Jetty Marathon Walk n- Record Book

John Bussell, great grandson of Alfred Pickmore Bussell, set out on 14th January 1979 to do a solo marathon walk of the jetty and accumulated an extraordinary 579.6 kilometres. The walk took place over several days. He started the first lap at 2pm on 14th January 1979 and finished at 3pm with 3.6 kilometres up. After this he continued lapping from 14th until 28th January by which time, he had walked 579.6 kilometres or 360 miles. Overall, he did 161 laps at approximately 3.6 kilometres per lap. The walking time took 98 hours and 29 minutes and the total amount collected from sponsors and donations was $6,620.71. The total amount of money went to the restoration of the jetty.
Mr Bussell said that he planned to start walking each day about 6am and rest for a period during the hottest part of the day. Each day at 2pm Mr Bussell made a return walk along the jetty in period costume, for the benefit of people watching his effort. Sir Stewart Bovell was the official starter at 2pm on the beach end of the railway jetty.
The Busselton Jaycees agreed to donate 5% of the oceanarium takings to the jetty appeal during the walk. The SOBJO (Save Our Busselton Jetty Organisation) had received $4758 as a result of previous fundraising activities. Sales of the Save the Busselton Jetty recipe book exceeded 2000 copies which added more than $1000 to the SOFFO fund.
Mr Bussell’s walk would bring to mind the jetty walking record set by Don Keane during the 1953-54 Christmas holiday break. He set the jetty walking record of 16 minutes 30 seconds for the return trip, which still stands. This would have been via the original promenade section of the jetty which had been destroyed by cyclone Alby in 1978. Mr Keane, who is a cousin of John Bussell, represented Australia in the 1952 Helsinki and 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games and held five Australian walking records.
Busselton Historical Society (INC) Newsletter November 2004

Alfred Pickmore Bussell was the youngest brother of Busselton pioneer John Garrett Bussell.