Bunbury’s Basalt Spectacle exhibition

Bunbury historian Bernhard Bischoff is hosting an exhibition over the summer showcasing photographs he has taken of Bunbury’s basalt over the years.

Mr Bischoff said the exhibition was aimed at highlighting the ever changing beauty of the site that beckons within only a few minutes from Bunbury’s city centre.

“The spot where the waves hit a vertical basalt wall get reflected and meet the next wave in an explosive clash has been famous as ‘ Bunbury’s backwash’ and as a playground of the local surfers for many years,” he explained.

“It is digital photography that makes it now possible to fully explore the potential for catching outstanding images because it allows the taking of dozens of guesswork shots.

“The only difficulty then is to decide on which are the favourited images.”

Mr Bischoff said he had been fascinated with Bunbury's basalt beach ever since coming to live in Bunbury.

“The basalt that occurs along the northern beaches of Bunbury has local and global significance,” he said

“Bunbury would not exist without the basalt on which it rests and which acts as a fortress against the wild Indian Ocean.

“For the Noongar Aborigines the basalt outcrop was Wyalup and the early settlers named it Giant’s Causeway as it reminded them of the famous formations in Northern Ireland.

“Global significance lies in the way it shows the workings of plate tectonics and continental drift.”

Bunbury’s Basalt Spectacle exhibition will be on display until the end of January at the Bunbury Museum and Heritage Centre.