Dunsborough, Western Australia

Dunsborough is a coastal town in the South West of Western Australia, 254km south of Perth on the shores of Geographe Bay.Dunsborough is a popular tourist destination for Western Australians; in 1999 it was voted the state's best tourist destination and in 2013 awarded the Top Tourism Award for Population Under 5,000. The town's location in Margaret River Wine Region provides easy access to many wineries and breweries. The town is a favoured destination for annual school leavers in WA, the other frequent choice being Rottnest Island.Aboriginal (Nyungar) history and cultureThe South West region of Australia, within which Dunsborough sits, is recognised as being one of the oldest continually occupied human habitats anywhere on Earth, with a history dating back approximately 40,000 years. Dunsborough itself shares in this history, with multiple sites of Aboriginal importance in and around the town. Prior to European colonisation, several distinct tribes inhabited the land and utilised the waters around Dunsborough. Those living on the coast were called Waddarn-di (sea people), and their language recorded as Burron Wongi. These Indigenous peoples referred to Dunsborough by the name of Quedjinup, which means "Place of Women". The name Quedjinup is retained for the district immediately to the south of Dunsborough, encompassing the Dunsborough Lakes and Biddle's Common housing developments which form part of the greater Dunsborough development zone. Important local Aboriginal Heritage sites include: