Day 114 - 117, Albany ( Sun 18th Oct - Wed 21st Oct )

Albany

"Happy Days" Caravan Park Campsite

I have to say arriving into Albany we were not impressed as we drove into town, it was not what we had expected having been told how fantastic this place was, what we were seeing as we drove in was just another ordinary town.

As we drove further towards the main CBD things started to improve and by the time we were in the main street down by the port we had changed our minds and were feeling much better about our choice of stopover.

Riverside Campsite

Not having booked in advance we drove around the various caravan parks to see what was on offer, the usual Big 4 and Top Tourist parks were there plus a few others in town, typically the Big 4 was ridiculously expensive and the Top Tourist was average to say the least.

Consulting Wiki Camps we decided to head out of town a little and take a chance on a smaller park, "Happy Days" caravan park is about 5 kilometers out of town towards Lake Grace, it is privately owned and very small.

Happy Days turned out to be a great little park, green grass, site right on the river, good amenities, very friendly and helpful hosts, cheap to boot.

Albany CBD

Albany is the largest permanently settled town in WA, predating Perth and Fremantle by a couple of years, the population is around 36,000.

The main street in Albany down near the port is very nice, lots of colonial buildings, a legacy of the first European settlers that landing in WA, there here are cafes and restaurants,and a variety of shops, also down that way is also the information centre where you can find out about everything there is to do in and around Albany.

Albany Anzac Centre

National Anzac Centre Albany WA

In late 1914 over 41,000 Aussies and New Zealanders left Albany to fight in The First World War, the National Anzac Centre is dedicated to honoring those Anzacs.

There is so much to see and do at the centre I wont even try to explain it all, you could easily spend a couple of days there reading letters to and from the Anzacs, watching old movies, using the interactive displays, walking through the museum, visiting the memorials, the list goes on.

Interactive Table

When you enter the centre you are given a card with a picture of a random Anzac on it, if you place the card on the interactive displays around the centre you can view details of your Anzac, you are able to follow his or her life through the war and see where they ended up.

An amazing feature we thought.

An example of information displayed  on the interactive tables in the centre, showing a picture of the Anzac and a letter written by a visitor which you are able to do.

When you touch the screen you can see more information.

Wonderful statues and sculptures at the centre like this one of a Light Horseman and his horse. 

At the the centre there are displays of anti air craft guns, missile systems and other weapons which were interesting and a bit of fun for the kids.

From outlook you can see King George Sound where 36 ships carrying 30,000 troops moored before departing Albany.
Here there is a information board that shows the names of the ships that were moored.

The view from this point is amazing.

We loved our visit to the centre, both of us and the boys learnt a great deal about our part in the war, I would definitely recommend a visit here,such an amazing place.

Albany Historic Whaling Station

Albany Whaling Boat "Cheynes IV"

The Historic Whaling Station is located on the southern coast of King George Sound, Australia's last operating whaling station, it is now a unique attraction where you can learn about whaling history.

There is a 40 minute guided tour after which  you can move around the station at your own pace,or visit the animal enclosures or botanical gardens which are inclusive in the cost.

The "Cheynes IV" Whale Chaser is beached at the Historic Whaling Station and is a major attraction at the site, you can go into the boat and enter almost every part of it.

Aboard The Cheynes IV

The Harpoon Gun

The centre has a very good display of whale and Dolphin skeletons, its not until you stand next to the skeleton of one of these whales you realise the size.

Standing between the bottom jaw bones of a Blue Whale.






















The Historic Whaling Station was great, we spent a good 4 hours there and enjoyed every minute, there is also a nice restaurant and gift shop.

The Brig Amity

The Brig Amity Replica

The Brig Amity sailed from Sydney on  9th November 1826 with orders to form a settlement in King George Sound, they reached Albany on Christmas day.

The Brig Amity replica was built in 1975 by local boat builder Stan Austin, the replica allows visitors to see what life on a brig of this type would have been like, there is a self guided tour available with an interactive audio system.

Admission fee also gives you access to the museum and art gallery.

Brig Amity Replica

On the deck of the Brig Amity.

Brig Amity Sleeping Arrangements

Below deck you get an appreciation of life on this boat, you cannot walk in the majority of areas below deck without stooping, the quarters are sparse to say the least and the storage of food is just amazing.

Western Australian Museum Albany

This small museum located just near the Big Amity was just great, when we were there they had a photographic exhibition called "The Lost Diggers Of Vignacort",it was just amazing the restored B&W photos of diggers were brilliantly displayed and the story of there discovery was just as amazing.

The photos were only discovered a few years ago in the attic of a french barn, and were all restored by hand.

On display is also the old chest in which they were stored in that dusty old attic.

The chest in he background is the chest the photo's were found in.

Interactive photo board for viewing the entire collection of photo's.

Nicholas posing in front of a copy backdrop used when photographing the diggers in that attic, the backdrop was found with the photographs.
















Albany was a great stopover, the history of the town was amazing, and there isso much to se and do there, we would recommend Albany as a holiday destination for sure, the few days we spent there were great but you could easily spend a week or more seeing all the sights.