We are really intrigued by the history associated with Albany.  Albany is a port city in the Great Southern region of Western Australia, some 418 km SE of Perth. As of 2009, Albany’s population was estimated at 33,600, making it the 6th-largest city in the state.The city centre is at the northern edge of Princess Royal Harbour, which is a part of King George Sound. The Central Business District is bounded by Mount Clarence to the east and Mount Melville to the west.

Albany was founded in January 1827 as a military outpost of New South Wales as part of a plan to forestall French ambitions in the region. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the town served as a gateway to the Eastern Goldfields and, for many years, it was the colony’s only deep-water port, having a place of eminence on shipping services between Britain and its Australian colonies.

The town has an important role in the Anzac legend, being the last port of call for troopships departing Australia in the First World War.

Albany is the oldest permanently settled town in Western Australia, predating Perth and Fremantle by some two years.

We are enjoying our time here and doing a great deal of exploring. There is so much to see.