Bunbury, Western Australia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Bunbury Western Australia |
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| Population: • Density: |
54,000 (Urban) (27th) 405/km² |
| Established: | 1836 |
| Area: | 138.7 km² |
| Location: | |
| State District: | Bunbury, Leschenault, Capel |
| Federal Division: | Forrest |
The port of Bunbury () is the second largest city (after Mandurah) in Western Australia outside the metropolitan area of Perth, the state capital. It is situated 175 km south of Perth's central business district (CBD).
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[edit] Geography
Bunbury is situated near the mouth of the Collie River at the southern end of the Leschenault Inlet, which opens to Koombana Bay and the larger Geographe Bay which extends southwards to Cape Naturaliste.
[edit] History
The first registered sighting of Bunbury was by French explorer Captain Louis de Freycinet from his ship the Casuarina in 1803. He named the area 'Port Leschenault' after the expedition's botanist, Leschenault de la Tour. The bay was named Geographe after another ship in the fleet.
In 1829, Dr Alexander Collie and Lieutenant Preston explored the area of Bunbury on land. Later Lieutenant Governor Sir James Stirling visited the area and a Military post was established. The area was renamed Bunbury by the Governor in recognition of Lieutenant Henry William St. Pierre Bunbury, who developed the very difficult inland route from Pinjarra to Bunbury.
Bunbury was declared a city in 1979. Today, the city is the major centre of the state's southwest region.
[edit] Description
The City of Bunbury itself has a population of 31,000 but the Greater Bunbury Region, which includes the suburbs of Dalyellup and Gelorup (Shire of Capel), Eaton (Shire of Dardanup) and Australind (Shire of Harvey), which is regularly utilised for statistical purposes, has a population of 54,000.
Leschenault Inlet was extensively altered in the 1960s and 1970s by major earthworks to create the Bunbury Inner Harbour that is centre for the large export industries in the region which include 20% of the world's alumina, timber, dairy and mineral sands[citation needed].
Bunbury was also in the past an important railway terminus. The Railway Station was close to the centre of the city. The Railway Roundhouse was an important servicing centre for the steam engines of the past. The daily passenger service between Perth and Bunbury - the Australind - is the longest-running named service in Western Australian railway history. The railway line connecting Bunbury to the southern towns of Bridgetown and Manjimup was closed in 2005.
Bunbury's climate is slightly more temperate than that of Perth. This is as much a consequence of its coastal location as of the slight difference in latitude; Fremantle, on the coast immediately southwest of Perth, is more comparable in climate.
The Bunbury Tower, often called the "Milk Carton" for its distinctive shape and blue-and-white colours, is the major feature of the city centre's skyline. It was built in 1983 by businessman Alan Bond. Also prominent are the old lighthouse and lookout tower in the Marlston Hill district, which has been a focus of the city's cultural and commercial growth since the late 1990s.
Bunbury is the home of the Golden West Network, a regional television network broadcasting to the state of Western Australia. GWN had it's origins in Bunbury as Channel 3 in the late 60s, and then purchased other stations from Kalgoorlie and Geraldton, as well as launching a Satellite service in 1986 to form the current network. Bunbury houses the network headquarters and production facilities, with the Channel 3 transmitter located at Mt Lennard approximately 25kms to the east.
[edit] Localities
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[edit] Radio Stations
- 6EL 621 kHz AM - Easy Listening format. Different to its Easy Listening Network partners in the Eastern states. Has local advertising. Will soon becoming a part of the Spirit Radio Network.
- ABC South West 684 kHz AM - News, talk and sport. Broadcasts breakfast and morning programs from Bunbury.
- 6TZ 963 kHz AM - Adult Contemporary for the 40+, with news feeds and sport from 6PR in Perth. Part of the Radio West Network (which in turn is part of the LocalWorks network). Has a local breakfast program and advertising.
- ABC Radio National 1224 kHz AM - Speciality talk and music.
- GWN 91.75 MHz FM - Generalist TV network.
- ABC Classic FM 93.3 MHz FM - Classical music.
- Triple J 94.1 MHz FM - Alternative music.
- Hot FM 95.7 MHz FM - Hot Adult Contemporary. Has local advertising.
- Vision Radio Network 101.7 FM - Christian praise and worship music and talk.
- ABC TV 107.75 MHz FM - Generalist TV network.
Bunbury has a relative dearth of FM services due to the broadcasting of GWN on Channel 3 and ABC TV on Channel 5. These TV channels fall in the FM band and thus no FM radio services can broadcast in the Bunbury license area within the 88-92 MHz and 101-108 MHz ranges. One can receive both TV audio carriers through 91.75 MHz FM (GWN) and 107.75 MHz FM (ABC) respectively. These TV channels will be removed from the FM band once digital TV is mandatory.
[edit] Rail Transport
The Pinjarra to Picton Junction railway line was completed in 1893, connecting Bunbury to Perth, and also to the coal and mineral deposits and agricultural areas to the north and east. The famous Railway Roundhouse and marshalling yards located at what is now Bunbury Centrepoint shopping centre were a vital service centre for the steam engines of the day. The train station served as the terminal for the longest lasting named service in Western Australia - the Australind passenger train between Perth, transporting its first passengers on 24 November 1947 and connecting to a newly established bus network distributing passengers all over the South West.
By 1983, the railway into the city (closely following Blair Street's alignment) was considered an eyesore by the local council and developers, who wished to take advantage of the newly elected Burke Labor government's pledges to make Bunbury an alternative city to Perth. A new station was constructed at Wollaston 4 km to the southeast, and the last train to use the old station departed Bunbury on 28 May 1985 with the new terminal commencing operations the following day. The railway land was then sold and Blair Street realigned. The Australind passenger service was then substantially upgraded in 1987.
At present there are two departures and two arrivals at Wollaston every day of the week. The former train station is now the Bunbury Visitor Centre and is the main bus station for Bunbury City Transit services. It is also a stop for Transwa and South West Coach Lines bus services.
[edit] Notable people from Bunbury
- Troy Elder (b. 1977), Australian field hockey striker and midfielder
- Natalie Barr, current Sunrise morning news presenter
- Syd Jackson, AFL football legend, played for Carlton
- Geoff Prosser, MP for Forrest for over 18 years
- Barry Shepherd, Australian cricketer
- Aristos Papandroulakis, television "Surprise Chef"
- Sara-Marie Fedele, popular Australian Big Brother 1 housemate
- Leon Baker, AFL footballer for Essendon, played in 1984 and 1985 Premierships
- Adam Hunter, West Coast Eagles AFL player
[edit] Trivia
- Australian comedian Wil Anderson called Bunbury the 'most Aussie town in Australia' after he was asked if he would like egg in his kebab at a local restaurant.
- The town is mentioned in the song 'Marvellous' on Disc 2 of the album Boned! by comedian Billy Birmingham (The 12th Man). The line reads "From Bondi in the east across to Bunbury in the west".
