News

Over the past 12 months the City of Busselton has planted an impressive 44,000 plants across the City, from mature trees, shrubs and coastal plants, demonstrating the City’s strong commitment to protect and conserve the environment, while improving amenity and greening spaces for all to enjoy.

The City of Busselton is proud to announce the completion of the installation of new granite plaques at the Old Busselton Cemetery (Pioneer Cemetery), located between Marine Terrace and Adelaide Street, Busselton.

Held on Monday evening, 27 October 2025, the City’s Annual Sports Awards recognised and celebrated outstanding achievements and contributions across the local sporting community.

Following the 2025 City of Busselton Council Election, five Councillors have now been officially sworn into office in a ceremony held in the Council Chambers.

The City of Busselton is proud to announce that it will host the prestigious Australian Regional Tourism (ART) Convention in October 2026, welcoming approximately 300 tourism industry delegates from across the country.

The City of Busselton is proud to partner with Lamp Inc. and Accordwest to support individuals experiencing or at risk of homelessness through the launch of ‘Your Story Matters: Access Assist Day’. This collaborative initiative will be held at the Busselton Library every three months over a 12-month trial period.

Local volunteer bushfire brigades joined forces last week to sharpen their skills and solidify their collaborative approach in preparation of the looming bushfire season. With the City’s annual Bushfire Risk Reduction Notice now issued, brigade members are calling on all residents to also act — prepare your property, make a plan and be bushfire ready.

At its meeting on Wednesday 24 September 2025, the City of Busselton Council approved both the Local Planning Scheme Amendment and the Local Structure Plan (LSP) for Lot 6 Commonage Road in Dunsborough. The City’s comments and the Council resolution will now be forwarded to the Western Australian Planning Commission and the Minister for Planning for their assessment and final determination.

Community groups, individuals, schools and local businesses are once again invited to apply for the City of Busselton’s popular ‘You Choose’ community funding program, returning for 2025/26 following its success in 2021/22 and 2023/24.

The City of Busselton has been named a finalist in two categories at the prestigious 2025 WA Tourism Awards for Business Excellence with the winners being announced on 8 November.

The City of Busselton is proud to announce that the 2025 Sports Awards will be held on Monday 27 October 2025, bringing the community together to celebrate the achievements of our local athletes, clubs and sporting associations.

The City is delighted to be partnering with Sport4All and APM Communities to run a forum focused on reigniting the conversation about the importance of inclusion and accessibility in all areas of sport within our city.

Saltwater Busselton continues to take shape as construction nears completion, with several key milestones recently reached across the venue.

At their meeting on Wednesday 27 August 2025, the City of Busselton Council voted in support of proceeding to construction of a new multi-sport pavilion at the Dunsborough Lakes Sporting Precinct.

The City of Busselton Council has adopted an updated version of its current ten year Council Plan 2024- 2034, complete with a brand new Service Portfolio.

On Thursday 14 August, a number of community members, local and state government agencies, and community and academic organisations attended ‘Catchment to Coast’, a community information evening focused on waterways projects hosted by the City of Busselton. 

In partnership with Tourism Western Australia, the City of Busselton has now attracted a proposal for a new luxury hotel to be built on the world class Busselton foreshore.

The City of Busselton is pleased to announce that, following the resignation of CEO Tony Nottle last month, Dr Garry Hunt PSM has been appointed to commence as Interim CEO following Tony’s departure.

The City advises that Councillor Richard Beecroft has resigned from his role as Councillor with the City of Busselton, effective immediately.

The City of Busselton Council has now adopted the City’s 2025/26 annual budget, with a clear focus on key priorities identified by the community.

On Monday 28 July 2025, the City’s CEO, Tony Nottle, resigned from his position. Tony will remain working at the City as CEO until the end of his notice period.

The City of Busselton is pleased to welcome Gemma Harrison as the new Sports Inclusion Coach, joining forces with the City and Sport4All to help drive greater inclusivity in local sport. In her new role, Gemma will support the delivery of the Sport4All Program, promoting accessible and inclusive sporting opportunities across the community.

The Busselton Margaret River Airport is now home to a vibrant new Aboriginal artwork, celebrating local culture, creativity and connection to Country. Unveiled today, the artwork is the result of a collaborative project made possible through $50,000 in funding from Tourism WA, under Jina– Western Australia’s Aboriginal Tourism Action Plan.

On Thursday 14 August, the City of Busselton will be hosting ‘Catchment to Coast’, a community information evening detailing how the City and its partner agencies are currently working together to manage our local waterways.

Following Council’s decision of 11 June 2025, the City of Busselton is inviting the community to provide feedback on the draft Marybrook–Siesta Park Coastal Erosion Strategy, open for public comment from 21 July to 22 August 2025.

In April, RAC WA advised the City they will no longer be providing the public EV chargers on the Busselton and Dunsborough foreshores as they have reached the conclusion of their 10 year electric highway trial project.

The City of Busselton has renewed its commitment to supporting local seniors by entering into a new three-year funding agreement with the Busselton Senior Citizens Centre Inc.

At the Council Meeting on Wednesday 11 June 2025, the City of Busselton Council voted to adopt a new Unhosted Short Term Rental Accommodation Policy. This Policy determines where within the City of Busselton short stay accommodation will be permitted and was developed to enable a balance to be struck between supporting short stay accommodation in locations with high tourism appeal and retaining a sense of community in other residential areas.

At its Ordinary Council Meeting on 28 May 2025, Council approved its draft Local Planning Scheme No. 22 for consent to advertise. In line with the Council Plan 2024-2034, the draft scheme supports the City’s ongoing commitment to plan for sustainable growth and development, while retaining and enhancing our unique character, identity and lifestyle.

The City of Busselton is delighted to welcome Jasmin Barker as our new Aquatics Trainee for 2025. Jasmin joins the City as part of the Leisure Services Trainee Program, which has been a youth initiative since 2021. This 12-month fixed-term program focuses on sport and recreation, providing valuable training and experience to young individuals.