locate the townsite at Wonnerup, but the area was low-lying and marshy, and Bunbury considered it unsuitable for a townsite. The present area was then recommended by the Surveyor General, John Septimus Roe. The present name of Busselton derives from the Bussell family. It was first officially used in June 1835. The Bussells, who were not consulted about the name, preferred the name Capel after a relative in England, Capel Carter, but the name Busselton was retained. A town named Capel was later established to the north of Busselton. The name "The Vasse" was also used for the district interchangeably with "Busselton" until the end of the 19th century. The townsite was planned and surveyed in 1836 by Bunbury and in 1839, by which time it had a population of 77, it was laid out by surveyor Henry Ommaney. This was followed by the opening of the post office in 1842 and St Mary's Church in 1845. In 1847, the town was officially gazetted as Busselton, and the first government-assisted school was opened there in 1848. In the early days of the settlement, and for some time afterwards, the area was visited by whaling ships from the US, France, and England. The Americans in particular traded with the settlers, who gained vital supplies such as iron, flour, and clothing in exchange for fresh food; there was also a trade in smuggled rum and tobacco. The American whalers delivered mail to England via the US, providing an alternative to infrequent government schooners. Visits from foreign whalers declined in the 1860s due to the introduction of fossil fuels to replace whale oil, but a nearby whaling group in what is now part of the Meelup Regional Park, the Castle Bay Whaling Company, survived until 1872. Being in close proximity to the tall timber country, Busselton soon established itself as a leading port. In 1850, timber was being exported and the small town prospered. Jetties for this purpose were built at Wonnerup, Busselton, and Quindalup. Of these, only the Busselton Jetty remains. During the 1850s, Busselton began to receive convicts who were beginning to arrive in Western Australia; they particularly helped with the timber industry. Western Australia's first railway line, the Ballaarat Tramline, was built just north of Busselton at Lockville in 1871, the original engine being known as the Ballaarat steam engine. The privately owned line was used for the transport of