Established in 1836, fast-growing Bunbury was named in honor of its founder, British explorer Lieutenant Henry Bunbury. With its close proximity to Perth—just a two-hour drive away—Bunbury is a popular getaway for residents of the capital city. It’s best known for the pods of bottlenose dolphins that swim in the waters of Koombana Bay, and there are many excellent beaches, from calm, family-friendly stretches on the bay to surfer favorites along the Indian Ocean, with its larger waves. Diving is also a popular sport; a big draw is the Lena, an illegal fishing boat that was sunk as a dive site in 2003 just three nautical miles off the coast of Bunbury’s Back Beach.Leschenault Estuary, a nature haven, is filled with 10,000-year-old white mangroves—the southernmost mangrove colony in Australia—and 60-plus species of waterbirds. You can get up close to it all by traversing the many boardwalks that snake through the mangroves. The area is also part of the acclaimed Geographe Wine Region, with around 40 different wineries and award-winning shiraz, sauvignon blanc and sémillon vintages.
