Festival a celebration of city's dolphins

This weekend's Dolphin City Festival will be a special occasion for the South West, according to Dolphin Discovery Centre general manager David Kerr.

The jam-packed event will acknowledge Bunbury's relationship with the bottlenose dolphins which populate Koombana Bay and Geographe Bay.

Mr Kerr said the two-day festival, which is the only dedicated dolphin festival in Australia, was a chance to improve the region's tourism profile while celebrating Bunbury as a dolphin city.

"It is really about the recognition and celebration around the special relationship that exists between the Bunbury community and the dolphins of Koombana Bay," he said.

"It is an opportunity for us to build it into a really major event which is recognised nationally and have a significant positive impact on visitation through the event itself."

The name of Koombana Bay's newest bottlenose calf will be announced on Saturday at the festival.

The person who chooses the winning name will receive a prize pack which includes an Eco Cruise family pass and a framed picture of the newborn calf.

Mr Kerr said three bottlenose dolphin calves have been born in Koombana Bay recently, prompting optimistic signs for the future of the population.

"In terms of the population of the dolphins this is positive news," he said.

"Normally we would expect the calves to be born in the warmer months.

"To have three newborn calves being seen regularly on our eco and swim tours as well as visiting the beach on occasions has been a bonus this early in the season."