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Travelling to Western Australia for the first time as an adult opened my eyes to what the state was really like. I’d always imagined that beyond Perth, most of the fun places in WA were all outback destinations up north in the Kimberley. Starting with a road trip down to Albany on the south coast quickly set me straight though. Who knew there were so many interesting things to do in Albany?
With a few days in and around Albany in Western Australia, my brother and I were able to see so many different sides of this city. Admittedly, you won’t need too long to see the main Albany attractions. But once you start looking at all the great places just outside the city centre you realise just how much this small region has going on. Be sure to read on, because I reckon you’ll be just as surprised as I was by the variety of things that Albany has to do.
Places to Visit in Albany
Coming from the east coast, I have to admit I knew basically nothing about Albany before visiting. So if in the off chance that’s the same for you, I thought I’d provide a quick intro to all things Albany.
Albany is the fifth largest city in Western Australia and the largest on the south coast by some margin. It’s a port city and sits on the sheltered coast of the King George Sound. Thanks to two large hills and a lake right near the heart of the city, Albany is relatively spread out despite its size.
What makes Albany such an appealing destination to visit in Western Australia has as much to do with what’s near the city than what’s in it. Sure, there are a few small Albany tourist attractions to see in the city centre, and there are the city’s large hills. But really, it’s best to look at Albany as a gateway to the south coast. You don’t even have to go far either, with several great national parks right on its doorstep in Torndirrup National Park and Gull Rock National Park.
Stirling Terrace Park
While York Street may be the main street through Albany, I honestly think that Stirling Terrace is the more noteworthy street in town. Stirling Terrace runs parallel to the waterfront and boasts several old-fashioned buildings that give it a real heritage feel.
The street also has a park with gardens and small gazebo along it, that are really quite nice. The whole space feels like it would be right overlooking the shore in another city rather than hundreds of metres back because of the port setup. Still, it’s arguably the most photogenic spot in the city centre and worth a wander.
Mount Melville
Just a few blocks from where we were staying stood the bush-covered heights of Mount Melville. As such, it wasn’t long before we made our way there, walking up to its lookout tower. The tower itself feels a bit neglected, but you can’t argue with the fantastic views it offers.
Not only do you get a great look at Albany as a whole, but you can also see right across Shoal Bay. What’s quite surprising is how Mount Melville feels completely isolated while you’re there, rather than being a few minutes drive from a city centre. We went up in the late afternoon and the light was something else. Funny how one good view made us so excited to explore the other Albany things to do.
Mount Clarence
On the far side of Albany immediately looking over the town centre lies a second hill, Mount Clarence. Unlike Mount Melville, there’s a lot going on up there beyond just viewpoints.
There are two different spaces covering either end of the hilltop. We mostly explored the eastern side of the hill, where you’ll find Convoy Lookout and the National Anzac Centre war museum. On the other side you’ll find a heritage park and the Desert Mounted Corps Memorial.
No matter where you go on the hill you’re bound to find lookouts and walking trails open to the public. While we didn’t head into the National Anzac Centre as it was about to close, we did go for a walk through the various military relics on display outside and head up the hill to Convoy Lookout to gaze over at Gull Rock National Park.
Middleton Beach and Emu Point
Those looking for the closest beach to Albany really don’t need to go far. Over on the far side of Mount Clarence you’ll find the suburb of Middleton Beach and its sweeping beachfront. All though basically a city beach, Middleton Beach offers perfect fine white sand and relatively well-sheltered surf. It’s a really nice place for a long beach walk, but I can’t comment on swimming here.
Right up at the eastern end of the beach lies Emu Point, another suburb with its own smaller beaches. Both of the beaches at Emu Point looked very inviting and the view over to Gull Rock National Park makes a nice backdrop. In fact, the opposite shore is so close I’m sure there are people who swim over and back.
Frenchman Bay
Around the far side of Albany over at Frenchman Bay you’ll find more than just more beaches. Not that the beaches on Frenchman Bay aren’t nice; they have a quieter, more wild vibe to them. But it’s just the main landmark on the northern side of this peninsula is actually a man-made structure.
Albany’s Historic Whaling Station is a small building found by the waterfront that is pretty easy to spot. Simply look for the large whaling boat washed up on the shore. The museum tells the story of whaling’s history in the region and how hunted whales were processed at the time. Maybe not the easiest place to go in Albany for animal-lovers, but it’s always valuable to understand all aspects of a place’s history.
Torndirrup National Park
The above attractions at Frenchman Bay make up just a fraction of the places to visit on this part of the south coast of Western Australia. That’s because Torndirrup National Park covers the rest of this peninsula and is park full of sights to see. I could talk at length about all the spots to see in Torndirrup, but let’s just stick to the highlights for now.
The hilly coastline of Torndirrup National Park is full of coves and small bays, meaning it boasts plenty of beaches and viewpoints. Head to Stony Hill and down to Cable Beach and you’ll see what I mean. But there are also lots of interesting geological features as well, like The Gap, the Natural Bridge and the Blowholes. It’s also a nice place for nature walks, with the walk down to Torndirrup Beach particularly memorable.
Limeburners Distillery
A strange thing happened during our Albany trip – it rained. It’s probably not that rare a thing, but I always picture Western Australia as permanently dry. Anyway, the rain put a dampener on sightseeing around Albany so we sought shelter during the downpour. Our refuge for an hour or so was the Limeburners Distillery on the road between Albany and Frenchman Bay.
Limeburners is just one of three distilleries owned by the family running Great Southern Distilling Co. The family business has made a name for themselves with their aromatic gin brand Giniversity out of Margaret River, but this distillery’s expertise is whisky. We ordered a tasting of both whiskies and gins. While I knew I’d enjoy the single malt whisky, the gin here really impressed me as I’ve never been much of a gin person.
Albany Cafes and Restaurants
Not everything to do in Albany has to necessarily be about travelling about and sightseeing. Albany also works as a destination for a relaxing holiday spent taking it easy. What really helps with that is the fantastic selection of cafes and restaurants there is to choose from in town.
Treating ourselves to a couple of breakfasts out, we found two excellent options in the Vancouver Street Cafe and Dylans on the Terrace. Both totally deliver on sweet and savoury breakfasts, but I think we preferred Vancouver Street Cafe for its nice relaxed neighbourhood vibe.
As for places to get dinner, the options are even more bountiful. A stand-out highlight was Albany Indian Tandoori for some of the best Indian food I’ve had in Australia. However, the value for money at Due South with its pizzas and the burgers at Six Degrees makes them solid picks too.
Tips for Visiting Albany WA
Since Albany isn’t the kind of place you visit on a whim, planning your trip there is kind of important. And planning is always easier with advice from people who have done it.
You first hurdle is going to be getting there. Getting from Perth to Albany takes around 5 hours by car when travelling directly. You really won’t find much along the way either, with Kojonup a good midway stopping point. The other likely route if you’re on a road trip is to visit from Margaret River. That drive is more like 4 hours and features more natural stopping points.
The other thing to think about is where you’re going to stay. We were delighted by the spaciousness and value for money at Nisus View, a huge holiday house near Mount Melville. But there’s a real wealth of places to stay in Albany, depending on what you’re after.
Have you had the chance to visit Albany in Western Australia yourself? What other places to visit in Albany would you recommend to tourists? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.
