Australia: Western Australia – Albany

Albany, Western Australia: Gateway to the Great Southern

Albany sits at the bottom of Western Australia like it fell off the back of a lorry and decided it rather liked where it landed. It is, by any reasonable measure, a long way from anywhere. Getting here from Britain involves roughly 24 hours in a pressurised metal tube, a connecting flight to Perth, and then either a four-and-a-half hour drive south through farmland that manages to be simultaneously vast and featureless, or a mercifully brief one-hour hop on a regional plane. None of that sounds especially inviting, I’ll grant you. My knees, for instance, have never fully forgiven me. But here’s the thing: Albany is genuinely, almost unreasonably spectacular, and once you’ve arrived and had a decent night’s sleep, you’ll be rather glad you made the effort. Even if your back isn’t.

The city — and they do call it a city, though with a population of around 35,000 it has more of a confident market town feel — was established by the British in 1826, making it the oldest permanent European settlement in Western Australia, a fact its residents enjoy pointing out to visitors from Perth with quiet but evident satisfaction. It sits between the Stirling Range to the north and the Southern Ocean to the south, wrapped around the deep natural harbour of King George Sound, one of the finest anchorages in the southern hemisphere. The town itself has a pleasantly unhurried character: wide streets, some handsome Victorian-era buildings, decent independent shops, and a population that seems perfectly content that most of the world hasn’t found them yet. In 2026, Albany is marking its bicentenary — 200 years since Aboriginal and British people first began living alongside each other on this part of the continent — which gives the place an additional sense of occasion and a year-long programme of events that would keep even the most culturally resistant visitor occupied.

The climate, for those of us from a country where summer is three warm Tuesdays and a light drizzle, is properly good. Winters are mild and occasionally wet, spring brings an explosion of wildflowers across the surrounding heathland that really does have to be seen to be believed, and summer is warm rather than the blast furnace you get in Perth. It is also, it must be said, frequently windy. The Southern Ocean does not do anything by halves, and Albany sits right in its path. At times the wind is emphatic enough to rearrange your hat, your dignity, and your carefully planned itinerary in a single gust. But the landscape that all this wind and water has sculpted over millions of years is breathtaking in a way that tends to silence even the most relentlessly chatty tourist, and I include myself in that category, which tells you something.

Overview of things to do

🎖️ Be Moved at the National Anzac Centre

There are museums you visit, and there are places that visit you back. The National Anzac Centre is firmly in the second category, and I say that as someone who approaches most museums with the enthusiasm of a man being taken to the dentist. Perched on top of Mount Adelaide within Albany Heritage Park, the Centre looks out across King George Sound towards the Southern Ocean — the very water from which tens of thousands of ANZACs departed for the First World War in 1914, many of them never to return. Opened in November 2014 to mark the centenary of that departure, it is an immersive, interactive experience that does something most museums fail to do: it makes history feel personal. On entry, each visitor is assigned one of 32 real ANZAC characters — soldiers, nurses, support workers — and follows their story through the exhibits. These are not abstractions. They are people with names, faces, and families, who stood on the dock at King George Sound in the autumn of 1914 and looked back at the hills of Albany for the last time. The displays combine artefacts, photographs, film, and audio to trace their journeys from recruitment through Gallipoli, the Western Front, and the Middle East, to whatever came afterwards — for those fortunate enough to have an afterwards. At the end of the experience, you discover the fate of your character. The place got to me, and I am not remotely ashamed to admit it. The wider Heritage Park includes the beautifully restored Princess Royal Fortress, built in 1893 on Mount Adelaide as the first federal defence project in Australia, with its battery guns and a Convoy Walk offering panoramic views over the Sound. Allow a good half-day here. It is worth every minute and every penny, and that is not something I say lightly.

📍 Location: Albany Heritage Park, Forts Road, Albany WA 6330
🌐 Website: www.nationalanzaccentre.com.au
📞 Telephone: (08) 9844 4600
📧 Email: info@nationalanzaccentre.com.au
🕘 Opening Hours: Daily 9:00am–5:00pm (last entry 4:00pm). Closed Christmas Day.
💰 Fees: Adults A$25 | Concession A$21 | Children (5–15) A$11 | Family (2 adults + 2 children) A$60 | Under 5s free. Fortress grounds: free entry.

🐋 Step Inside Albany’s Historic Whaling Station

Before Albany got round to photographing whales from respectful distances and posting them online, it was busy harpooning them industrially. The last whale killed in Australian waters was harpooned right here, at the Cheynes Beach Whaling Station, in November 1978 — a fact the site records with admirable honesty. The station closed and then, in one of history’s more satisfying reversals, reopened two years later as a museum. Now known as Albany’s Historic Whaling Station at Discovery Bay, it is the only complete whaling station tourism attraction in the world, a distinction it wears with considerable authority and has won multiple tourism awards for, most recently gold in both the Tourist Attraction and Cultural Tourism categories at the 2025 WA Tourism Awards. The centrepiece is the Cheynes IV, a fully preserved whale chaser ship that you can board and explore. Standing on its deck with the Southern Ocean visible beyond Frenchman Bay, it is not hard to feel the industrial grimness of what once happened here, nor to feel quietly relieved that it stopped. Inside, the converted whale oil tanks screen short films about the industry, the museum holds a giant blue whale skeleton — Australia’s largest marine mammal skeleton display — and an extensive collection of scrimshaw, the extraordinary etchings carved into whalebone by sailors during long voyages. The wider site includes an Australian wildlife park with wombats, bandicoots, and possums, and a regional wildflower garden laid out with thousands of native plants. Most visitors spend two to three hours here, which is about right. The drive out along Frenchman Bay Road takes about 25 minutes from town and is scenic enough to feel like part of the experience.

📍 Location: Frenchman Bay Road, Torndirrup Peninsula, Albany WA 6330 (approximately 22km from Albany town centre)
🌐 Website: www.discoverybay.com.au
📞 Telephone: (08) 9844 4021
📧 Email: bookings@discoverybay.com.au
🕘 Opening Hours: Daily 9:00am–5:00pm (last entry 4:15pm). Closed Christmas Day. Wildlife Park and Wildflower Garden: 10:00am–5:00pm.
💰 Fees: Adults A$32. Check website for current family and concession rates. Wildlife Park included in admission.

🌊 Stand Over The Gap and Natural Bridge, Torndirrup National Park

Somewhere in a parallel universe, there is a version of the Australian tourist board that would have given The Gap a more dramatic name. Fortunately, in this universe, nobody bothered, and the understated label does absolutely nothing to prepare you for what you are actually going to see. The Gap is a fissure in the granite coastline of Torndirrup National Park, roughly 24 metres deep, through which the Southern Ocean rushes with considerable force and absolutely no interest in being polite about it. A stainless steel viewing platform juts ten metres out from the rockface, with a grated floor through which you can look straight down to the churning water below. It is, frankly, terrifying in the best possible way. A short walk along the cliff path brings you to the Natural Bridge, a solid arch of granite through which the ocean surges and which, on sunny days, produces rainbows in the spray — the region is called the Rainbow Coast, which suddenly makes perfect sense. Torndirrup National Park covers most of the peninsula south of Albany and is a 15-minute drive from the town centre. Within the park you’ll also find the Blowholes, Cable Beach (not for swimming — the rips are murderous), Misery Beach (which is beautiful, despite the name), and the Bald Head Trail, a challenging 12.5-kilometre return hike along the coastline for those who feel they haven’t suffered enough. The views from The Gap alone are worth the park entry fee several times over.

📍 Location: Gap Road, off Frenchman Bay Road, Torndirrup National Park, Albany WA 6330 — approximately 15km from Albany town centre
🌐 Website: exploreparks.dbca.wa.gov.au/park/torndirrup-national-park
📞 Telephone: (08) 9842 4500 (DBCA Albany District)
📧 Email: albany.district@dbca.wa.gov.au
🕘 Opening Hours: Open daily, dawn to dusk. No staffed entry point.
💰 Fees: A$17 per vehicle (day pass, payable at vending machine in car park) | 4-week pass A$44 | Annual All Parks Pass A$88. Passes cover multiple national parks in the region.

🏔️ Climb Bluff Knoll in the Stirling Range

About an hour and a half’s drive north of Albany — through farmland so flat and so large it begins to feel slightly aggressive — the Stirling Range rises out of the plain with the dramatic unexpectedness of something that has been hiding there all along and is rather pleased you’ve finally noticed it. Known to the Noongar people as Koi Kyenunu-ruff, meaning “mist rolling around the mountains,” the range stretches 65 kilometres from east to west and represents the only significant mountain country in the entire south-west of the continent. Bluff Knoll is the highest peak at 1,095 metres above sea level — modest by any Himalayan standard, obviously, but commanding enough to earn its reputation as one of Australia’s 25 best hikes and to humble you thoroughly on the way up. The trail is 6.8 kilometres return, Grade 4, with a relentless ascent involving hundreds of cut stone steps and sections steep enough to prompt a frank internal conversation about your life choices and general fitness levels. Allow three to four hours for the return trip, and bring more water than you think you need because you will need all of it. The reward at the summit — on a clear day — is a 360-degree view across the plains, ranges, and distant coast that is simply enormous in a way that stops thought. The Stirling Range is also one of the world’s most important areas for flora, with over 1,500 plant species within its boundaries, including 123 orchid species, and in spring the wildflowers along the lower slopes are extraordinary. The weather up here changes with startling speed — this is the only place in Western Australia to experience snow — so take a layer regardless of what it looks like when you set off. I say this from experience. Specifically, damp, cold experience.

📍 Location: Bluff Knoll Road, Stirling Range National Park, WA 6338 (approximately 90 minutes north of Albany via Chester Pass Road)
🌐 Website: exploreparks.dbca.wa.gov.au/park/stirling-range-national-park
📞 Telephone: (08) 9827 9230 (Stirling Range Ranger Station)
📧 Email: stirlingrange.rsp@dbca.wa.gov.au
🕘 Opening Hours: Open daily, dawn to dusk.
💰 Fees: A$17 per vehicle (day pass) | Annual All Parks Pass A$88. Pay station at the turn onto Bluff Knoll Road.

🐳 Watch Whales on King George Sound

Albany has a complicated relationship with whales that has, to everyone’s benefit, resolved itself rather well. For much of the twentieth century the business of Albany was killing whales. Now it is watching them, and King George Sound turns out to be an exceptional place for that. Between June and October each year, humpback whales and southern right whales move through the sheltered waters around Albany, sometimes remarkably close to shore. Southern right whales in particular — once hunted almost to extinction and now, thankfully, gradually recovering — have a habit of lingering in the bays to calve and mate, and on a calm morning in July you can sometimes see them from the Ellen Cove Boardwalk without so much as getting your feet wet, which is tremendously civilised for something so large. If you want to get properly close, Albany Whale Tours operates aboard Sail-a-Way, a 42-seat catamaran that departs from Albany Waterfront Marina at 9:30am daily during the season. Tours run for three and a half hours with full commentary on whale behaviour, maritime history, and the ecology of King George Sound. Albany Ocean Adventures runs similar excursions from the same marina and has been doing so for over 25 years. Both operators have good reputations and crews with genuine enthusiasm for what they’re doing. On a decent day in the Sound, watching a humpback breach a few metres from the boat with the granite hills reflected in the water around you, you will understand immediately why people fly 24 hours to be here. The Bremer Canyon, around 60 kilometres offshore, is a separate and spectacular destination famous for the largest congregation of orcas in the Southern Hemisphere, requiring a full-day boat excursion and separate booking through the Albany Visitor Centre.

📍 Location: Albany Waterfront Marina, 5D Toll Place, Albany WA 6330
🌐 Websites: www.albanywhaletours.com.au | www.whales.com.au (Albany Ocean Adventures)
📞 Telephone: Albany Whale Tours: 0422 441 484 | Albany Ocean Adventures: +61 428 429 876
📧 Email: info@whales.com.au (Albany Ocean Adventures)
🕘 Season: June to October. Departures from 9:30am daily (weather dependent). Albany Ocean Adventures also offers 1:00pm departures.
💰 Fees (Albany Ocean Adventures): Adults A$120 | Seniors A$110 | Children (5–16) A$65 | Family (2+2) A$340 | Under 5s free.

🏛️ Explore the Museum of the Great Southern, the Convict Gaol, and the Brig Amity

Albany has more history per square kilometre than most Australian cities would know what to do with, and the best of it is concentrated in a pleasingly compact cluster near the Princess Royal Harbour waterfront. A sensibly organised person can take in three distinct and genuinely absorbing attractions in a single morning, which produces exactly the kind of smug satisfaction I find enormously comforting. Start at the Museum of the Great Southern on Residency Road, which occupies a group of beautifully restored heritage buildings on the actual site of Western Australia’s first European settlement of 1826. It is free to enter, which gets it off to an excellent start as far as I am concerned. The permanent collection covers the full sweep of the region’s story: the culture and history of the Menang Noongar people; the pivotal role of Mokare, a Noongar man who served as an intermediary between his people and the early European settlers and without whom the founding of the colony would have gone rather worse than it did; the region’s remarkable natural history; and Albany’s evolution from military garrison to significant working port. It is well laid out, informative without being punishing, and the harbour views from the precinct are genuinely lovely. A short walk along Stirling Terrace brings you to the Albany Convict Gaol, built in 1852 to house the skilled artisans and tradesmen transported from England between 1850 and 1868. The original 12-foot stone walls, still studded with broken bottle glass at the top, remain intact, and you can wander through the men’s and women’s cell blocks, the warders’ quarters, the old kitchen, and the Great Hall. The timber-lined Aboriginal cells from the 1870s contain carvings thought to be the oldest of their kind in Australia. Of the nearly 9,700 convicts transported to Western Australia in this era, only 275 were held here, so it has a specific and well-documented human history rather than the generalised gloom some prison museums rely on for atmosphere. Adults pay around A$6, which is a bargain for something this old and this sobering. Back on the waterfront, the Brig Amity sits on Princess Royal Drive as it has since 1976 — a full-scale replica, built to mark the 150th anniversary of Albany’s founding, of the original 148-ton brig that carried Major Edmund Lockyer, 23 convicts, 21 soldiers, a surgeon, a storekeeper, various crew, and what the records describe as sheep and pigs, all the way from Sydney to King George Sound on a six-week voyage, arriving on Christmas Day 1826. You can go aboard, explore both above and below decks, and let the volunteer guides explain what the crossing was actually like for everyone involved, livestock included. The original Amity was wrecked in the Bass Strait in 1845, but her replica sits here in the sunshine and does the job magnificently.

📍 Museum of the Great Southern: Residency Road, Albany WA 6330
🌐 Website: visit.museum.wa.gov.au/greatsouthern
📞 Telephone: (08) 9841 4844
📧 Email: greatsouthern@museum.wa.gov.au
🕘 Opening Hours: Daily 10:00am–4:00pm. Closed Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year’s Day and Good Friday. ANZAC Day 1:00pm–4:00pm.
💰 Fees: Free. Donations welcome. Some special exhibitions may charge.
📍 Albany Convict Gaol Museum: 267 Stirling Terrace, Albany WA 6330
🌐 Website: www.historicalbany.com.au
📞 Telephone: (08) 9841 5403
🕘 Opening Hours: Daily 10:00am–4:00pm. Closed Christmas Day and Good Friday.
💰 Fees: Adults A$6 | Children A$2.50 | Concessions A$4 | Family A$15. Includes free entry to Patrick Taylor Cottage Museum.
📍 Brig Amity Replica: Princess Royal Drive, Albany WA 6330 (adjacent to Museum of the Great Southern)
🌐 Website: visit.museum.wa.gov.au/greatsouthern/brig-amity
📞 Telephone: (08) 9841 4844
🕘 Opening Hours: Daily 9:30am–4:00pm.
💰 Fees: Adults A$5. Children’s rates apply — confirm on arrival.

🪨 Wander the Streets of Historic Albany Town

Albany’s town centre is the sort of place that rewards a slow wander on a weekday morning with no particular agenda and sensible footwear. The older part of town, gathered around Stirling Terrace and the waterfront, contains some of Western Australia’s most venerable buildings, several of which have been standing since the 1830s. Patrick Taylor Cottage, a compact wattle-and-daub structure built in 1832 and now operated as a small museum, is the oldest surviving dwelling in the entire state — eleven rooms in something not much bigger than a generous garden shed, and a genuine window into the conditions endured by the earliest settlers, who were evidently made of sterner stuff than most of us. The Royal George Hotel from 1885, the old courthouse, and the Wesley Church with its gothic pointed arches and tall spire are all worth a glance as you make your way along the streets. Then there is Dog Rock — a granite boulder that rises from the earth near the town centre and bears a resemblance to a Labrador sniffing the air that is so accurate someone has painted a black-and-white collar around the base. Getting a photograph with Dog Rock is, apparently, obligatory. We complied and felt no shame about it whatsoever. Moving up York Street into the commercial heart of town, you’ll find independent shops, galleries, and the Albany Visitor Centre, which is helpful and unusually well-stocked with useful information. The silos at the harbour end of things have been painted with an enormous red-and-white sea dragon mural — 35 metres of it — that is properly dramatic and quite impossible to ignore, which is presumably the point. Albany is celebrating its bicentenary in 2026 with a full programme of cultural events, exhibitions, and commemorations running throughout the year, making this a particularly good time to wander and get into conversations with locals, who are, on the whole, a welcoming lot.

📍 Location: Albany Town Centre, Stirling Terrace and York Street, Albany WA 6330
🌐 Website: www.amazingalbany.com.au
📞 Albany Visitor Centre: (08) 6820 3700
📧 Email: visitorcentre@albany.wa.gov.au
🕘 Albany Visitor Centre Hours: Monday–Friday 9:00am–5:00pm | Saturday–Sunday 9:00am–4:00pm
💰 Fees: Town walking is free. Patrick Taylor Cottage: Adults A$5 | Children A$2. Dog Rock: free, as is entirely appropriate.

Planning your visit to Albany

🌊 Albany, Western Australia — A Visitor’s Guide

Albany, known to the Menang Noongar people as Kinjarling — meaning “place of plenty” or “place of rain” — sits on the south coast of Western Australia, perched above Princess Royal Harbour and the vast King George Sound, one of the six largest natural harbours in the world. It is the oldest colonial settlement in Western Australia, predating Perth and Fremantle by more than two years, and its layers of Indigenous heritage, maritime history, and ANZAC significance make it one of the most historically rich destinations in the country.

Today Albany is a thriving coastal city with a population of around 35,000, offering a compelling mix of dramatic coastlines, national parks, boutique wineries, heritage architecture, and a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere.

📍 Location

Albany lies approximately 420 kilometres south-south-east of Perth, in the Great Southern region of Western Australia. The city faces the Southern Ocean, sheltered by granite headlands and framed by rolling green hills. The surrounding landscape encompasses several national parks, quiet bays, ancient mountain ranges, and dense forests — all within easy driving distance of the city centre.

✈️ Getting There

By Air

Albany Regional Airport is located approximately 11 kilometres from the city centre. Regional Express (REX) operates daily direct flights from Perth, with a flight time of roughly one hour and fifteen minutes. Taxis and hire cars are available at the airport, and it is advisable to pre-arrange a hire car if you plan to explore beyond the town centre, as no shuttle service regularly operates into town.

By Road

The most direct route from Perth is via the Albany Highway (State Route 30), a distance of around 418 kilometres — approximately four and a half to five hours of driving. The road is sealed and well-maintained throughout. A more scenic alternative is to travel via the South West coast, passing through Bunbury, Busselton, Margaret River, and Denmark, which adds several hours but rewards with spectacular coastal scenery and charming towns along the way.

By Coach

Transwa operates coach services between East Perth and Albany. The journey takes approximately six hours, with services departing twice daily. An alternative route via Bunbury and Walpole is also available, taking around nine hours. Coaches arrive at the Transwa terminal on Proudlove Parade in central Albany.

On Foot or by Bicycle (Long-Distance)

For the truly adventurous, the Bibbulmun Track — a 1,000-kilometre bush walking trail — links Perth with Albany. Similarly, the Munda Biddi Trail offers the same journey for mountain bikers and is considered the longest off-road cycling track of its kind in the world.

🚗 Getting Around

Hire Car

A hire car is by far the most practical way to explore Albany and its surroundings. Several national hire car companies operate at Albany Airport and in the town centre. A standard vehicle is adequate for most attractions, though some more remote beaches and tracks may require a four-wheel drive. Having your own transport is particularly important for reaching Torndirrup National Park, Porongurup National Park, the Historic Whaling Station, and the wineries of the Great Southern region.

Local Bus

A limited inner-city bus service operates two routes, covering residential areas, Middleton Beach, Emu Point, and Little Grove. Timetables are available via the Public Transport Authority. However, buses do not service most tourist attractions outside the town centre, and services are infrequent on weekends.

Taxis and Rideshare

Taxis are available in Albany through companies such as Albany City Cabs and 13cabs, which operate daily. The TaTa Ride app also provides a local rideshare alternative. These are well-suited to short journeys within the city, though fares for longer trips to out-of-town attractions can be costly.

Walking and Cycling

Central Albany — including the historic precinct, shopping areas, and harbour — is compact and walkable. A purpose-built boardwalk connects Middleton Beach around the base of Mount Clarence back to the port area, with panoramic views of the harbour along the way. A practical cycleway network also connects key areas of the city, and bicycle hire is available locally.

🏛️ History and Heritage

Albany’s history begins tens of thousands of years ago with the Menang Noongar people, the traditional custodians of the land, who have maintained a deep and enduring connection to Country. The first European to sight the coastline was the Dutchman Frans Thijssen in 1627. In 1791, George Vancouver explored King George Sound, naming various landmarks. European settlement began in 1826 when a military outpost — initially called Fredericks Town — was established. The settlement was officially renamed Albany in 1832.

Throughout the 19th century, Albany grew into one of Australia’s most important ports, serving as a gateway for ships travelling between Britain and Australia’s eastern states, and later for those heading to the Western Australian goldfields. The city holds particular significance as the departure point for the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) troops who sailed for Gallipoli and the Middle East during the First World War.

Key heritage sites include:

National ANZAC Centre — Located within Albany Heritage Park atop Mount Clarence, this purpose-built museum offers an immersive and deeply moving journey through the experiences of ANZAC soldiers. Interactive displays allow visitors to follow the personal stories of individual soldiers who departed from King George Sound. The site also includes the Princess Royal Fortress and the ANZAC Desert Mounted Corps Memorial, with sweeping views over the harbour that served as the last sight of home for many troops.

Historic Whaling Station (Cheynes Beach Whaling Company) — Once the last operating whaling station in Australia, this heritage-listed site closed in 1978 and is now a museum. It features the largest display of marine mammal skeletons in Australia, restored whale-chasing ships, and extensive exhibits on the history of the whaling industry and its impact on marine populations.

Albany’s Historic Precinct — Stirling Terrace and the surrounding streets are lined with well-preserved colonial buildings dating to the mid-19th century. Highlights include the Old Post Office, the Albany Convict Gaol Museum (built in 1852), and a replica of the Brig Amity — the vessel that carried Albany’s first settlers from Sydney in 1826.

Museum of the Great Southern — This museum explores the natural and social history of the region, including the stories of the Menang Noongar people and the early settler and convict era.

🌿 Natural Attractions

Torndirrup National Park — Just 15 minutes from the city centre, this is Albany’s most visited natural attraction. The park is home to The Gap, a dramatic channel cut into 40-metre-high coastal granite cliffs, with a viewing platform that juts out above the churning Southern Ocean. Nearby, the Natural Bridge is a sculpted rock arch formed by centuries of wave erosion. The Blowholes and Stony Hill lookout — offering 360-degree views — are also within the park. The coastal Bald Head walking trail (12.5 kilometres return) is a more challenging but rewarding option.

Middleton Beach and Emu Point — Albany’s main swimming beach is a short drive from the city centre. The Ellen Cove Boardwalk offers easy coastal walking, and Emu Point provides calm, protected waters suitable for families.

Misery Beach — Located within Torndirrup National Park, this secluded cove was named Australia’s Best Beach in 2022. It is well suited to swimming, snorkelling, and surfing.

Porongurup National Park — Around 40 minutes north of Albany, this ancient mountain range — over 1.2 billion years old — is home to towering karri forests, granite outcrops, and the Granite Skywalk at Castle Rock, a suspended walkway wrapped around a massive boulder offering panoramic views of the Great Southern region.

Stirling Range National Park — Approximately one hour north of Albany, this park contains Bluff Knoll, the highest peak in south-western Western Australia. The 6-kilometre return hike is strenuous and should not be underestimated, with alpine conditions possible at any time of year.

Whale Watching — Humpback and southern right whales use King George Sound as a nursery between approximately May and October. Whales can be spotted from the shore at locations including the Ellen Cove Boardwalk, Discovery Bay, and Marine Drive lookouts, or on dedicated whale-watching cruises.

Albany Wind Farm — Visible from much of the city, the wind farm’s 18 turbines supply a large proportion of Albany’s electricity. The site is open year-round and features boardwalks, ocean views, and informational art installations.

Silo Art — A 35-metre ruby seadragon mural adorns the grain silos in the town centre, one of Western Australia’s iconic silo art installations.

The best time to visit the South of Western Australia

Western Australia’s south encompasses one of Australia’s most diverse and rewarding regions — from the jarrah forests of the Darling Scarp to the dramatic limestone cliffs of the Nullarbor, and from the whale nurseries of Augusta to the famous Margaret River wine country. The region broadly covers the South West Land Division, including towns such as Margaret River, Albany, Denmark, Pemberton, Manjimup, Esperance, and the rugged Cape Le Grand coastline. Each season brings a distinct character, and knowing when to visit shapes the experience entirely.

🌸 Spring (September – November)

Spring is arguably the jewel of the southern WA calendar. Wildflower season reaches its peak between late August and October, transforming roadsides, national parks, and heathlands into carpets of colour. The Stirling Range National Park bursts with Bluff Knoll pincushions and mountain bells, while the coastal heaths near Two Peoples Bay dazzle with spider orchids and kangaroo paws. Temperatures are mild and pleasant — typically 17°C to 23°C — making hiking, whale watching, and wine touring thoroughly enjoyable.

Humpback and southern right whales migrate through the waters near Augusta and Albany between September and December, and this is one of the finest whale-watching seasons on the continent. The crowds are modest compared to the summer peak, accommodation prices are reasonable, and the landscape is at its most photogenic. Spring showers still occur, particularly in September, but days are generally bright and the air carries that fresh, post-winter clarity.

What to pack: Layers for cool mornings and evenings, a light waterproof jacket, comfortable walking shoes, sunscreen, a wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses, a camera for wildflowers and wildlife, and binoculars for whale watching. Smart-casual clothing for winery visits rounds things out nicely.

☀️ Summer (December – February)

Summer in the south of Western Australia is warm, sunny, and lively, though noticeably cooler and far more temperate than the scorching heat of the state’s north. Temperatures typically range from 25°C to 35°C along the coast, occasionally hitting higher inland. The Margaret River region draws surfers from around the world, particularly to breaks like Surfers Point and Guillotine, and the beaches at Meelup, Greens Pool, and Cape Le Grand near Esperance attract families and snorkellers to impossibly clear turquoise waters.

The region’s famous food and wine scene is in full swing, with outdoor concerts, farmers’ markets, and cellar doors buzzing with visitors. This is high season, however, and popular towns like Margaret River and Denmark can feel crowded; booking accommodation well in advance is essential. Bushfire risk rises over summer, and travellers should monitor local fire weather warnings when exploring national parks. The long daylight hours — up to 14 hours of sunlight — are a genuine summer bonus.

What to pack: Lightweight, breathable clothing, swimwear, sturdy sandals or thongs, reef-safe sunscreen (SPF 50+), a hat, a rashvest for water activities, and insect repellent for evenings. A light cardigan for air-conditioned restaurants and cool beach evenings is useful. Keep a battery-powered weather radio or download an emergency app for bushfire alerts.

🍂 Autumn (March – May)

Autumn is a deeply underrated season in southern WA. The summer heat eases, the crowds thin, and the region takes on a quieter, more reflective quality. The Margaret River and Pemberton wine regions are particularly magical in March and April, when vineyards shift to gold and crimson and the harvest season brings a festive, earthy energy to the cellar doors. Temperatures range comfortably between 14°C and 24°C, ideal for cycling, long walks, and trout fishing in the Warren and Donnelly rivers.

The Gloucester Tree near Pemberton — one of the world’s tallest fire lookout trees — and the karri forest walks around Beedelup National Park are wonderful in the soft autumn light. Surf conditions at Margaret River are often at their most consistent and powerful during this period, attracting serious wave riders. Whale watching continues into May for those willing to keep an eye out near Albany and Bremer Bay, where orca aggregations make Bremer Canyon one of the world’s premier orca-watching sites between January and April.

What to pack: Light to medium layers, a fleece or mid-layer jacket, comfortable walking or hiking boots, a compact daypack, binoculars for wildlife, wine-tasting attire for cellar door visits, and a light rain jacket. Sun protection remains important on clear days.

❄️ Winter (June – August)

Winter in the south of Western Australia is the region’s wet season — mild, moody, and magnificent in its own way. Rainfall peaks, particularly along the coast between Augusta and Albany, and temperatures drop to between 8°C and 16°C. For those who love dramatic seascapes, crashing surf, and misty karri forests, this is the season that rewards most profoundly. The surf at Margaret River is at its most powerful, consistently producing world-class waves for experienced surfers, and the annual Margaret River Pro surf competition typically takes place in May–June.

Whale watching for southern right and humpback whales is at its peak around Augusta, with mothers and calves frequently spotted in Flinders Bay from June onwards. Hot spring pools, log fires, hearty restaurant meals, and cosy winery stays make winter a romantic escape. The wildflower season in the north of the state draws some travellers away, but the south retains a devoted following of those who appreciate its quieter, more intimate atmosphere. Accommodation rates are at their lowest, and there is a genuine sense of having the landscape almost to oneself.

What to pack: Warm layers including a merino or thermal base layer, a waterproof outer jacket (essential), sturdy waterproof walking boots, warm socks, gloves, a scarf, and a beanie for coastal walks. A good umbrella and quick-dry trousers are practical additions. Smart-casual warm layers for evenings in restaurants and cellar doors.

🌍 Overall Best Time to Visit

For most travellers, spring (September to November) represents the finest time to visit the south of Western Australia. The combination of spectacular wildflowers, temperate weather, excellent whale watching, and fewer crowds than the summer peak creates a near-perfect travel window. Autumn runs a close second, particularly for food and wine lovers, with harvest season energy, sublime hiking conditions, and the chance to witness the extraordinary orca gatherings at Bremer Canyon. Ultimately, the south of Western Australia rewards visits in every season, and no time of year leaves visitors disappointed — it is simply a question of which natural spectacle, landscape mood, or outdoor pursuit matters most to you.

Where to stay in Albany

1. Upscale: The Beach House At Bayside

The Beach House at Bayside is a small, family-run boutique B&B hotel sitting about 150 metres from the dunes of Middleton Bay in Albany, Western Australia, a short walk from the shore of King George Sound. The property has seven individually decorated rooms, each with en suite bathrooms, minibars, air conditioning, and quality bedding. A cooked-to-order breakfast using local produce is included in the rate, and guests can also expect complimentary afternoon tea, port, and chocolates. There is a guest lounge with a wood-burning fireplace for cooler months and a courtyard for summer. The hotel is a multiple winner of the Qantas Australian Tourism Awards and has been inducted into its Hall of Fame for hosted accommodation. It sits about seven to eight minutes by car from Albany’s town centre, with easy access to Torndirrup National Park, the Bibbulmun Track, and the Great Southern wine region.

2. Mid-Range: Albany Motel & Apartments

The Albany Motel & Apartments sits right in the centre of Albany, a coastal town about 400 kilometres south of Perth in Western Australia’s Great Southern region. Located on Frederick Street, the three-storey property has 39 rooms ranging from standard motel-style rooms to self-contained two- and three-bedroom apartments, making it a practical choice for couples, families, and business travellers alike. Upper-level rooms and apartments offer views across Princess Royal Harbour. The property has been refurbished in recent years, and rooms come with reverse-cycle air conditioning, flat-screen TVs, free Wi-Fi, and private ensuites. Free on-site parking is included. The location is one of its strongest points — York Street’s restaurants and shops are a short walk away, as are the Albany Entertainment Centre and the TransWA bus terminal. Albany Airport is around a 15-minute drive. It’s a straightforward, well-positioned base for exploring the region.

3. 1849 London Hotel

The 1849 London Hotel sits on Stirling Terrace in Albany, overlooking Princess Royal Harbour. The name refers to the year the original Chusan Hotel was established on the site, though the current two-storey brick building dates from 1909, when proprietor Harry C. Sims had it built for £7,000 to a design by architect J. Herbert Eales. In its day the hotel had a proper drawing room and dining room on the upper floor, with public bars below and wide balconies on both levels. A fretwork façade was added in 1920 but removed in the 1960s, leaving a plainer front. The inscription “LONDON HOTEL 1909” still appears near the roofline. Today the building operates as 1849 Backpackers, a hostel catering to budget travellers and working visitors. It retains much of its original character and remains one of the more recognisable heritage buildings on Stirling Terrace.