In Albany for five days. Beautiful place.
Did the Valley of the Giants Treetop Walk on the way. The size of those trees!
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| These trees are hollow, and still so tall! |
The weather is sunny, very windy, and quite cold. Jumpers on all the time!
Went to the new Anzac Memorial - fabulous. They give you a card on entry, with a WW1 soldier's name and photograph on it. Inside the Centre you put the cart on a stand, and it comes up with that man's service record, where he came from, what he did for a living before the war. Towards the end, you put the card on another machine, and it tells you what happened to him after the war - where he lived, who he married, his children's names, whether he suffered any ill effects. The fellow Alan had, Archie Barwick, ended up farming near Tamworth, serving on the local council, and generally being an upstanding member of his community.
The cards were a mix of Aussies and Kiwis. It is a joint Australia/New Zealand project. You may have seen Tony Abbott and a bunch of other dignitaries at its official opening early in November.
Another feature, next to the Anzac Centre, is the Memorial Avenue. This is a tree-lined avenue with a plaque at the foot of each tree, naming a serviceman who died in the war. WW1 of course!
Also visited the Whaling Station. It closed in 1978, the last one in Australia to cease operations. It has been maintained, almost in working order, as a tourist attraction. We were told that the flensers used to wear spiked boots, so they could climb on the whale's back to cut the skin and access the fat! What a horrible job! I remember going to Moreton Island with Mum and Dad when it was an operating whaling station. The smell was indescribable!
The old historic part of Albany was interesting. There is an exact replica of the first ship to bring settlers to this area - first settlement in WA in 1826 - the 'Amity'. We were able to go aboard and below decks. That first trip had free settlers, convicts, crew, guards, on board. Where they all fitted I have no idea. The middle deck was about 4 feet high; this was where the hammocks and benches were for sleeping, both crew and convicts. There were four cabins for the captain and officers; you couldn't swing a cat in them! About 4 x 6 feet.
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| An officer's quarters |
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| Captain Lockyer's quarters |
The Old Gaol housed a fellow who had murdered his two/three wives and three children. He came from England, had various names and disguises, and at one time was thought to be Jack the Ripper. His name Deeming, and he was hanged at the gaol. A special portable gallows had to be brought in (can't remember from where!) because this gaol didn't have one!!
There are blowholes near Albany. Called in to have a look, having seen the ones in Tassie and at Kiama. Very disappointing - 900metre walk, with 77steps down, then same back up - seas not big enough to blow up through the fissures in the rocks. Quite a dangerous place; signs warning of deaths on the site. It's a long drop to the ocean below!
Wednesday was a momentous day! In a very mad moment, I suggested we have a swim in the Great Southern Ocean. Regretted it the instant the words were out of my mouth!! Anyway, check out the following photos. Do you know where the water in the GSO comes from?????? That's right, ANTARCTICA!!!!! Even after a hot, hot shower, we had to sit in the sun, out of the wind, to defrost!
Went to the Wind Farm after that. The windmills are huge. They make a whirring sound, not loud so much as constant.
The coastal walks there are spectacular! The colour of the water, the sheer cliffs, and on a bright, sunny day, with a blue sky, it was magnificent. Saw a school of dolphins enjoying the surf.
Trish, there's a 970 odd km walk along this coast, from Esperance to Fremantle I think. Are you interested? There is enough wind on this part of the coast to have wind farms all along that 900 km, and I don't doubt the coastline would be just as spectacular.
From the wind farm to Mt Melville, a lookout above Albany.
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| Looking over Ataturk Passage & Princess Royal Harbour |
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| Rodin's Muse |
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| Looking towards Middleton Bay |
Our last day in Albany (Thurs) was wet, cold and windy. Luckily, we'd done the things we wanted, and seen the things we were interested in.
Had dinner at the Three Anchors Hotel, just up from the surf club. Al had the fish special, and I had groper. Neither was very good! I had bronze whaler shark at the Whaling Station restaurant; didn't think much of that, either; it was all quite dry, and not flaky like we have at home. Of course, I may have been spoiled with the fish.
I'll finish this session with some photos of beautiful Albany. Until next time, goodnight and goodbye!
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| Emu Point |
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| Ataturk Passage (front), Middleton Bay (left), Princess Royal Harbour (right) |
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| More Albany wildlife |
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| Albany wildlife |
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| Very popular type of number plate |
