Historic Albany

Albany seemed huge, even compared to Esperance, which had seemed rather large. Our caravan park was located on the beach not far from the centre of town and featured a games room, pool and a family bathroom suite complete with a bath big enough for the five of us. A special trip was made to find bubble bath and we even purchased a bath bomb (which was misplaced en route back to the park). Our first bath on the journey was hot and very foamy, so hot that OJ felt a little faint and had to take some time out getting his head back together. 

There’s a lot of history in Albany and so we commenced our stay with a visit to the Museum and a replica of the Brig Amity, but not before a visit to the Saturday markets. First the farmers market, where we picked up some freshly baked Turkish bread, local goats cheese, strawberries and a large pumpkin for a hearty winter warming soup. It was then onto the artist market. 

The Amity had brought the first European settlers to these shores to establish a military post in 1826. The ship had sailed over 6 weeks from Sydney and arrived with soldiers, 23 convicts and some crew and staff. Our sojourn on the Amity was an eye opener for all, as we learnt what it was like to be at sea on such a vessel in the early 19th century - working the rigging, sleeping below deck and getting our digestive juices flowing (not!) in the cargo hold discovering what salt preserved morsels the crew and convicts had to curb their appetites on such long journeys. Skipper Jem struggled with turning the ship’s wheel and, whilst on his power trip, put his first and second mates right where he wanted them. 

A fascinating morning at Australia’s last operational whaling station in Albany was also really educational. We were all impressed with this museum which includes the Cheynes IV whalechaser, access to the cutting up deck and processing factory, a boiler house with working triple expansion steam engine, a skeleton exhibit with a 22-metre pygmy blue whale on display, and oil storage tanks now converted into movie theatres. We took a guided tour which was fascinating. The kids reckon it’s a ‘must see’ in Albany.

May 6 and we took a drive north of Albany to Porongurup NP for a walk up to Castle Rock. On a clear day the peak which is some 560m above sea level affords views of Albany to the south and the Stirling Ranges to the north. We trekked up some beautiful wet forest to a sky walk about the granite boulder outcrops crowning the peak. Despite the hike up, OJ and Rubes demonstrated their strength in preventing one of these boulders converting Jem into a crepe. It was a commendable ascent by all, especially Jem and we were rewarded with some pretty vistas of the surrounding countryside, albeit a little cloudy. 

Our return leg took us via Australia’s and, indeed the world’s (so they say) largest independent sandalwood factory. Of course the children could not keep their hands off all the tester products and after purchasing a mother’s day gift came out smelling like sandalwood and feeling rather greasy.