Albany West Australia
One of the oldest permanently settled towns, Albany West Australia, is located in the south west of the state, 414 kms from Perth. The ‘Great Southern Land’ is not just for historians and bookworms, as there is an abundance of things to see and do in Albany. Although there is mystery in her history, Albany boasts plenty of adrenalin-charged adventures to undertake in the area. Plus there is a whole range of incredible food and fresh produce experiences that will have you ‘love at first bite’!
Albany History
Albany offers majestic buildings, shipwrecks, convict relics, ANZAC memorials, museums, forts, ports and evidence of the city’s whaling and agricultural industries. During your visit you must check out:
- Western Australia Museum for a complete history of the region.
- The Brig Amity – a 1970s built replica of the sailing ship that brought the first European Settlers to Western Australia.
Brig Amity at Albany Harbour - Patrick Taylor Cottage the oldest surviving dwelling in Western Australia.
- Albany Convict Gaol.
The Stocks at the Old Albany Gaol
- Discovery Bay which incorporates the historic Cheyne’s Beach Whaling Station overlooking King George Sound.
- Strawberry Hill Farm the first farm settled in WA with a delightful homestead and gardens.
Old Farm at Strawberry Hills - Visit the 1914 departure point where 30,000 men left Albany for Gallipoli and lay a wreath at the ANZAC Memorial on the apex of Mt Clarence.
ANZAC War Memorial Albany - Walk around the old Fort on top of Mt Clarence with museums displaying the Defence Force history of the area.
Old Fort on Mt Clarence - Stroll down around the pathways around the port area and see the Ataturk Statue that overlooks Ataturk Entrance into Princess Royal Harbour.
Ataturk Statue overlooking Albany Harbour
Albany Exploration and Adventure
For the ‘adrenalin junkies’ there are many adventures to be had in and around Albany from cycling, hiking, rowing, horse-riding, surfing, kayaking, windsurfing, whale watching, diving or fishing.
Take your pick from one of these great adventures:
- Cycle the Munda Biddi trail from Denmark to Albany
- Hike to Bald Head in Torndirrup National Park
View towards Bald Head in Torndirrup National Park - Row or kayak the Kalgan River
- Surf at Middleton Beach
- Visit The Gap and Natural Bridge in Torndirrup National Park
The pathway to The Gap and Natural Bridge - Dive the reefs and wrecks of King George Sound
- Take on the Mt Clarence Downhill ride
- Walk the Mt Adelaide Trail, the Mt Clarence Granite Trail and the Ellen Cove Boardwalk
Stunning views from the Boardwalk - Go searching for the endangered Noisy Scrub bird at Two Peoples Bay
- Go fishing for salmon at one of the beaches at West Cape Howe National Park
- Climb the Castle Rock Granite Skywalk
Jimmy Newells Harbour in Torndirrup National Park
Albany Real Food Experiences
Albany’s incredible food scene would tempt any strong-willed man or woman. Follow your nose on a long list of seductive food and wine and feast your way around Albany.
To whet your appetites here is a short list of what’s on the menu:
- Farm gate berries, picked to order
- Fig and trout sandwiches at Middleton Beach
- Hot French Pastries at the Boatshed Markets
- Salt and Pepper Squid at Emu Point
- Take away fresh Oysters to wash down with a bottle of vino.
- Tapas and swish cocktails overlooking Dog Rock
Delicious barbecued Marron straight from the dam
- An organic seasonal platter and Riesling amid the vines
- Coffee and cake in Yorke Street
- A delicious home-made gourmet pie at Jester’s Pies
- Australian bushfood at the Bushfood Factory and Café.
- A tasty cheese platter at Denmark Farmhouse Cheese Factory
Surf, Dive or Angle in Albany
Albany area has a wonderful variety of all different types of beaches. Some are virtually deserted and inaccessible, pounded by ferocious waves. Some are long and flat almost endless beaches, where you can walk in peace and solitude. Then there are gentle, protected coves of bright blue calm water bounded by round granite rocks.
Here is a list of some of the most gorgeous Albany beaches:
- Middleton Beach that is great for the beginner surfer or a swim
Middleton Beach - Throw a line in at Salmon Holes in the Torndirrup National Park
Salmon Holes in Torndirrup National Park - Greens Pool and Elephant Rocks near Denmark for calm water snorkelling
Green Pool, Denmark - Torbay Inlet or Cosy Corner Beach for a swim or fish
Cosy Corner Beach - Mandalay Beach for shipwreck spotting and fishing
- Lowlands Beach for salmon fishing off the rocks and a safe bay for swimming
Beautiful Lowlands Beach - Emu Point has lovely calm waters for swimming
- Two Peoples Bay is where the most exquisitely beautiful beaches in Albany are to be found
Two People Bay, Albany - Goode Beach in Frenchman Bay for swimming, snorkelling and safe rock fishing
Where To Stay in Albany
There are several Albany Accommodation options depending on your budget and preference. The Big4 Middleton Beach Holiday Park is ideally located on the spectacular Middleton Beach with very affordable caravan sites or cabins. Otherwise check out Albany Hotels, Motels and Guest Houses located in town close to historic sites, shopping and eateries. Book your Albany Accommodation HERE
Albany really blew my mind with her natural beauty, her real food experiences were delectable and her history was amazing. So much adventure, adventure, adventure – that it will probably make me want to come back for more!
Fig and Trout sangas! That’s very interesting. I’m glad you’re doing the challenge (me too). I look forward to all your educational posts and stunning photographs, Kathy.
I didn’t actually try the fig & trout sangas but they do sound tempting. I sampled some marron at the marron farm and it was delicious. The A-Z challenge will be a piece of cake for me as I pretty much have already blogged about every Aussie place from A to Z! Looking forward to reading yours as well. :)
Salt and Pepper Squid!!! Now that will make me go running to the kitchen…! Amazing start to the morning with this lovely trip to Albany.
Ashmita Chatterjee,
(Chaoticsoulzzz)
https://chaoticsoulzzz.wordpress.com/
I’m glad I whetted your appetite with my culinary tour of Albany. It is a wonderful place in Australia to spend some quality time. Thank you for dropping by my blog. ?
Lots of Info in this post Kathy. We’ve been to Albany yonks ago and would love to return one day (soon). Enjoy the A to Z.
Yes I think you need to do WA from south to north or vice versa. Such diversity from south to north and Albany is one it’s treasures. ?
Oh my gosh. Fabulous photos!!! Australia is on my bucket list. A place I’ve always wanted to visit. I’ll get there. Some day . . .
P.S. I’m also on the A to Z Challenge but for the first time. I think I’m supposed to introduce myself? Not sure how this works… My name is Julie. Nice to meet you. Entry #1628. I’m a writer so my blog is my name: Julie Valerie (julievalerie.com) but my A to Z Challenge “theme” and name on the Linky list is Thesaurus Tyrannosaurus.
Nice to meet you Julie and thank you for dropping by my blog. I will be visiting yours too of course. Australia is an amazing country and should be on everyone’s bucket list, including the people who live here. :)
Very Nice Post…
Welcome in the letter “A”… thank you!
Jeremy [Retro]
AtoZ Challenge Co-Host [2016]
Stop over and find a free “SIX STRINGS: BLOGGING AtoZ CHALLENGE” Here: http://www.jmhdigital.com/
HOLLYWOOD NUTS!
You know you want to know if me or Hollywood… is Nuts?
Thanks Jeremy. It’s going to be a long month! :)
Great to learn a bit about Australia in this challenge! Succes with the rest :-)
Thank you Breyana. There is so much more to come of Australia – a lot of places you probably have never heard of before, but all equally as interesting. :)
Kathy, I really enjoyed this. I love learning about new (old) places and between the writing and the photos, you’ve got me wanting to pack my bags.
Deb @ http://writerup.blogspot.com
Thank you Debbie. I’m glad my photos and story were enticement to come visit Albany (or even Australia). There will be more great Australian place coming up in the month ahead. :)
I hadn’t even heard of this place, and it sounds amazing. I love that your post is so thorough…I could plan a trip tomorrow and know just what to do and see. I signed up for your newsletter; I am also a fifty-something and love finding other bloggers I can relate to.
Thank you Sue. I do like to be very thorough when writing about travel destinations. Albany certainly packs a punch when it comes to natural beauty, lots of adventures and delicious fresh food. I am heading over to check out your blog. :)
That is a great challenge. I love Albany and most of my family lives down that way so we are always down there. Like you said there is so much natural beauty there.
It certainly is a challenge Anne, but I really love bringing our wonderful country and what it has to offer to people from all around the world. Albany was definitely a standout during our around Australia trip. :)
Just love love love Albany. Your photos make me want to return. However, except on rare occasions, we’ve only visited when it’s overcast and rainy. Your images assure me that it really can be sunny down that way :)
We did have mostly fine weather when we were in Albany that did make the beaches in particular looking very appealing. I really enjoyed the history of this wonderful town and the national park was stunning.
It’s amazing trip. I hope I will settle time to visit Albany soon. It’s will be a challenging and awesome experience.
Thank you Yen. Yes it’s a beautiful town.