These new heights will be implemented through the new Dunsborough Town Centre Design Guidelines and could potentially lead to increased density and changes to the town's character.
  

• Capecare Dunsborough Returns to Normal: Capecare Dunsborough has been given the all-clear from emergency crews and is now returning to normal services.

• Recent bird sightings: Recent bird sightings in the Busselton area have been reported on eBird. Some notable sightings include Regent Parrots at Heron Lake and an Eastern Cattle Egret at Vasse.

Government Corner

City of Busselton Updates

• Economic Development and Marketing Grants: The City of Busselton is providing funding through the Business Development, Events and Marketing Program (BDEMP) to bolster business and industry in the region.

• Road Sealing Petition: The City of Busselton council received a petition with 76 signatures calling for the sealing of Metricup-Yelverton Road.

• Upcoming State Election: The Western Australian State Election is scheduled for March 8.

• Marri Reserve Update - Bushfire Recovery: Following the recent fire, Marri Reserve is temporarily closed.

Friday

31°C 🌡️ 16°C ☀️ 0% | 💨 SE 24 km/h

Saturday

32°C 🌡️ 18°C ☀️ 0% | 💨 N 23 km/h

Sunday

29°C 🌡️ 16°C ☁️ 0% | 💨 S 37 km/h

Monday

28°C 🌡️ 15°C ☀️ 0% | 💨 SE 32 km/h

Tuesday

30°C 🌡️ 17°C ☀️ 0% | 💨 NE 25 km/h

Connect With Us

If we have missed any events we should have included, or if you want to give us feedback, reply to this email and let us know what you think. We would love to hear from you!

-Editor