Our latest Member Famil took place on Thursday, 16th March and took in a range of businesses in Busselton & Surrounds with hosts both getting to share updates on their offering to local operators as well as learning more about their neighbours.
The next Member Famil will take in Margaret River & Surrounds and is scheduled for Thursday, 11 May. You can find out more and register here.
Please read on for some more highlights from the day!
Busselton Jetty
The day began at Busselton Jetty and though there was some wild & woolly weather, we were well protected aboard the Dolphin Buggy while we were taken out to the Underwater Observatory. With coffee in hand and the knowledgeable Sean to guide us, we learnt about what lies beneath the waves at Geographe Bay and the important work that Busselton Jetty Inc. does to preserve this marine environment and the iconic Jetty structure.
Busselton Heritage Trail
Next, we headed to the Ballaarat Room at Railway House for an introduction to the Busselton Heritage Trail with Shelley from the Rotary Club of Busselton Geographe Bay. The Busselton Heritage trail is a leisurely, self-guided experience developed to help visitors get to know the history of significant sites throughout the town. This history is brought to life with images, video and audio that can be accessed through a mobile device. All visitors need to do is sign up online and they will have access for 14 days with all proceeds supporting Rotary community projects.
Rocky Ridge Brewing Co
Just a short stroll down the road was the next stop, the Taphouse of Rocky Ridge Brewing Co., which is situated in the former home of 3 generations of the Rocky Ridge family. While the group got to enjoy a selection of Rocky Ridge’s beers, Mel Holland talked through the history, values and future goals of the brewery. With a commitment to sustainability, Rocky Ridge is fully carbon neutral through offsetting their emissions and is working to achieve Net Zero by 2025. There are over 25+ beers available on tap and a food offering that has been specifically tailored to beer drinking. A cocktail bar will be opening up in the beer garden in the near future so be sure to book in a visit!
Shelter Brewing Co.
The ‘beery’ good times continued with a tour and lunch at Shelter Brewing Co. The brewery tour gave us an insight into the work going on backstage, especially as we had interrupted the lunch break of the brewing team! We really got a sense of the energy and passion that goes into perfecting Shelter’s core range of classic styles. The core values of family & community continue to inform the partnerships Shelter build to support organisations such as Busselton Jetty and Line in the Sand. With tours & events to enjoy and an outstanding food offering, Shelter is a must-do in any Busselton itinerary.
Northside Rentals
A quick visit to Northside Rentals‘ Busselton Depot helped us to get to know more about the varied fleet they have available and the services they offer to visitors at affordable prices. The team at Northside are keen to support local and invite members to get in touch!
Sandy Bay Holiday Park
Nicole from Sandy Bay Holiday Park gave us a tour of the grounds and one of the rammed earth chalets as well as a run-down of their accessible and pet-friendly options. Sandy Bay is just a 2-minute walk away from the beach and hosts family-friendly events including sundowners, discos and even Easter egg hunts making it the perfect spot for a quintessentially laidback Aussie family holiday.
Flametree Wines
The group got to enjoy a tasting of Flametree Wines at their gorgeous cellar door which has an on-site delicatessen so that visitors can curate their own locally sourced charcuterie to enjoy with a glass or bottle. We learnt more about Flametree’s process of sourcing the best quality fruit from around the region to create their award-winning wines. Keep an ear out for a range of fun things happening at Flametree including their annual Rosé event, helicopter flights and soon-to-come private tastings in their museum room.
Discover Deadly
The last stop for the day was Discover Deadly where we got to visit and learn more about the special critters that are cared for by the DD team. Becca introduced us to their new Tawny Frogmouth residents and the very individual personalities they each hold while she fed them their afternoon tea. Perhaps the greatest highlight from the tour was witnessing some very commendable conquering of fears with python cuddles to wrap up the day!
Millman Chauffeur Services
Chauffeur for the day was the wonderful Brad Millman of Millman Chauffeur Services. Members got a chance to experience travelling in the ultimate comfort of Brad’s charter vehicle and saw first-hand how travelling with an expert guide is the most efficient way to explore the region, allowing you to unwind and enjoy!