Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Australia, or 08/9326 2000) runs a coach service from Perth, twice daily every
day except Saturday. It takes over 5 hours, and on some services you transfer by
local bus (which does not run Sun or public holidays) to a different coach in
Bunbury. You could also connect to this coach service in Bunbury by taking
WAGR's twice-daily
Australind
train from Perth to Bunbury—it shaves travel
time down to a bit over 4
1
⁄
2
hours. Fares are A$28 (US$18) with either mode.
WAGR schedules can differ on a public holiday or during Western Australian
school vacations.
VISITOR INFORMATION
You will pass many wineries before you get to
Margaret River township, but it's worth heading first to the
Margaret River Vis-
itor Centre
to pick up a winery guide. It's at 100 Bussell Hwy. (at Tunbridge
St.), Margaret River, WA 6285 (
&
08/9757 2911;
www.margaretriverwa.com).
It is open daily from 9am to 5pm; closed Christmas.
GETTING AROUND
Nine kilometers (5
1
⁄
2
miles) past Busselton, which
marks the start of the Southwest, the Bussell Highway makes a sharp left and
Taking a Dip with Flipper
The wild dolphins that come to Monkey Mia's shore (see “The Midwest &
the Northwest: Where the Outback Meets the Sea,” later in this chapter)
are justly famous. But just 2
1
⁄
2
hours' drive south of Perth, en route to
Margaret River, is a place where you can
swim
with these creatures.
And the tourist hordes that invade Monkey Mia are largely absent!
At the
Dolphin Discovery Centre
in the town of Bunbury, bottlenose
dolphins come into shore in Koombana Bay. You can “float” with them
free in the “interaction zone” on the beach in front of the Centre, under
the watchful eye of volunteer guides. The water is only waist-deep so
you can stand if you like. You must not actively swim, chase, or touch
them, but they are free to touch you. Bookings are not necessary.
From December to April the Centre runs
2-hour boat tours
to swim
with some of the bay's 100-plus dolphins in deeper water for A$99
(US$64); you must be over 8.
Naturaliste Charters
(
&
1300/361 351
in
Australia, or 08/9755 2276) runs excellent 90-minute
dolphin watch
cruises
twice daily (except Christmas or in bad weather) from the Centre
at 11am and 2pm; they cost A$27 (US$18) adults and A$20 (US$13) kids
4 to 12. The Centre has showers, a cafe, and a good little ecodisplay on
the dolphin life cycle; admission to that is A$2 (US$1.30) adults; A$1
(US65¢) seniors, students, and children; A$5 (US$3.25) family. The Centre
is open from 8am to 5pm (Oct-May) and from 10am to 3pm (June-Sept).
The Centre is located on Koombana Drive, Bunbury (
&
08/9791 3088;
www.dolphindiscovery.com.au).
Monkey Mia's fame as a dolphin spot means it draws crowds, so
rangers control interaction with the dolphins. You are unlikely to get to
touch or swim with dolphins there. So why go all the way to Monkey
Mia? Because sightings are almost guaranteed every day. At Bunbury,
dolphins don't show up about a third of the time (the best chance of
seeing them is 8am-noon).
Note:
You can hand-feed wild dolphins at
Tangalooma Wild Dolphin Resort
near Brisbane (see chapter 5).
