Travel to Albany in Western Australia
Albany is located in the state of Western Australia, which is a huge state, covering about a third of the entire Australian continent and inhabited mainly in its south-western part along the coasts.
Albany is a small port city with about 33,000 residents. It is located about a 4.5-hour drive (428 km) south-east of Perth, the capital of Western Australia. Albany was the first settlement in Western Australia in 1827.
The city offers several attractions for travelers, including a tour of historical sites, a visit to its bathing beaches, a scenic trip in a national park along the coast with beautiful views, whale watching from the shore or on a boat cruise (from June to early November), a visit to a whale oil factory/museum, and a tour of wind farms generating electricity.
It is recommended to start the visit to the city at its excellent visitor center located in the city center on Proudlove Parade near the train station, where they will provide you with useful brochures and maps for all the recommended places to visit.
♦ Recommended guided tours in Albany (for purchase via Viator):
Walking trail following historic sites in the city - Amity Trail
In the city center, near the visitor center, there is a walking trail called the Amity Trail, named after the ship that brought the first settlers to the area. The trail passes among 17 of the city's important historical buildings and sites, including the old gaol built in 1850, which can be toured inside to see the prisoners' and guards' cells.
Additional buildings along the trail include the church built in 1850, restored ancient cottages from 1830, the courthouse, a hotel, and other residential houses.
There is also a replica of the ship Amity that brought the first settlers in 1826, and you can tour inside it to experience the harsh and crowded conditions the passengers endured.
Recommended hotels in Albany
5-star hotel near the beach. Free parking and internet. Free bicycles.
♦ Pelicans Albany Middleton Beach
4-star apartment hotel with a fully equipped kitchen. Free internet and parking. Near the beach.
♦ Hilton Garden Inn Albany, WA
4-star hotel near the marina and entertainment center. Free internet and parking.
View of the city and its surroundings
A good view of the city, beaches, sea, and surrounding islands can be seen from Mount Clarence, located in the heart of the city, which can be reached by private car within a few minutes. There is also a war memorial at the site.
On the way down from the mountain driving along Marine Drive, you pass beautiful lookouts over the bay waters and islands. From these viewpoints during the season, you can clearly see (even without binoculars) whales passing close to the shore (between June and early November). For those interested, whale watching boat tours are available to view them up close.
Dog Rock
On one of the city's streets called Middleton Road, there is a very large rock that closely resembles a dog's head looking up at the sky. Next to it, a motel was built named after it: Dog Rock Motel.
Albany Beaches
The main bathing beaches of the city are located in its eastern part. Remember that the water is cold year-round – water temperatures are around 17-18 degrees.
East of the city lies the long Middleton Bay, along which there are several bathing beaches, and in its southern part is the popular and well-equipped beach named after the bay – Middleton Beach. From the southern end of this beach, a long coastal walking trail goes south for about 3 km in each direction.
Emu Point Beach: This beach is located north-east of Middleton Beach. Despite the cold water, it didn't stop several Australian children from splashing around on a spring day.
Near this beach are a marina and a slipway for ship repair and maintenance. Adjacent to the marina is a very popular casual fish restaurant called The Squid Shack, and at lunchtime, pagers are handed out to guests who order meals because there is about a half-hour wait due to the high demand. The fresh seafood served at the end makes the wait well worth it.
Torndirrup National Park
This park is located south of the city and borders the ocean coast, where its unique attractions are found, including seawater blowholes shooting up from gaps in the rocks (at high tide and when there are waves), vertical rock cliffs called "The Gap", and a massive natural rock bridge over the waves.
All this is in addition to its beautiful coastal views. Near the park is a trail leading through a modern wind farm for electricity generation. While taking in the impressive sight of the tall wind turbines, you can enjoy abundant wildflowers and beautiful views of the sea and cliffs. It is a great spot to watch the sunset.
Tour of the Whale Processing Factory/Museum
In the past, until 1978, Albany was the port where many whales (about a thousand per year) hunted in the area were brought, and a factory was established there to process the whale meat/blubber and extract oil. The factory closed after it ceased to be a viable business, and it was later decided to turn it into a museum where one of the whaling ships was placed, and the large oil tanks were converted into exhibition halls and movie theaters. The films explain whale life, sharks, and the fishermen who hunted them.
In one of the halls, giant skeletons of these mammals are displayed.
This museum is considered the largest whale museum in the world and is regarded as the number one attraction in the city.
You can tour the place independently or join a guided tour, which is highly recommended. Guides walk with visitors through all the stations in the factory and explain what was done at each spot, how they pulled the whales ashore, where they stripped their thick blubber-laden skin, where and how they sawed off their heads, and where they transferred the meat for processing. This can be a tough experience for those sensitive to animal harm. Today, in all Australian territorial waters, these creatures are protected and hunting them is prohibited, as they were nearly driven to extinction due to massive past hunting.
Attractions around Albany:
Green Pools and Elephant Rocks
About 50 km west of Albany lies the town of Denmark, and on the nearby beaches, it is worth visiting a place called:
Elephant Rocks and Green Pools. On this beach filled with giant boulders, you will find a large group of rocks that closely resembles a herd of elephants charging into the sea.
Another ridge of rocks nearby has created calm, greenish-tinted pools that are excellent for swimming.
Some swimmers climb the rocks and jump off them into the water.
Valley of the Giants and Tree Top Walk - Valley of The Giants Tree Top Walk
About a half-hour drive west of the town of Denmark, you reach a forest of very tall eucalyptus trees known as Red Tingle Trees. The main attraction here, besides walking among the giant trees, is a canopy suspension bridge that allows you to view the forest from a bird's-eye view. The walk up to the bridge is gentle and suitable for children or strollers. The trail length is about 600 meters, and its highest point reaches 40 meters above ground.
Climbing a giant tree - Gloucester Tree
This attraction is suitable for anyone heading west from Albany toward the Margaret River area; it is located about 240 km west of Albany near the town of Pemberton. In the heart of a forest of giant Karri eucalyptus trees (which rank third highest among the world's trees), firefighters once installed iron rungs in a ladder formation on one of the tallest trees in the area to serve as a lookout tower for detecting bushfires. Today, anyone who is physically able to climb to a great height and does not fear heights can climb this tree up to 61 meters above the ground. A truly unique experience, without a doubt.
