Editing Busselton (section)

==History==
{{See also|List of heritage places in Busselton}}

===Pre European settlement and 19th century===
Before white settlement in 1832, and for at least 40,000 years, the Busselton area was home to the [[Noongar]] Aboriginal people from the [[Wardandi]] and [[Bibulman]] language/ancestral groups.<ref name="munhist">{{cite book|url=https://www.busselton.wa.gov.au/documents/898/local-heritage-survey|title=Municipal Heritage Inventory|year=2013|publisher=City of Busselton|access-date=20 October 2022|chapter=Thematic History|pages=5–19}}</ref> The colonisation of Western Australia in 1829 had a major impact on the life of the Noongar people. Many towns in the Busselton area, such as [[Wonnerup]], [[Yallingup, Western Australia|Yallingup]] and [[Carbunup River, Western Australia|Carbunup River]], still hold their original Noongar names. The [[Wonnerup massacre]] of Wardandi Noongar people by European settlers occurred in the vicinity of Wonnerup in 1841.<ref name="munhist"/>

The early history of European exploration of the Busselton area focused on the French expedition of 1801 which brought [[Nicholas Baudin]], with his ships ''[[French corvette Géographe|Géographe]]'' and ''[[French corvette Naturaliste|Naturaliste]]'', to the coast of Western Australia. Baudin named [[Geographe Bay]] and [[Cape Naturaliste]] after his vessels, and named the river [[Vasse River|Vasse]] after a sailor, [[Thomas Vasse]], who was lost as he went overboard and was believed to have drowned.

Busselton was one of the earliest settlements in Western Australia. It was first settled by the [[Bussell family]], George Layman, and the Chapman brothers, who relocated there from their location on the [[Blackwood River]]. [[John Garrett Bussell]] first visited Busselton in December 1831, describing the land as follows: "The country as we advanced improved rapidly; the ground on which we trod was a vivid green, unsullied with burnt sticks and blackened grass trees".<ref>{{cite Wikisource|title=Cattle Chosen|chapter=Chapter 5|author-link=Edward Shann|first=Edward O.|last=Shann|publisher=Oxford University Press|year=1926}}</ref> Bussell was granted land in the area in July 1832 and the settlers moved there in April 1834. The Bussells established a cattle station which they named Cattle Chosen, which quickly became one of the most prosperous stations in the colony, and as a result, nearly all of the settlers at [[Augusta, Western Australia|Augusta]] relocated to the area within a few years.<ref name="munhist"/> A number of settlers established themselves at [[Wonnerup, Western Australia|Wonnerup]], and eventually a contingent of troops was stationed there under Lieutenant [[Henry William St Pierre Bunbury|Henry Bunbury]]. It was originally intended to locate the townsite at Wonnerup, but the area was low-lying and marshy, and Bunbury considered it unsuitable for a townsite. The present area was then recommended by the [[Surveyor General of Western Australia|Surveyor General]], [[John Septimus Roe]].

[[File:P-51 Busselton.jpg|thumb|250px|The [[P-51]] Mustang which was given the nickname ''Busselton'' at [[RAAF Base Laverton]] in 1945]]

The present name of Busselton derives from the Bussell family. It was first officially used in June 1835.<ref name="landgate">{{LandInfo WA|c|B|18 August 2019}}</ref> The Bussells, who were not consulted about the name, preferred the name Capel after a relative in England, Capel Carter, but the name Busselton was retained. A town named [[Capel, Western Australia|Capel]] was later established to the north of Busselton. The name "The Vasse" was also used for the district interchangeably with "Busselton" until the end of the 19th century.<ref name="landgate"/> The townsite was planned and surveyed in 1836 by Bunbury and in 1839, by which time it had a population of 77, it was laid out by surveyor Henry Ommaney.<ref name="munhist"/> This was followed by the opening of the post office in 1842 and [[#St Mary's (Church of England)|St Mary's Church]] in 1845. In 1847, the town was officially gazetted as Busselton, and the first government-assisted school was opened there in 1848.<ref name="munhist"/> In the early days of the settlement, and for some time afterwards, the area was visited by whaling ships from the US, France, and England. The Americans in particular traded with the settlers, who gained vital supplies such as iron, flour, and clothing in exchange for fresh food; there was also a trade in smuggled rum and tobacco. The American whalers delivered mail to England via the US, providing an alternative to infrequent government [[schooner]]s.<ref name="munhist"/> Visits from foreign whalers declined in the 1860s due to the introduction of fossil fuels to replace whale oil, but a nearby whaling group in what is now part of the [[Meelup Regional Park]], the Castle Bay Whaling Company, survived until 1872.<ref name="munhist"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://meeluppark.com/whaling-at-castlebay|title=Whaling at Castle Bay|publisher=Meelup Park|access-date=27 June 2019}}</ref>

Being in close proximity to the tall timber country, Busselton soon established itself as a leading port. In 1850, timber was being exported and the small town prospered. Jetties for this purpose were built at Wonnerup, Busselton, and [[Quindalup]]. Of these, only the [[Busselton Jetty]] remains.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.busselton.wa.gov.au/history |title=Shire of Busselton – History |year=2006 |access-date=28 August 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110102103709/http://www.busselton.wa.gov.au/history |archive-date=2 January 2011 }}</ref> During the 1850s, Busselton began to receive [[Convicts in Australia|convicts]] who were [[Convict era of Western Australia|beginning to arrive in Western Australia]]; they particularly helped with the timber industry.<ref name="munhist"/> Western Australia's first railway line, the [[Ballaarat tramline]], was built just north of Busselton at [[Lockville, Western Australia|Lockville]] in 1871, the original engine being known as the [[Ballaarat steam engine]]. The privately owned line was used for the transport of timber<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.sro.wa.gov.au/archive-collection/collection/railway-records|title=Railway Records|publisher=[[State Records Office of Western Australia]]|access-date=18 August 2019}}</ref> to the Wonnerup jetty across the Ballaarat Bridge. By the 1880s Busselton had a regular mail and passenger coach service from Perth and [[Bunbury, Western Australia|Bunbury]] and, in 1894, a passenger rail service commenced between Busselton and Bunbury on the [[South Western Railway, Western Australia|South Western Railway]] via [[Boyanup, Western Australia|Boyanup]]; it operated until 1985.<ref name="munhist"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://inherit.stateheritage.wa.gov.au/Public/Inventory/PrintSingleRecord/3200d5f4-103b-4a9d-8538-fe6d93ed25b5|title= Boyanup Railway Precinct|publisher=[[Heritage Council of Western Australia]]|access-date=5 August 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.legislation.wa.gov.au/legislation/prod/filestore.nsf/FileURL/mrdoc_1842.htm/$FILE/Railways%20Discontinuance%20Act%201985%20-%20%5B00-b0-06%5D.html?OpenElement|title=Railways Discontinuance Act 1985|publisher=Parliament of Western Australia|access-date=5 August 2019}}</ref>

===Federation to present day===
By the early 20th century, Busselton had become well known as a resort town, aided by the railway along with the 1890s [[Western Australian gold rushes]], which greatly increased the state's population and prosperity. Caves in the area of what is now the [[Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park]] including [[Ngilgi Cave|Yallingup Cave]] (now Ngilgi Cave) had been discovered and developed, and the strip of coastline between Cape Yallingup and [[Cape Naturaliste]] had become popular for camping and seaside holidays.<ref name="munhist"/> The 1913 ''[[Cyclopedia of Western Australia]]'' stated:<blockquote>Busselton which has come to be known as the sanatorium of Western Australia lies within the shelter of Geographe Bay some 30 miles south of Bunbury. Up to some 20 years ago, it was merely a charming country village, with grass-grown streets where arum lilies rioted in profusion. ... Its cool temperate climate, excellent beach and well-established bathing facilities have made it one of the favourite summer resorts. If to these we add the caves reached daily by motor service from the town and, in addition to the scenery, this excellent boating, bathing and fishing, Busselton can probably claim to be the most favoured haunt of the holiday seeker.<ref name="munhist" /></blockquote>Busselton began to grow significantly when the [[Group Settlement Scheme]] brought people to the area between 1923 and 1926; nine of the first sixteen groups were organised in the Busselton area.<ref name="munhist"/><ref name="smh">{{cite news|url=https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/busselton-20080117-gdkqzt.html|title=Busselton|work=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]]|date=17 January 2008|access-date=22 June 2019}}</ref> In about 1927, the [[Flinders Bay branch railway]] was developed, which connected Busselton to [[Flinders Bay]]; it was closed around 1957. In the 1930s, agricultural prices dropped due to the [[Great Depression]], causing many people to leave the area.<ref name="munhist"/> During [[World War II]], 476 Busselton-born men signed up for service; 20 in the [[Royal Australian Navy]], 110 in the [[Royal Australian Air Force]], and 346 in the [[Australian Army]]. The names of the fallen are displayed on the town's war memorial alongside those of [[World War I]] in St Marys Park. During the war, Busselton was home to an Air Force training base; remains of the base can still be seen today from the Busselton Bypass Road. A Royal Australian Air Force [[P-51 Mustang]] fighter was given the nickname ''Busselton'' in honour of the people of Busselton and their support of War Loan fundraising activities.

In the 1950s many facilities for holiday-makers were built west of Busselton and the 1960s saw the beginnings of the professional fishing industry and, in particular, the [[Margaret River (wine region)|Margaret River wine region]], which greatly increased tourist numbers in and around Busselton.<ref name="munhist"/> The Busselton port closed in 1972.<ref name="munhist"/> From the 1970s Busselton began growing particularly as a tourism centre and retirement location. By 1996 it had become one of the fastest-growing areas in Western Australia.<ref name="munhist"/> In 2012, the Shire of Busselton gained city status.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.busseltonmail.com.au/news/local/news/general/busselton-is-a-city/2432529.aspx|title=Busselton is a city!|last=Bennett|first=Rob|work=Busselton Mail|date=25 January 2012|access-date=26 May 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120201023112/http://www.busseltonmail.com.au/news/local/news/general/busselton-is-a-city/2432529.aspx|archive-date=1 February 2012}}</ref>