Description

On the 9th of November 1826, Major Edmund Lockyer, together with a contingent of convicts, soldiers, a surgeon and storekeeper, left Sydney aboard the 'Amity' bound for King George III Sound. The Amity arrived on Christmas Day 1826.

Lockyer selected the site of what is now known as Albany for the crown and thus formed the first Western Australian settlement.

Major Lockyer named his new town 'Frederickstown', after King George III's second son, His Royal Highness Prince Frederick Augustus, Duke of York and Albany - 'The Grand Old Duke Of York'.

Albany was settled some three years before the Swan River colony, later to be known as Perth.
The area surrounding Albany is rich in natural beauty. The majestic Stirling Ranges and the Mt Barker wine region to the north, the dramatic Southern Ocean coastline and the many gorgeous small rural towns such as Denmark, all go to make the area a treat to explore. Albany is set on the beautiful King George sound and Princess Royal Harbour. It is the oldest town on the west coast. Whale and dolphin spotting from the coastal cliffs is an exhilarating pastime.

About the whales:

After people became increasingly aware of the senseless killing of these gentle giants of the deep, whaling was prohibited and became illegal in the waters of the Southern Ocean off Albany. The whaling industry in Albany ended and the factory was closed in 1978. But nature is forgiving: The beautiful whales, predominantly southern right whales, have returned in large numbers and can be seen during whale season, usually late July to October. Bays around Albany are again annual nursery grounds for pods of whales that may be sighted in season from the boardwalk at Ellens Cove or on a cruise from Albany into the King George Sound.

Diving in Albany

Albany is cooled by breezes from the south and has a summer climate reaching approximately 27C during the day; in winter around 18C. So 5mm is ok for most part of the year and 7mm if you want better comfort.

Albany has incredible diving spots that possess some of the world's most exotic marine life. Reef divers, for instance, can swim with the company of whale sharks, turtles, angler fish, and more.

To name a few great dives you should go to:

*The Caves:  Huge caves, gorgonian fans, colourful sponges, shells, prolific fish life and the famous “Grinding Rock”. Identified from the surface by a jumble of broken rocks on the SE corner of Michealmas Island.  You will probably be surprised by the sound caused by the moving rock. It’s both frightening and exciting at the same time. Swim through the many caves and grottos, which seem to go on forever.

*The 2 sisters: Colorful dive: kelp, ledges, bommies, often-large cuttlefish, leather jackets, nudibranchs, sea stars, crayfish …. Torch is a must if you want to appreciate all the colors.

*The cables: Made up of tall bommies you will meet with large fan & plate corals, sponges and even larger blue grouper, a swim around this site is likened to walking through the high rise area of a busy city. With hundreds of busy fish in narrow deep swim throughs. Slip down between these granite walls and enjoy a spectacular dive.

For the divers who enjoy wreck diving HMAS Perth is a must. In late November 2001,the sinking of the former HMAS Perth follows the highly successful scuttling in 1998 of the former HMAS Swan, which has attracted over 20,000 divers to Dunsborough in the State's South-West. Combining the former Perth and Swan dive sites with the world's largest dive wreck, Sanko Harvest in Esperance, creates a perfect wreck trail across Western Australia. This artificial shipwreck is now the new dwelling haven for different marine species. Ever since its inauguration, the HMAS Perth shipwreck has attracted thousands of people who flock to these shores each year to dive this site and many others that dot their way along the nearby coastline. When you make your way out to the shipwreck you can go exploring and discover the inner workings of the ship for yourself as well as many other treasures along the way.. Indeed, Albany holds many wonders beneath its depths: lush and exotic coral reefs teeming with life such as sponges, mussels, oysters, scallops, cuttlefish, large kingfish, and a plethora of local fish abound, coupled with a mystical shipwreck that are all bound to captivate one's interest and impress pleasant memories that can be treasured for years to come. This dive site is just awesome for novice to “technical” divers. A visually impacting dive with much of the ships equipment and machinery left in place.
Permits are required to dive this site.

WDR.