Thousands descend portside for Picnic at the Port

Around 2,000 Bunbury locals were welcomed into the Port of Bunbury on Saturday 1 April, where they received a rare insight into the busy operational port, as Southern Ports opened its gates to the public for the first time in almost five years.

The free family friendly event had something for everyone with boat tours and a walking trail showcasing the inner harbour, a pirate bouncy castle, a 10-metre-long paint by number artwork, beach games, sand sculptures and the night was topped off with an open-air viewing of Jumanji.

Southern Ports CEO, Steve Lewis said the event was a tremendous success and provided the opportunity for Southern Ports to further connect with the local community, showcasing the progress the Port of Bunbury has made over the past five years.

“The event was a great opportunity to provide the community a glimpse into the busy undertaking of the port, how it operates with the multitude of port users as the gateway port for the region,” he said.

“The coming together of the local community, port users and our team was a true reflection of how building strong ports, leads to strong regions.”

Regional Manager, Port of Bunbury, Lee Smith said Southern Ports was thrilled to welcome the local community into the port for the open day.

“We certainly tried to pull out all the stops to ensure everyone had a great time and it was fantastic to have the support of our sponsors, many of whom are committed long-term port users,” he said.

The Picnic at the Port event was generously supported by QUBE, South32 Worsley Alumina, HSA Marine, Talison Lithium, Hexion, Tronox and the South West Development Commission.

For more information on Southern Ports or the Port of Bunbury, visit southernports.com.au or follow the Southern Ports Facebook page to see the photos from the day.

For a full gallery of images, visit @SouthernPorts on Facebook.