Albany 2

Today we started off with a three hour guided tour of the historical aspects of Albany. Our guide was an older lady who was having a lot of trouble walking as she seemed to have a a major hip problem. It was an interesting tour and we learnt a lot about the history of Albany. Some of the highlights were ....

 

Very interesting design for the original court house

Original built as a hiring out of convicts it then became the local gaol. Very good restoration and history of this building

Some Aboriginal doodling in the gaol

Plus some Norwegian doodling of sailors held here who had deserted.

The gaol

Replica of the brig Amity which brought the original settlers

In 1827 Captain Edmund Lockyer arrived from NSW in this ship and established the first settlement in WA with troops and convicts, claiming the land for Britain. 

 

                                                                        Patrick Taylor house   This is the oldest surviving dwelling in WA. Made of wattle and daub. It was built in 1832 and has been lovingly restored. 

 

Oldest church in Western Australia

 

 

Number of men from Albany who died in WW 1  

Entrance to the Anzac Memorial

 

 

 

The award winning National Anzac Centre is one of Australia’s most important cultural pilgrimages. Located within Albany’s heritage listed Princess Royal Fortress, the centre overlooks the actual harbour from which over 41,000 men and woman departed Australia for the Great War. Immerse yourself in the Anzac Legend and follow personal stories through state of the art technology, multimedia and historic artefacts. Prepare to remember, learn and explore.

The whole of the Heritage Park is an amazing. It really gives an insight into so many individuals who fought in WW1. Absolutely stunning views over the harbour. 

 

Sculpture honouring the horses and men

Albany day 1

With so many options of activities in Albany we were anything but relaxed deciding what to do today. Finally it was decided to concentrate on the  Torndirrup National Park. First we stopped at the Cave Point Lighthouse which apparently takes all the distress beacons and passes them onto the emergency services.   

Great scenery 

Then it was onto the Gap and Natural Bridge. Awesome to think this was at one time attached to the land mass of Antartica. 

The Bridge

Can't believe there were people fishing from the absolute end of this structure.   

 

And then we called into Jimmy Newell's Harbour. This apparently is named for James Newell, a convict transported from Tasmania on the Brig Amity in 1826 who sheltered in this harbour during bad weather. After serving his time he brought his family to Albany. He worked as a lime burner and sailed the coast hunting mutton birds and seals. James died in 1855.

  Then we visited the last Whale Staion that operated in Australia. We went on a tour where they explained the process from killing to processing the whales. It was pretty gruesome really. But there was an awesome 3D movie about the huge creatures of the sea. It looked like you could reach out and touch these amazing animals. It was really cool. There was also a hologram type display that explained the way of life of a whaler and the end of the industry  apparently it took a decade for Albany to bounce back.   

Skeleton of a small whale!

 

Captain Ahab about to fire the harpoon

 

Frenchman's Bay

Final whaling boat

Naughty Geoff feeding our magpie visitors. 

Off to Albany

We set off this morning and travelled through the Stirling National Park. We just puddled along, stopping at each lookout. Despite the promise of no bushwalks today we ended up being fooled by a sign in doing a short 30 minute stroll through the bush to a lookout.  What the sign didn't say was that it was again straight up towards the end.  Legs are still sore after yesterday.     

Pathway up to lookout

Lookout

 

On top of the world

Seeing we had been driving for half an hour before our walk we thought we should reward ourselves with morning tea! Then it was onto Albany. 

Stirling Ranges

Tried to have an early start seeing we were heading off today. Have enjoyed the week of beaches but looking forward to travelling up to the Stirling Ranges today. It wasn't long after leaving that the ranges loomed up on the horizon. You can see why the Aboriginal name for them means mist around the mountains.   

Stirling Ranges on the horizon

 

Flowering gum on side of the road

We called into the Lily Windmill to have a look. We were hoping it was still a cafe but no luck.   

   We couldn't take the van up to the beginning of the walk so we booked in to a 'resort'  which looked more like a fairly basic caravan park  we were the only ones there I think. Great views of the range in the background as we set of.  

It is a really long range with many different peaks. More than 100 million years ago a shallow sea covered the area. Minerals, soil, sand and bones of tiny sea creatures slowly drifted down through the water to form layer upon layer of sentiment.  After the sea receded, over aeons of time the layers were transformed into layers of rock by the pressure created by their own weight and ripple marks are still visible on exposed areas of rock on the peaks.  Massive forces created by the slow grinding of the Australian continent against other continents eventually caused the rocks to buckle and rise. The weathering forces of wind and rain, heat and cold steadily worked to erode the range into the shape we see today.   The day was perfect for a walk up to the highest peak Bluff Knoll which stood at 1095 metres. It was a grade 4 walk but how hard could it be. OMG, it was a challenge with it being 2 hours straight up and very steep. Lots of loose rocks and huge steps. Maybe we are getting too old for Grade 4 walks!  Views on the way up were incredible.   

 

 

The Bluff which was the goal

Almost there

 

Made it

 

Incredible views from the top and all the way back down.

Just Beautiful!

Beaches, beaches everywhere.

Oh we are becoming so lazy. We were still dozing at 7.30. So cozy in our little van. Geoff was then up and at 'me and went for a paddle in Ashley's pack raft. It was however a bit windy and he was back. Today we got free at Bremer day as we had paid for 3 days so thought we would go on a relaxing beach crawl.

Little Boat Harbour

We walked out to the end of Point Henry. It was wild and spectacular. 

Point Henry

 

In the afternoon we went exploring again. Spectacular views across the whole of Bremer Bay