Sue Boi introduced our guest speaker, Sarah Hijazi, who is the Business Development Manager for Busselton Jetty and loves to share the jetty’s colourful history and visions for its future.
The jetty celebrated its 160 year anniversary in 2025 and there were lots of events to mark the trials and tribulations along the way but also the successes.
In 1987 the Busselton Jetty Environment and Conservation Society was established with a mission to sustain and manage the jetty’s environment.
The jetty’s governance structure is that it is owned by the State of WA; its care and control is vested in the City of Busselton and day to day management is outsourced to the Busselton Jetty Board of Management. It is a not for profit enterprise with 25 per cent of revenue returned to the jetty for maintenance.
The jetty’s story is one of adversity, persistence and community spirit.
The jetty was originally established in 1864 to provide safe docking and collect taxes from ships which called into Busselton to service the increasing timber industry and drop off supplies for townsfolk.
It was only 176m in 1865. In the period between 1872 to 1960 it was extended 11 times. Locals would promenade along its length and horse and carts were used for loading. In the 1880s passenger ships were increasing, fishing off the pier was popular, there were social and swimming events.
In 1968 the Busselton Jaycees funded and constructed an oceanarium to view the sea life off the jetty. It was the calalyst for the current oceanarium.
In 1972 the jetty ceased functioning as a port. In those 107 years it serviced 5000 ships. But without government funding it languished and there were calls to demolish the jetty in 1976. Cyclone Alby took care of demolition in 1978 when large sections were destroyed.
But the townspeople rallied and fundraised and supported the reconstruction of the jetty.
In 1989 a $1 entry fee was charged to people walking on the jetty. In 1987 the Busselton Jetty Environment and Conservation Action Board was formed. There was more damage when in 1989 fire isolated the last 150m of the jetty. In 1995 the tourist train was established with diving and snorkelling becoming popular off the jetty.
The first and only underwater conservatory of its time in Australia was opened in 2003. It is one of only six in the world.
Tourism became very popular in the South-West in the early 2000s. Realising this, the State Government did major work on the jetty costing $27 million between 2009 and 2011.
In the last financial year, 411,420 visitors walked along the 1.8m jetty, took the train or saw the observatory.
One of Sarah’s main tasks is thinking of new ways to engage people with the jetty. There are eight volunteer jetty board members and the day to day operation is undertaken by 106 volunteers.
There are 13 sculptures under the jetty to enhance diving experiences. Scientists are intrigued with the artificial reef which grows sponges which may aid in marine and medical pharmacology.
The jetty’s future is exciting and always evolving – a bigger, better observatory is planned; the management board is progressing towards net zero; and the underwater sculptures are to be monitored and enhanced.
More passenger ships are visiting Busselton, adding to the local economy. The ships anchor a few hundred metres out from the jetty and tenders bring in the eager tourists. The biggest ship Sarah can recall carried 6000 passengers.
Sarah was a most knowledgeable and entertaining speaker about the jetty’s rich history and she was a pleasure to listen to.
Life lately as an Rotary Exchange Student 
