Bunbury’s basalt beauty on display

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, pictured, said he started taking photos of Bunbury’s beaches since he moved to the city back in 1975.

“I got to know the beach very well and found the best spots for photos,” he said.

“I wanted the exhibition to highlight 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.

“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.”

Being a geologist, Mr Bischoff said he was fascinated with Bunbury's basalt.

“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.”

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