You are here: Home > About Australia > Destinations > Albany, WA
Destinations

Albany, WA



Natural Bridge


Whaleworld


The Gap


The Gap during high seas


Mt. Clarence


Whale watching at Middleton Beach


A Southern Right whale breaching in Princess Royal Harbour near Middleton Beach


Beyond Albany
Mt. Toolbrunup, Stirling Range


Bluff Knoll, Stirling Range


Castle Rock, Porongurup Range


West Cape Howe


Forest walking trail near Torbay


Treetop Walk, Walpole

A major seaport for WA's the Great Southern region, and the largest centre in Western Australia outside the metropolitan area, Albany is the perfect base from which to explore the many beauty spots - both coastal and inland - of the Great Southern.

Where is it?: Western Australia: Great Southern. Albany is 409 km south east of Perth on the Albany Highway. Albany is 481 km west of Esperance on Western Australia's south coast.

Lookouts: The peak of Mt. Clarence (186 metres), behind the town of Albany, offers commanding views of the harbour. Mt Melville domintes the town and the view from the summit is well worth the climb.

Events:

  • January: Woodcraft of the Southern Forest
  • February: Taste Great Southern
  • March: Porongurup Wine Festival
  • June: The Albany Weekender Classic Motor Event
  • November: Albany Racing Cup

About Albany

Sited on the shores of one of Australia's great natural harbours, Albany has long been a holiday destination for Western Australians, being surrounded by stunning coastal scenery, calm harbour beaches and beautiful mountains ranges in the hinterland with easy access walking tracks.
Albany's main street seems to go straight into the Princess Royal Harbour, as if to warn visitors that this is a place full of surprises. On its shore is Australia's last operating whaling station that is now an excellent museum dedicated to whales and whaling. Humpback and Southern Right whales still come to Albany, and are often seen between July and October in the calm waters off Middleton Beach. They play a while in the surrounding waters before migrating north to the warmer waters to breed. Stunning coastal scenery is just minutes away from the museum on a superb stretch of dramatic coastline weathered by the timeless forces of the Southern Ocean.

With a population of approximately 30,000 people, Albany is one of the larger towns of regional Western Australia and the main service and administrative for the Great Southern region. Unlike anywhere else in southern Western Australia, it rains a lot, 942 mm per year to be exact and in winter it can also get quite cold when the winds from Antarctica blow straight off the ocean. A wind farm that takes full advantage of the locality, welcomes visitors and has good signage to explain this eco-friendly technology.

Highlights

Whaleworld: Whaling was Albany's (and indeed Australia's) oldest industry, so it is appropriate that the town's most popular museum is dedicated to the history of whaling in Australia. Whale World is housed in the former Cheynes Beach Whaling Station, located on the picturesque southern coast of King George Sound.  The station ceased whaling operations and was de-commissioned in 1978.  Whale World takes visitors on an interactive journey through the site, which was the last operating whaling station in Australia, supported by a series of audio visual displays, artefacts and whaling history.  There are over 20 different exhibits including ‘Giants of the Sea’, the jaw dropping skeleton display. Outside visitors can climb aboard the Cheynes IV, a whale chaser that operated out of the Cheynes Beach Whaling Station, to experience a whale chase through audio re-enactment.

Torndirrup National Park: The granite outcrops around Albany are on one of the most easily accessible stretches of spectacular coastal scenery in the southern part of Australia. Protected within Torndirrup National Park, it is a photographer's paradise. Windswept coastal heaths give way to massive granite outcrops, sheer cliffs and steep sandy slopes and dunes. The Gap and Natural Bridge are massive granite formations. The Gap was carved by the ocean from the granite rocks forming the coast and features a 50 metre drop to the ocean below; the Blowholes, a crack line in the granite, 'blows' air and occasionally spray. The noise is quite impressive; Jimmy Newell's Harbour, an unspoilt inlet. Cable Beach demonstrates the power of the Southern Ocean. In the middle of the beach is a giant boulder which was lifted by the sea and placed onto the beach by the force of the waves. There are many walking paths to the various natural features within the National Park which, in the main, are easy, relatively short walks. Be aware that this coastline has a notorious record for accidents due to people slipping and being washed into the ocean by unexpected freak waves or large swells, so take care and avoid going too close to the edge of cliffs.

Princess Royal Harbour: British sea captain George Vancouver named the harbour after Her Royal Highness Princess Charlotte Augusta Matilda; whose 25th birthday it was on 29th September 1791, the day he sailed into the harbour and claimed the southern part of Western Australia for the British Crown. The site of his proclamation, at Possession Point on Vancouver Peninsula, forms the south-eastern shore of the harbour. A pleasant bushwalk from the main road to Torndirrup National Park leads to the cairn which records the event. This strategic position led to the Princess Royal Fortress being built on Mt. Adelaide on the opposite shore in 1893, as the first Federal defence in Australia. The guns maintained their role as a deterrent until 1956 when the Forts were closed. The fortress still stands and houses an interesting military museum, complete with many original guns of the fortress. Princess Royal Harbour was, for a long time, the only port of call for huge mail steamers delivering cargo from all over the globe, and holds a special place in Western Australia's history. A massive harbour, its huge jetties could accommodate vessels up to 45 metres in length. In its time it was the lifeline of Albany and the entire southwest until Fremantle, just south of Perth, grew in importance. Albany is still a major transportation hub and busy port.

Mt. Clarence: The peak of Mt. Clarence, behind the town of Albany, offers commanding views of the harbour. Mt. Clarence is the site of the Anzac Light Horse Memorial statue to Australia's fallen at Gallipoli. It was from Princess Royal Harbour in November 1914, that the thirty-eight ships of the fleet that carried Australian soldiers to war left Australia's shores. For the thousands of Australian soldiers who died at Gallipoli, Albany was their last sight of their homeland. The massive and splendid bronze of a rampant horse complete with ANZAC rider was originally erected in Port Said. The base of the statue bears bullet marks from the Suez crisis in which it was damaged and is the reason why the statue was relocated to stand majestically against the sunrise over King George Sound.

West Cape Howe National Park: about half an hour’s drive south-west of Albany, West Cape Howe National Park contains the most southern point in Western Australia, Torbay Head. Almost completely covered in heathland and forest and bearing the force of the Great Southern Ocean, this National Park is worth a visit. At the Shelley Beach Lookout, platforms have been built into the side of the hilltop for hang gliders and paragliders to launch. Scenic bushwalking trails along the coast lead you through virgin bush and offer commanding views. Some of the best and remote walk trails are in the Torbay area – most are four or five hour return treks. Good sturdy footwear is recommended when hiking through this rugged wilderness area. Further east from West Cape Howe and shadowed by the giant trees of the south-west region are the towns of Denmark and Walpole.


Stirling Range from Talyuberlup Peak

Stirling Range: this rugged mountain range rises spectacularly out of the surrounding plains. Located some 80km north of Albany, the Stirling Range National Park offers visitors a wonderful opportunity to explore an entire mountain range still in its natural state. World renowned for plant diversity, there are over 1,500 different flowers and plants including 125 orchids and 9 endemic mountain bells here in spring. Over 160 different birds have been sighted, including rare and endangered species. This rugged mountain range has something for everyone. The beautiful, ever changing scenery provides wonderful photographic and painting opportunities, and the mountain rock faces challenge the most experienced abseilers and rock climbers. The most climbed mountain in the Stirling Ranges is the chiselled mass of Bluff Knoll.
Armour plated in rock, and with a summit that protrudes like Roger Ramjet’s chin, this craggy mountain is softened only by the wildflower displays that decorate its slopes. At 1,095 metres above sea level, Bluff Knoll is the highest peak in the south-west of Western Australia. It takes three to four hours to complete the six-kilometre return walk/climb but it is worth it. From the trail head, Bluff Knoll’s summit cliffs appear impenetrable but a walking track nudges its way through a break in the escarpment before U-turning back towards the peak. It's a gruelling trek for those not used to mountain climbing, but achievable nonetheless. The views from the summit stretch across the craggy Stirling Range and south towards the Albany coast, and make every step worthwhile. Bluff Knoll is one of the few spots in the state to actually see some snow fall.

Porongurup Range: Although only 12 kilometres long and 670 metres at its highest point, the Porongurup Range is renowned for its beauty. It is clothed in a luxuriant forest of giant karri trees and the understorey puts on a brilliant display of wildflowers during spring and early summer. Pathway allow visitors to wander through the shade of ancient forests, discover fossils underfoot, see a rainbow of wildflowers, sit and listen to a symphony of bird songs, all with the magnificent views of the Stirling and Porongurup Ranges as your backdrop. 40 km north of Albany.

How to get there: by car, drive south from Perth via Albany Highway, 409 km. By bus, from East Perth Terminal (timetable). By air, via Skywest from Perth Airport (timetable).

The Best Time To Visit: Albany has a cooler climate to Perth, and because of its location, it can be quite cold in Winter when the winds blow straight off the Southern Ocean. Spring and early summer (September to December) is when the wildflowers are in full bloom; July and October is the best time for whale watching. If you are prepared to risk the chance of bad weather, there are some great accommodation deals on offer during whale watching season. Summer (December to February) is annual vacation time for Western Australians, many of whom travel south to escape the hot Perth summer, so the place can be jumping with visitors in those months.

History of Albany: Prior to European settlement the Great Southern Region was inhabited by the Bibbulmun Aborigines of the larger Nyungar group. The Bibbulmun tribes were nomadic, moving from place to place within their own tribal territory according to the availability of food. The first known European sighting of what was to become the Albany region is attributed to Francois Thyssen and Peter Nuyts on the 'Golden Zeepaert' in 1627. Not long after James Cook explored and charted the east coast of Australia in 1770, word reached Britain that France intended establishing a colony in the region. Capt. George Vancouver was dispatched in September 1791 to make an assessment of the coast's suitability for a British colony. He explored King George Sound and claimed the western half of Australia for the British crown at Possession Point. After Vancouver's visit there were several French expeditions to the area led by D'Entrecasteaux, Baudin, Freycinet & Dumont D'Urville. These were paralleled by a range of British expeditions & voyages, most notable of which were probably those of Charles Darwin in the 'Beagle' & Matthew Flinders in the 'Investigator'.
The British Government ordered a settlement to be founded at King George III Sound in part to prevent the French establishing a hold on the Australian continent, but mainly because of growing dissatisfaction with the convict settlement at Port Macquarie in New South Wales. The Brig Amity sailed from Sydney on November 9th 1826, carrying a party under the command of
Major Edmund Lockyer, who was ordered to form a settlement at King George Sound. The bring reached Princess Royal Harbour on Christmas Day 1826, but no-one was put ashore until the next morning.
The settlement party comprised of 23 convicts - mostly tradesman, 18 rank & file soldiers, a sergeant, a captain, a surgeon, a storekeeper and the commander Major Edmund Lockyer, with stores for six months (including sheep & pigs). Lockyer named the site Frederickstown after His Royal Highness,
Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany, Frederick Augustus - second son of King George III. This was the first European settlement in Western Australia. In 1831 the military presence was withdrawn but a number of free settlers stayed and Albany was born.
There was little development at Albany until 1834 when a number of new settlers began to develop agricultural & pastoral holdings & the population rose from approximately 40 to some 170 and the number of houses grew from 3 to 45. In 1831 Stirling visited the Sound & changed the settlement's name from Frederickstown to one of the Prince's ducal titles - Albany. The town of Albany was proclaimed a City on the 1st July 1998 and now has a population of over 30,000 people.

Natural features: Southern Ocean; Waychinicup National Park; King George Sound; The Gap; Natural Bridge; Princess Royal Harbour; Stony Hill; Salmon Holes; Frenchman Bay; King River; Two People's Bay; Muttonbird Island; Cosy Corner; Ledge Beach; Shelley Beach; Middleton Beach; Emu Point; Millbrook Nature Reserve (20 km north); Torndirrup National Park (10 km south); Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve (25 km east); West Cape Howe; Bald, Mistaken, Breaksea, Michaelmas, Chatham, Seal and Green Islands.
Built features:
Cheynes Beach Whaling Station (Whaleworld); Albany Wind Farm; Duck Lake; Lawley Park; Mount Melville Lookout.
Heritage features: former Post Office (1869 onwards); The 'Strawberry Hill' farm (1827); St Joseph's Convent (c.1881); 'Hillside' (1886); 'The Rocks' (c.1884); Desert Mounted Corps Memorial, Mount Clarence (1960); former Gaol (1873); Residency Museum (1852-53); 25 Rowley Street (c.1881); Sir Richard Spencer's Grave (1839); Court House (1896); Rotunda, Stirling Terrace (1897); Taxi Rank and Womens' Rest Room (1906-13); Albany House (ANZ Bank) 1885); Town Hall (1888); Church of St John the Evangelist Hall and Rectory: 1841 onwards); 133-135 York Street; Vancouver's Cairn, Possession Point; Quaranup Complex including former Powder Magazine and Quarantine Station (1875 onwards); Sealers' Oven, Waychinicup Inlet; Oyster Harbour Aboriginal Fish Traps; Arpenteur shipwreck, Hassell Beach; Lady Lyttleton shipwreck, Oyster Harbour;
Princess Royal Fortress; Breaksea Island lighthouse


View Larger Map

Translate this Web Page

Search This Website
search tips advanced search
search engine by freefind


Albany Tourist
My Albany
Porongurup Range
Albany community portal
Albany Gateway
Historical Albany

Where Is It?: Western Australia: Great Southern