Flights connect South West to harbour city

The announcement of Jetstar’s newest flight path from Busselton to Sydney has been welcomed by local organisations who say the route will allow more of the world’s tourists to visit the region.

From March 26 next year, the service will run three times per week on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

The Airbus A320 service will operate alongside Jetstar’s Busselton to Melbourne flights, which have been taking off from Busselton Margaret River Airport since April 2022.

The Margaret River Busselton Tourism Association (MRBTA) said securing the route was “a tremendous achievement”.

“MRBTA congratulates the teams at the City of Busselton and Tourism WA, who have led the way in securing this new route.

“This news demonstrates the confidence that Jetstar has in the exceptional visitor experiences provided by the region’s tourism operators.”

The organisation said the Sydney route would see a more diverse range of tourists and ease the region’s reliance on WA tourists.

“The route also opens up new opportunities to connect international visitors to the region through itineraries travelling via Sydney.”

The City of Busselton said more than a decade of collaborative work between the City, and Federal and State Governments was behind the news.

“We are currently working with the State Government to develop a business case to fund necessary infrastructure upgrades to ensure the airport can keep up with strong demand from domestic travellers wanting to experience our world-class wineries, attractions, stunning coastline and laid-back hospitality,” Busselton Mayor Phill Cronin said.

Chief executive Tony Nottle said personnel from the City of Busselton and Tourism WA had “done a superb job” in securing the service.

“It makes travel between Australia’s South West and east coast easier than ever for City residents, domestic and international tourists,” he said.

Jetstar Group CEO, Stephanie Tully said the Busselton to Melbourne route was already popular with travellers.

“Once our Sydney flights launch, we’ll be carrying well over 100 thousand customers to and from this captivating region annually,” she said.

“Holidaymakers from Sydney will be able to fly direct to Margaret River in about five hours for as low as $109 one way, making the region far more accessible for domestic and international tourists from the harbour city.”

The MRBTA said it would support marketing of the new route by providing tourism related content to help visitors plan their holidays.

“MRBTA will also continue to support the region’s aviation efforts through advocacy for the development of the Airport, and through the provision of ground handling services through South West Aviation Services.”