ALBANY

 

Albany is where I grew up, and lived when I was first working. It's a nice place, and so this Christmas (2000) I got out and took a few pictures to give a rough impression of it. These are by no means comprehensive, or of its best features; unfortunately mobility was restricted so they were all taken from within walking distance of where I was staying.

Albany is Western Australia's oldest settlement, being founded in 1827, and the southernmost city on the western half of Australia. Although I think Albany is great and boasts some spectacular scenery, it is a relatively quiet city, and sometimes people who pass through say things like "during our trip, we did not pass a more dull and uninteresting time".

It was one of the stops in Charles Darwin's Beagle voyage in 1836. Darwin noted "The Beagle sailed from Tasmania, and, on the 6th of the ensuing month, reached King George's Sound, situated close to the S. W. corner of Australia. We stayed there eight days; and we did not during our voyage pass a more dull and uninteresting time."

Albany was the port from where most of the Australian and New Zealand Troops departed in World War I, and was the site of Australia's last mainland whaling station, which closed in the mid-70's.

The coastline is very scenic, comprising of many rugged granite outcrops. The picture at the top of the page is an example; this was taken about halfway between the main harbour and Middleton Beach. (The entrance to the smaller of Albany's two harbours (Oyster Harbour) can be seen just to the left of centre. Middleton Beach is around the corner to the left, and the entrance to Princess Royal Harbour is in the opposite direction.)

Entrance to Princess Royal Harbour, the main harbour.

On the right, at the end of the peninsula-like thing, is the old quarantine station, and a half-sunken whaling ship. Visible at the bottom is a fixture where some artillery was installed in WWI (I think), to see off the Hun.

Middleton Beach. The plume of smoke in the background is from one of the many bushfires that occurred during the Christmas break. Or a secret nuclear test.

Middleton Beach, viewed from the other direction. The Costa del Sol of the South West.

Albany was where most of the Australian and New Zealand troops sailed from in WWI, heading over to the Middle East. This is a monument to those troops.

The actual statue is a replica; the original was situated in Egypt but got damaged during the Suez crisis. The plinth, however, is a one-off, and a real must-see for plinth enthusiasts.

The two lighthorsemen from the memorial above. The one on the right is a dead ringer for a farmer from a cane toads documentary I saw a few years ago.

The photo was meant to give a dramatic impression of the horsemen coming "over the top", as it might have appeared from the enemy trenches, but instead they appear to be jumping out of a cake.

The old Post Office. Used to be home to an absolutely brilliant restaurant, now sadly no more.

View down the main street, York Street. The big building on the right is the Town Hall; Princess Royal Harbour is visible at the bottom, as well as Little Grove, the land directly across the water.

Little Grove was involved in a big land scam around the time WWII finished - lots were advertised in Eastern States media as being (for example) "directly opposite the London Hotel" (a pub at the bottom of York Street).

 

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