South West Development Commission

City of Busselton

The City of Busselton, which includes the town sites of Busselton, Dunsborough and Yallingup has a high population growth rate, reflecting the area's vibrant economy and increasing employment opportunities. Strong population growth is expected into the future, with the local building and commercial sectors set for continued prosperity.

The city is home to many vineyards and premium wine labels, with substantial plantings of grapes in the area. Other industries in the shire include dairy and beef cattle, sheep, mining, tourism, timber, fishing, and various light industries. Creative industries are also becoming increasingly popular in the area.

The town of Busselton is one of the most popular holiday destinations in rural Western Australia and a premier seaside resort and coastal playground for families. Dunsborough and Cape Naturaliste are very popular holiday destinations offering safe swimming areas as well as excellent boating, fishing and surf breaks.

Busselton officially became a city on January 21, 2012.

Attractions

Visit the Geographe Bay Tourism Association website for detailed information on local attractions, events, tours and accommodation options.

Shire statistics

Shire representatives
Mayor	Ian Stubbs
Chief Executive Officer	Mike Archer
Towns & communities
Busselton, Dunsborough, Yallingup, Jarrahwood, Vasse, Carbunup, Wonnerup, Broadwater, Geographe, Eagle Bay, West Busselton, Abbey, Quindalup, Bovell
Local industries
Tourism, Viticulture, Dairying, Market Gardening, Manufacturing, Creative Industries
Population
Estimated resident population, 2011	32,646
Average annual growth rate, 2006-2011	3.9%
Demographic averages (a)
Median age	38
Median monthly home mortgage repayment	$1,213
Median weekly household rent	$180
Median weekly household income	$962
Mean houshold occupancy rate	2.5 people
Building approvals 2010-11
Total value of building approvals	$187,271,000
Residential approvals	$170,705,000
Non-residential approvals	$16,566,000
Number of residential building approvals	522
Labour market (b)
Labour force employed	16,791
Unemployed	744
Unemployment rate	4.4%
Average income 2008-09
Average personal taxable income per annum	$53,404
Property values (c)
Average sale value of dwellings, 2008	$666,018
Minimum price of sold properties	$220,000
Maximum price of sold properties	$9,000,000
Subdivisions
Residential lots approved for development, 2010	257
Agriculture
Total agricultural land holdings, 2005-06	68,668 hectares
Number of farms, 2005-06	446
Value of agricultural production, 2005-06	$84,004,895

Sources
(a) Australian Bureau of Statistics.
(b) Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations, Small Area Labour Markets - Australia.
(c) Valuer General's Office, Residential Sales Data 2009.