Buggybuddys Guide to Things to do in Busselton & Bunbury
Busselton & Bunbury are only a few hours drive from Perth CBD. This makes them fantastic family friendly destinations for a quick weekend away or a longer holiday.
Buggybuddys online guide for things to do in Busselton & things to do in Bunbury. These include family friendly accommodation, restaurants, playgrounds, attractions and activities and much more for families with kids of all ages.
Busselton Jetty is bustling with activity all year round. It has recently been re-developed with the latest innovative nature playground. There are plans for new breweries, cafes and restaurants along the main Busselton foreshore in the coming years.
Bunbury foreshore is also currently being developed. New playgrounds and cafes are due to open in 2019. In the meantime, why not visit the Dolphin Discovery Centre? Likewise, you could drive to the Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse or find local a play centre.
Plan your holiday ahead and book in local tours and activities.
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Primal Archery’s crowning glory is its 10 target archery course, set under the peppy tree canopy. It has been such a popular archery spot in South West Australia that they’ve now added a 5 target course for fun in the sun! It’s perfect for the first-timers and experienced alike, with a starting age of 6 years. The targets vary in distance and each has multiple difficulties for you to shoot from. Their prices include equipment rental, and discounts apply if you prefer shooting with your own gear*. Don’t want to shoot at a target? Why not shoot your friends (SAFELY!) Read more…
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The more time I spend in Bunbury, the more I realise what a wonderful family-friendly town it is! As well as the beach-side Koombana Foreshore Playground Bunbury, and the new Koolambidi Woola – Bunbury Youth Precinct, there’s another gem to discover – Sykes Foreshore Reserve! Found on the banks of the Leschenault Inlet, the playground has been completely redeveloped and recently was joined by a splash park! This area is found next door to the Discovery Parks – Bunbury Foreshore (formerly Koombana Bay and Big4 Discovery Parks – Bunbury Foreshore). At first, I thought that the splash park was part Read more…
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A not-for-profit marine education and conservation centre located in Bunbury, featuring an interpretive centre with interactive displays, aquariums, and touch pools. The newly upgraded facility offers multiple ways to experience marine life, including a cylindrical tank with puffer fish and stingrays, educational displays, and an underwater cinema dome. The centre also includes a beachfront café with ocean views and a gift shop. Stand-Out Feature: The wild dolphin interaction zone, where visitors can observe dolphins in their natural habitat right from the beach. When dolphins are spotted, a bell rings to alert visitors. The centre follows strict feeding regulations, limiting feeding Read more…
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The Busselton Foreshore Toddler Playground is a great asset to this area where families love to hang out. It’s on the opposite side to the Busselton Foreshore Adventure water playground, next to the side of the Goose Restaurant. The nature playground is sand based and partly shaded with shade sails. There’s plenty of grass around the playground to put a picnic blanket down and enjoy a few hours here. You can grab a coffee, ice cream and lunch from the local cafe on the foreshore near the Jetty. There are a few picnic shelters with benches and BBQs over Read more…
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Located near Dunsborough, the recently upgraded Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse offers families a fascinating historical experience. Built in 1903 from local limestone, this working lighthouse features guided tours, an observation platform with panoramic ocean views, and is housed within beautifully restored grounds. Stand-Out Feature: The lighthouse tours are particularly engaging, with guides sharing interesting historical details, ghost stories, and insights into lighthouse operations. The climb is relatively easy compared to other lighthouses, as it sits atop a hill, making it accessible for families. From September to December, visitors might spot whales from the observation deck. Top Tip: Book onto one of Read more…
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Meelup Beach is a stunning family-friendly beach located just 10 minutes from Dunsborough, featuring pristine white sand and calm turquoise waters. Protected by Geographe Bay, it offers one of the safest and most serene swimming experiences in Western Australia’s southwest region. Stand-Out Features: Calm, protected waters perfect for family swimming Clean, white sandy beach Shaded grassy areas for picnics Free BBQ facilities Coastal walking trails Whale watching opportunities (September) Family-Friendly Amenities: Clean changing rooms Showers and toilets Picnic tables Lifeguard patrols (summer months) Plenty of parking Shaded areas Family-friendly walking tracks Activities: Safe swimming Kayaking Stand-up paddleboarding Fishing (skipjack, salmon, Read more…
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Big Swamp Playground is a huge playground located next to Bunbury Wildlife Park on Prince Phillip Drive, Bunbury. The park spans a large area with many different pieces of playground equipment. It is fenced but there are gate width openings to be aware of. The playground has play equipment suitable for all ages. The playground is all inclusive and has a wheelchair access merry-go-round and seesaw. The playground also has BBQs, toilets including disabled access and shaded areas with picnic benches. The merry-go-round has wheelchair access and there is a wheelchair friendly seesaw. Read more…
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You can’t go past Jetty Rd Variety playground if you are visiting Bunbury. It’s a great playground located on a protected beach with a grassed area that has BBQ’s and shaded picnic tables. Everything needed for a fun family day out. The Vat2 restaurant is right next door if you don’t want to picnic or BBQ. There are two parts to the playground, one is based on the beach and is a wooden structure, the other is next to the grassed area and mostly under cover of shade sails. The equipment up near the grassed area includes a cubby house, Read more…
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Binningup Pirate Ship playground overlooks the ocean at Binningup Beach . The playground has a great pirate theme complete with huge ship masts and sea monster slides.  The playground has soft fall flooring, sheltered picnic tables and a gas BBQ. There are no shade sails up at present but we are told that they are going to be installed. The play equipment is great for crawlers, toddlers and older children.  You will need to take along your own food and water as there are no food outlets close by. There is a large car next to the playground. Read more…
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Midway Southbound & Northbound, West Pinjarra Travelling for a holiday in WA’s South West Region recently, we found a convenient place to stop and break up our drive. Midway Southbound is about 80 kilometres south between Perth and Bunbury. For the return journey, there’s a sister stop, Midway Northbound, on the opposite side of the highway. Both stops feature a petrol station so you can fuel up if needed, along with food vendors, a fenced dog park and a small kids playground. Initially, we were on the hunt for Miami Bakehouse. On a trip to Bunbury 3-4 years ago, Read more…
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Located on beautiful Koombana Bay in WA’s southwest, Discovery Parks – Bunbury Foreshore offers an incredible beachfront family holiday experience. The park features a mix of accommodation including ocean view cabins and ensuite powered sites, but the real drawcard is its amazing shipwreck-themed splash park. Just walking distance from Bunbury town centre, the park provides easy access to cycle paths, swimming beaches, and the chance to meet the local bottlenose dolphins. Stand Out Feature The park’s shipwreck-themed splash park is an absolute winner with families – it’s huge and community-based, making it the perfect spot for kids to make holiday Read more…
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The Par 3 Mini Golf in West Busselton offers a perfect family day out combining mini golf, dining and play areas. The 18-hole course features two difficulty levels (red for regular play, blue for extra challenge) with fun obstacles and water features throughout the shaded course. Kids will love the massive playground with its treehouse-style wooden fort, climbing challenges, slide, and nature play elements. The family-friendly venue includes The Neighbourhood Bar & Café serving pizzas (gluten-free available), bagels, coffee and refreshments which can be enjoyed in the beer garden-style setting under peppermint trees. Located at Old Broadwater Farm, it’s ideal Read more…
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Jump into an award-winning Indoor Trampoline Centre in the South West. It’s on the way! This 2000sqm purpose-built facility has 7 different fun zones all for one low price fun price. Group booking discounts also available. Air-con, free wi-fi, mezzanine viewing area, party rooms and parent retreat. Disability and special needs friendly. Check out our ratings, like us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram, or check out our website for session times and other activities. Kids keen to learn something new? After something special? Try out a Holiday Coaching session in the exclusive high-performance area! Open 7 days for Read more…
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BIG4 Breeze Holiday Parks – Busselton Located in the heart of WA’s stunning southwest, BIG4 Breeze Holiday Parks – Busselton offers the perfect family beach holiday just a short walk from the ocean and famous Busselton Jetty. The park features a fantastic range of accommodation from powered sites to comfortable cabins, including pet-friendly options. What sets this park apart is its incredible array of family-friendly facilities, including a dedicated splash and play zone, toddler pool, and high-tech Neos 360 gaming system. Stand Out Feature The park’s water play facilities are exceptional – featuring both a splash zone and separate pools Read more…
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Qwack’s Farm in Metricup offers a delightful hands-on farm experience just 25 minutes from Busselton. This family-run farm features two tour options: a full farm tour where families can feed pigs and chickens, explore the market garden, and meet friendly sheep and goats, or a special 45-minute cow cuddling session with both full-sized and miniature cows. Kids will love decorating the gentle cows with flower crowns and brushes! Tours are limited to 10 people, making it an intimate experience perfect for children aged 15 and under (accompanied by adults). Remember to wear boots for this authentic farm adventure. Located just Read more…
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Located in the historic Old Butter Factory Precinct on the banks of the Vasse River, Busselton Museum offers families a fascinating journey through the region’s agricultural, forestry, and maritime history. The one-hectare site features ten display rooms housed in the heritage-listed butter factory building, showcasing local history through photographs, equipment, and memorabilia. Stand-Out Features: A fully restored and furnished 1920s Group Settlement House An authentic one-teacher school from the 1920s The “Jumna” Paddle Steamer Historic horse-drawn vehicles and machinery Beautiful grounds perfect for picnicking under Tuart trees A replica of the old Busselton Jetty Rotunda Top Tip: Allow at least Read more…
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Adrenaline packed fun for the whole family with water slide, lazer tag, maze, kids zone, miniature railway, mini-golf, toddlers area, pool table, games, great food, drinks, ice cream and coffee. Read more…
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A premium 4-star hotel located at 2 Marlston Drive, Bunbury, offering panoramic ocean views and easy access to local attractions. The hotel is just steps away from pristine beaches, the Bunbury Lighthouse, and a 2-minute walk to the city centre. Features include an indoor pool, multiple room types, and the Basalt Restaurant and Bar with 180-degree views of the Indian Ocean. Stand-Out Feature: The variety of room options to suit different family needs, from standard poolside rooms with direct pool access for families with kids, to executive ocean view rooms. The hotel’s Basalt Restaurant offers spectacular views and serves meals Read more…
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Nestled along the pristine shores of Geographe Bay, just two hours south of Perth, Sandy Bay Holiday Park offers a peaceful coastal retreat perfect for families. This charming park features unique accommodation options including Swiss-style chalets (sleeping 4) and spacious rammed earth chalets (sleeping 6), plus caravan and camping sites. The park’s biggest draw is its stunning beachfront location – you’re literally a stone’s throw from the sand! The property maintains a peaceful atmosphere while providing all the essential amenities families need for a comfortable stay. Stand Out Feature The park’s distinctive Swiss-style chalets give it a unique character you Read more…
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Located minutes from central Bunbury, this family-friendly wildlife park offers close encounters with Australian animals in natural-style enclosures. Open 7 days a week, the park features wombats, foxes, possums, emus, quolls, snakes, and various native birds. Stand-Out Feature: The large interactive kangaroo enclosure where visitors can feed and pat friendly kangaroos. Animal food bags are available for an additional fee, allowing children to hand-feed the animals. The park is pram and wheelchair accessible via a dedicated path system. Top Tip: Make a day of it by combining your visit with the adjacent Big Swamp Playground, the largest playground in the Read more…
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Sunflowers Animal Farm is a delightful hands-on farm experience just north of Busselton, perfect for families with children of all ages. Stand-Out Features: Bottle feeding opportunities with baby animals (calves, lambs, and joeys) Friendly farm and native animals including Connor the Great, a gentle one-eyed Clydesdale horse Two daily feeding sessions at 10am and 4pm Completely pram-accessible paths Fun photo opportunities throughout the farm Year-round operation (except Christmas Day) Top Tip: Arrive about 15-20 minutes before the feeding sessions (10am or 4pm) to get organized and secure your spot in the feeding pens. Purchase feed buckets to make the most Read more…
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Nestled under the shade of majestic peppermint trees, RAC Busselton Holiday Park offers the perfect family escape just minutes from Geographe Bay’s pristine beaches. This award-winning park combines the natural beauty of Western Australia’s South West with fantastic family-friendly facilities, all within easy reach of Busselton’s attractions and the Margaret River region. Stand Out Feature The park’s incredible range of kid-friendly activities makes it a children’s paradise! With two swimming pools, a BMX track, jumping pillow, mini golf course, games room, basketball court, and playground, there’s endless entertainment to keep young adventurers busy while parents relax under the peaceful peppermint Read more…
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Perfectly positioned between Busselton and Dunsborough, just 2.5 hours south of Perth, Mandalay Holiday Resort offers an exceptional family holiday experience. This premium resort-style park features an impressive range of accommodation options from glamping tents to luxury two-storey villas, plus powered sites for caravans and camping. The park’s extensive facilities make it a standout destination for families, with three swimming pools (including an indoor heated pool), waterslide, four adventure playgrounds, and beautifully maintained gardens throughout. Stand Out Feature The park’s amazing water facilities are the highlight – featuring three different swimming pools including an indoor heated pool and an Read more…
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Located 8km from central Busselton, Cape View Beach Resort offers spacious, fully self-contained two-bedroom apartments with full kitchens, washing facilities, and air conditioning. The beachfront resort provides direct beach access via a walkway and is close to local shops at Broadwater, including an IGA and food outlets. Stand-Out Feature: The resort features excellent aquatic facilities including an outdoor pool (1-1.8m deep), a shaded children’s paddling pool, and an undercover heated plunge pool with spa and sauna. Two children’s playgrounds cater to different age groups, with sand-based play areas and shade protection. Top Tip: Request a ground-floor apartment for easy access Read more…
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On our last trip down South we found this fantastic newly developed playground located at Port Geographe Marina – 8km from Busselton Jetty.  The playground is nature based, has a stepping stones running down the length of the play area.  Concrete tunnels to crawl through or climb over. Wooden stepping logs. A small slide on a grassy hill.  Wheelchair accessible roundabout. Plenty of grassed areas to kick a ball. And lots of pathways to ride your bike or scooter.  After a play, we headed down to the lagoon, during our visit this area was still under development but we still Read more…
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The ocean themed Busselton Foreshore Adventure Playground opened in November 2018.  Found right next to the iconic Busselton Jetty, the main feature of the playground is a giant ship, which is partially capsizing on a large decked wave, as a huge blue whale and monstrous Kraken swim around it! Let the kids be pirates for a day at the Busselton Foreshore Playground! On the clipper ship, kids can climb on the rope nets up to the crow’s nest lookout, go below deck, ring the ships bell, fire the cannon or try to sail the ship to safety with the large wheel. Read more…
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The Bunbury Farmers Market at Vasse Village is a premium food destination featuring fresh produce from over 150 local growers. The market includes an in-house butcher, ready-to-go meals, fresh takeaway options, and an on-site café. Located at 4 Orchard Place, Vasse, it’s an ideal stop for families travelling to Margaret River or Dunsborough. Stand-Out Feature: The family-friendly facilities are exceptional, including a partially fenced and shaded playground with diverse play equipment such as a climbable timber ute, water and sand play areas, and a nest swing. There’s also a dedicated fenced dog area, making it perfect for families travelling with Read more…
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Busselton Skate Park is HUGE!!! Designed for Skaters and BMX riders the skate park is over 2000 metres suitable for beginners through to experts.  The park will host state wide competitions so look out for events happening in Busselton before heading down there for a play. Now I’m by no means a technical whizz kid on Skate parks, my two kids are novice novices and we didn’t even take padding or helmets with us when we went to check it out. There are a few longer runs to get some decent speed and plenty of blocks and rails if you want to Read more…
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Located just 500m off the Forrest Highway, Eaton Tavern is a retro-inspired family-friendly pub perfect for road-trippers heading to WA’s southwest. The venue features a diner-style dining room and offers a diverse menu of pub favourites, including Paris, fresh salads, burgers, and brisket. Kids’ meals come with a soft drink or juice and include options like nuggets, fish and chips, cheeseburgers, hotdogs, and healthier choices like ragu bolognaise. Stand-Out Feature: The dedicated arcade room is a major highlight, featuring both free and coin-operated games including air hockey, console stations (Rocket League), and retro classics like Street Fighter. For younger children, Read more…
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Forest Adventures offers an exciting treetop challenge perfect for active families looking for an adrenaline-packed experience in the beautiful Tuart Forest between Busselton and Bunbury. Stand-Out Features: 6 different skill-level courses from beginner to advanced Over 77 different activities including flying foxes, rope bridges, and unique challenges 500+ meters of zip lines, with some stretching 150 meters Fun elements like high-wire unicycles, BMX bikes, and snowboards in the trees 2-hour adventure sessions with full safety equipment and training Suitable for children aged 7 and above Top Tip: Start with the easier courses to build confidence before tackling the more challenging Read more…
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Located 1.75km along Busselton Jetty, this unique underwater observatory is one of only six in the world. The experience includes a solar-powered train ride on the Stocker Preston Express and a 40-minute guided tour descending 8 meters below sea level. Open daily from 9am to 6pm, visitors can observe over 300 marine species and colourful corals through 11 large viewing windows. Stand-Out Feature: The spiral staircase takes you through multiple viewing levels, with the ocean floor level being particularly popular for spotting large fish and occasional scuba divers. The 3-6 metre depth zone showcases vibrant corals and sponges in their Read more…
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Koombana Foreshore Playground is at the heart of Bunbury and opened in late 2017. The Koombana Bay Foreshore area is a great stop point to let the kids run off some energy if you’re travelling to the South West of WA. Or if you’re staying at once of the local caravan parks or hotels in Bunbury. The location is perfect for an energetic play followed by a dip in the sea to cool off, so remember the kids bathers if you’re heading here as the sea is very inviting from the foreshore. The main feature of the playground is the Read more…
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Ngilgi Cave offers an enchanting underground adventure in Yallingup, perfect for families looking to explore one of Western Australia’s most historic and fascinating cave systems. Stand-Out Features: Self-guided tours. Spectacular crystal formations and limestone decorations 15m tunnel crawl for adventurous kids Amazing acoustics in the Amphitheatre chamber Knowledgeable guides stationed throughout the cave Top Tip: Take time to lie down in the Amphitheatre and look up at the decorated ceiling – it’s a magical experience for kids! The self-guided tour takes about an hour, but you can stay longer to fully explore. Buggybuddys Review Ngilgi Cave, Yallingup Read more…
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Ferguson Farmstay is a working farm located in the Ferguson Valley near Bunbury, offering families an authentic farm stay experience. The property provides self-contained accommodation and opportunities to participate in farm activities. The farmstay appears to be set up to cater specifically to families wanting a hands-on rural experience. Stand-Out Feature: The farm activities program, which allows guests to experience life on a working farm. Visitors can participate in daily farm activities while enjoying comfortable accommodation with modern amenities. Read more…
