Albany, Australia

Cruises from Albany

Albany — the oldest settlement in Western Australia and a true gem of the Great Southern coast. This is a city that draws travellers with its blend of rugged natural beauty and deep history. Set on the shores of the sheltered Princess Royal Harbour — part of King George Sound — 418 kilometres south-east of Perth, Albany greets visitors with the turquoise waters of the Southern Ocean, granite cliffs plunging sheer into the surf, and winds that seem to be the voice of the continent itself. Founded in 1826 as a British military outpost, it became the first permanent European settlement in Western Australia — predating Perth by more than two years.
For the cruise traveller, Albany is more than just a stop along the route. It is a city where you can touch the origins of Australian civilisation, stand on the very spot from which more than 40,000 ANZAC soldiers sailed off to the First World War in 1914, and then head out to the cliffs of Torndirrup to feel the untamed breath of Antarctica, lying far to the south. The cruise call season in Albany traditionally runs from October to April. In the 2023–2024 season the city welcomed 11 ships and more than 15,000 cruise passengers. 🚢

📋 Before you go ashore in Albany, here is what is worth knowing:
🇦🇺 Country: Australia
📍 Region: Great Southern, Western Australia
👥 Population: about 47,000 residents (urban area)
📐 City area: 297 km²
🗣️ Language: English; the local Indigenous language is Noongar
💵 Currency: Australian dollar (AUD); cards are accepted at most venues, though it is best to carry cash in small shops
🕐 Time zone: AWST (UTC+8) — 10 hours ahead of Kyiv (the difference is smaller in summer)
☀️ Climate: Mediterranean, with warm dry summers (+20…+27 °C) and cool wet winters (+9…+16 °C); the sea breeze makes summer days very comfortable
✈️ Nearest airport: Albany Airport (ALH) — 8 km from the city centre; flights to Perth take about 55 minutes
⚓ Official port name: Port of Albany (managed by Southern Ports Authority)
🗺️ Berth location: commercial berths within Princess Royal Harbour, roughly 1.5 km from the city centre

🏛️ The history of Albany — from British outpost to cruise gem
⏳ Nearly 200 years of maritime destiny
The history of Albany is above all the history of its port. Long before the arrival of Europeans, the lands around King George Sound were home to the Menang Noongar people, who lived here for at least 50,000 years. They knew this harbour as Kinjarling — «the place of rain». The first known contact with Europeans came in 1791, when Captain George Vancouver explored the bay and named it King George Sound — in honour of the British monarch.
On 26 December 1826, the brig «Amity», under the command of Major Edmund Lockyer, reached the shores of what would become Albany. On board were officers, soldiers and convicts — they founded the first British settlement in Western Australia, which at first came under the colony of New South Wales. Over the following 70 years, Albany remained the only deep-water port in Western Australia, serving as a key hub of maritime trade between Britain and its Australian colonies.
⚔️ From whaling base to ANZAC memorial
In the 19th century the city became renowned as a base for whaling ships — the waters of the Southern Ocean teemed with humpback, blue whales and sperm whales. Yet the most painful page in Albany's book was written by the First World War: in 1914 the first and second Australian and New Zealand convoys departed from here — more than 40,000 ANZAC soldiers said farewell to their homeland in this very harbour. Most of them never returned. It was in Albany, in 1930, on the initiative of Padre White, that Australia's first dawn service on ANZAC Day was held — a tradition that endures to this day. 🥀
The whaling industry remained part of Albany right up until 1978, when the Cheynes Beach Whaling Company — Australia's last operating whaling company — ceased work. Today the city's most famous museum stands on the site of the former station.

⚓ The Port of Albany — gateway to the oldest city of the West
📊 The scale and structure of the port
The modern Port of Albany is managed by the Southern Ports Authority — a combined body created in 2014 after the merger of the port authorities of Albany, Bunbury and Esperance. Princess Royal Harbour, where the berths are located, is considered one of the finest natural deep-water harbours in the world — it was precisely this quality that made Albany an indispensable port long before the arrival of modern infrastructure.
Cruise ships dock at the port's commercial berths, roughly 1.5–2.5 km from the city centre. The terminal is modest: there is drinking water and an information desk. The wharf is fitted with ramps for passengers with reduced mobility. In strong winds a ship may anchor in King George Sound and bring passengers ashore by tender boats.

🚢 Which cruise lines visit Albany
Albany is traditionally called at by liners of leading cruise lines as part of Australian and round-the-world itineraries: Cunard, P&O Australia, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, Silversea, Ponant, Seabourn and others. The city primarily attracts routes along the southern coast of Australia and round-the-world voyages circling the continent. 🌏

💡 Interesting facts about Albany and its port
Getting to know the city will be richer if you know a few less-than-obvious details:
🏆 Albany is the oldest continuously inhabited city in Western Australia, predating the founding of Perth and Fremantle by more than two years.
🐳 The last whale in Australian waters was harpooned right here, in Frenchman Bay, in November 1978. This event is regarded as the end of the era of commercial whaling in the country.
🌿 Albany lies on the «Rainbow Coast» — a region known for the fact that bright sun, rain and a rainbow often combine here within a single day. The city averages just 44.8 clear days a year.
🛡️ Princess Royal Fortress on Mount Adelaide became Australia's first federal fortress — it was built in 1893 to defend against a possible attack from the sea.
🌊 The Torndirrup formations — The Gap and Natural Bridge — were once joined to Antarctica. Geologists consider these granite formations a remnant of the ancient supercontinent of Gondwana.
🌸 The Great Southern region is part of one of the 36 UNESCO-recognised global biodiversity «hotspots». In spring, more than 12,000 species of native plants bloom here — a unique flora found nowhere else in the world.
🦋 Australia's first dawn service on ANZAC Day was held right here in Albany — in 1930, on Mount Clarence, on the initiative of the Presbyterian minister Padre White.
🐋 Every year from June to October, in the waters of King George Sound, you can watch the migration of humpback and southern right whales — one of the most accessible places in Australia for tourists to observe these giants.

📍 The main sights of Albany — a must-see for the cruise traveller
A cruise liner's call in Albany usually lasts from 8 to 12 hours, so it is important to choose your priorities in advance. You will find a detailed list with photos, addresses and opening hours in the «Sights and places of interest» section, and below is a brief overview of the iconic locations that shape the face of the city.
🎖️ National Anzac Centre — Australia's flagship museum dedicated to the ANZAC legend. Opened in 2014, it sits in Albany's Heritage Park on Mount Adelaide — with the very view of the bay that the soldiers of 1914 saw. Each visitor receives a personal card of one of 32 real participants in the events and lives out their fate step by step through multimedia installations — right up to a finale that is kept secret until the very end.
🐳 Albany's Historic Whaling Station — the world's only fully preserved whale processing factory open to visitors. Winner of the gold WA Tourism Award for attractions in 2024 and 2025. Here you can board the restored whale chaser Cheynes IV, see the skeleton of a blue whale and learn about the final years of whaling in Australia. It is located 22 km south of the city, on the Torndirrup peninsula.
🌊 Torndirrup National Park — the heart of Albany's wild nature. The main attractions are The Gap (a 24-metre drop above the raging ocean) and the Natural Bridge (a grand granite arch carved by the waves). Both sites have convenient paths and viewing platforms with stunning views of the Southern Ocean.
🏰 Princess Royal Fortress — Australia's first federal military fortress, built in 1893 on Mount Adelaide. Underground bunkers, gun positions and exhibitions telling of the port's role in two world wars have been preserved here. It is part of Albany's Heritage Park.
🚢 Brig Amity Replica — an exact copy of the vessel that brought the first British settlers to Albany in 1826. Located in the city centre, it lets you literally peer into the hold and imagine what the pioneers' voyage across the ocean was like.
🏔️ Mount Clarence — the highest point within the city, with the best panorama of King George Sound, the port and the surrounding national parks. At the summit are the Desert Mounted Corps Memorial and the Padre White Lookout, where a service is held at dawn on 25 April every year on ANZAC Day.
🏖️ Middleton Beach — Albany's most popular city beach, with white sand and sheltered waters, ideal for swimming, snorkelling and strolls along the foreshore. Nearby are cafes, playgrounds and barbecue areas.
🐦 Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve — a conservation area 35 km east of Albany, where the population of a bird once thought extinct — the noisy scrub-bird — was restored. One of the symbols of the success of Australian conservation science.

✨ Why choose a cruise to Albany
Albany is a rare combination of authentic Australian nature, untouched maritime adventure and deeply moving human memory.
First, this is a city where every corner speaks: from granite cliffs that have stood for millions of years to a museum that makes you reflect on the fate of ordinary people in the crucible of a great war. 🎖️
Second, nature here is generous and varied: whales in the bay, rare birds in the reserves, wild flora admired by naturalists from all over the world. 🌿
Third, the city itself is compact and pleasant for a walk on foot: the Victorian facades of Stirling Terrace, the shops and cafes of York Street, the picturesque foreshore — all just minutes from the wharf. ☕

The cruise specialists at Four Gates Group will help you choose the ideal liner, itinerary and cabin, take care of transfer details and all the nuances of the Australian direction, and offer exclusive fares from the leading cruise brands with which we work as a priority partner in Ukraine. 🤝

ℹ️ Please note: the information on this page is for general guidance and is accurate at the time of publication. Prices, schedules, routes and visiting conditions may change without notice. Please confirm current details with a Four Gates Group cruise specialist or on the official websites of the relevant sites.

FOUR GATES GROUP — Cruises by professionals

How to Get to the Cruise Berth in Albany

Albany — the oldest European settlement in Western Australia, a cosy port town on the shores of the scenic Princess Royal Harbour. The logistics here are quite different from those of large turnaround ports: Albany is a port of call where liners usually stay for a single day, not a point where a cruise begins. The town lies 415 km south of Perth, so most travellers reach it by air to the regional airport, or by car or coach from Perth. The cruise berth itself sits right next to the town centre, and the walk from the gangway to the main street takes only a few minutes. Below is a verified, step-by-step guide with every transfer option, current prices and tips from the cruise specialists at Four Gates Group. 🎯

📍 Where exactly the Albany cruise berth is located
The Port of Albany is a small but historic maritime hub on the northern shore of Princess Royal Harbour, part of King George Sound. It is the oldest port in Western Australia, established back in 1826. Unlike mega-ports with numerous terminals, there are no separate cruise buildings here — liners berth at the cargo-passenger wharves, and passenger check-in and reception are arranged right on the pier.

⚓ Berth 1 and Berth 2 — this is where cruise liners are received:
• Berth No. 1 — 209 m long, draft up to 9.8 m, the main passenger and cruise berth
• Berth No. 2 — 172 m long, draft up to 9.8 m, the additional passenger berth
• The remaining berths (Berth 3, 6) are purely cargo (grain, woodchips); passengers are not disembarked there
📌 GPS address: Port of Albany, Princess Royal Drive, Albany WA 6330, Australia
🚶 Distance to the town centre: about 1.5 km to the main street, York Street, a 10–20 minute walk along the waterfront

❗ Important: on days of strong wind, the liner may not enter the harbour but instead anchor in King George Sound and disembark passengers ashore by tender boats. This is standard practice for Albany due to the exposed waters — the crew announces the exact disembarkation scenario on the morning of the call.

🚌 Free port shuttle to the town centre
On cruise call days, the port authority, together with the city, organises a free shuttle bus — this is the most convenient and popular way to get from the berth to the heart of Albany.
• Route: a loop from the pier to the main Town Square, next to the Visitor Centre, Town Hall and Library
• Travel time: about 10 minutes
• Cost: free of charge
• Frequency: runs in a loop throughout the entire duration of the liner's stay
• Notes: guests are often welcomed at the pier by musicians with Scottish bagpipes, and on cruise days a market of local crafts and produce is set up on the square
💡 Tip from Four Gates: from the shuttle's final stop on York Street, you can reach most of the town centre's attractions within a few minutes' walk — the historic buildings of Stirling Terrace, the waterfront and the new footbridge over the railway.

🚶 Walking from the berth to the centre
If the weather is pleasant, the town centre of Albany is an easy walk — the town is compact and the route is scenic.
Route:
1️⃣ Turn left out of the berth car park and follow the waterfront footpath past the Entertainment Centre
2️⃣ Cross the new 250-metre footbridge over the railway — it offers a panorama of Princess Royal Harbour
3️⃣ Reach Stirling Terrace, which intersects with the main street, York Street
• Distance: about 1.5 km
• Time: 10–20 minutes at a leisurely pace
• Terrain: level along the waterfront; York Street itself climbs uphill from the harbour
💡 Tip: York Street has a noticeable uphill gradient — in the heat or with limited mobility, it is better to take the free shuttle on the way there and walk back downhill.

🚕 Taxis and transfers in Albany
Taxis and ride-sharing services are available right outside the port gates, especially on cruise call days.
• Taxis: wait at the port exit; a ride around the centre costs from 10 AUD, and to Albany airport about 30–40 AUD
• Ride-sharing: Uber operates in Albany, but the number of cars is limited — at peak hours the wait may be longer than in large cities
• Payment: card or cash in Australian dollars (AUD)
⚠️ Important: metered taxis in regional Australian towns can be expensive — it is worth confirming the approximate fare with the driver before the trip.
🤝 Four Gates Group can, if required, help arrange a private transfer or an excursion for the duration of the liner's stay — simply provide the details when booking your cruise.

✈️ From Albany Airport (ALH) to the cruise berth
The regional Albany Regional Airport (Harry Riggs), code ALH, is located 11 km from the town centre and the berth. It is the largest airport in the Great Southern region.
• Air service: direct flights are operated only by Rex (Regional Express) from Perth; flight time is about 1 hour 5 minutes
• Ticket price: from 139 AUD one way (depending on season and booking time)
• Taxi to the berth/centre: about 30–40 AUD, 15 minutes' drive
• Car hire: rental agencies operate right at the terminal
• Airport parking: first 4 hours free, then 8.80 AUD per day (ticketless system by vehicle registration)
📌 Airport address: 360 Albany Highway, Drome WA 6330
💡 Tip: Rex flights are small and often full, so tickets for dates around the liner's call should be booked well in advance.

🚗 From Perth to Albany — by car or coach
Most travellers arrive in Western Australia via Perth International Airport (PER) — the state's main air gateway, served by flights from Ukraine via Asian and Middle Eastern hubs (Doha, Dubai, Singapore and others). From there it is about 415 km south to Albany.

🚙 By rental car — the most flexible option:
• Route: along Albany Highway, well signposted, with several rest stops along the way
• Travel time: about 4 hours 30 minutes
• Parking: there is free parking at the cruise berth

🚌 By regional coach — the budget option:
• TransWA coaches connect Perth and Albany daily
• Travel time: about 6 hours (with stops)
• The final stop in Albany is in the town centre, near the berth
💡 Tip: if you plan to see more of Western Australia before or after the cruise, hiring a car in Perth is the most comfortable way to explore the Great Southern region with its national parks and wineries.

♿ Accessibility for passengers with reduced mobility
Albany is a compact and largely easy town to get around, but the terrain is worth bearing in mind:
✅ The free port shuttle is usually low-floor and adapted for passengers with reduced mobility
✅ The waterfront and the new footbridge are equipped with ramps and level pathways
✅ The Visitor Centre on the main square provides maps, advice and assistance to guests
⚠️ The main street, York Street, has a noticeable uphill climb from the harbour — passengers with reduced mobility are better off using the shuttle or a taxi
⚠️ On days of tender disembarkation (in strong wind), accessibility for wheelchair users may be limited — check the conditions with the crew in advance

⏰ When to return to the liner
Since Albany is a port of call rather than a port of departure, the key rule here is different: do not be late back to the liner after your walk ashore.
🕐 Follow the «all aboard» time announced by the crew — this is usually 30–60 minutes before departure
🕐 Allow extra time for the queue to the shuttle or tender boats during peak disembarkation hours
🕐 Go by ship time, not local time — the liner may be on a different time zone than the shore
❗ Important: if you book an independent excursion (not through the cruise line), plan to return with a large margin — if you are late, the liner will not wait, and catching up with it will be at your own expense. Excursions booked through Four Gates Group are coordinated with the call schedule.

💡 Insider tips from the Four Gates Group experts
From their experience with the ports of Western Australia, our cruise specialists have gathered tips to make your day in Albany as full as possible:

🌅 Go ashore early. The stay in Albany is usually a single day, and the most interesting sights are outside the centre: The Gap, the Natural Bridge, Torndirrup National Park. The earlier you disembark, the more you will manage to see.

💶 Carry some cash in AUD. Small craft stalls at the cruise market and some local cafés may prefer cash, although cards are accepted almost everywhere.

🐋 Check the whale season. From June to October, southern right and humpback whales pass along the Albany coast — this is one of the main reasons to arrive here by sea.

🧥 Dress in layers. The weather in Albany is changeable and windy even in summer — it is no coincidence that one of Australia's largest wind farms stands nearby. Bring a windbreaker.

🚐 Book your excursion in advance. There are few local operators and guides, and an entire liner of passengers — the best tours sell out quickly. A route booked in advance guarantees your place.

🥾 Wear comfortable shoes. The best views of Albany are along the coastal trails and cliffs; heels or flip-flops are out of place here.

🐦 Don't expect large infrastructure. Albany is a cosy provincial town, not a metropolis. That is part of its charm, but there are fewer ATMs, cafés and shops here than in large ports — plan accordingly.

📞 Useful contacts in Albany
Southern Ports (Port of Albany, general information):+61 8 9892 0500
Albany Visitor Centre:+61 8 9241 7888
Albany Regional Airport:+61 8 6820 3777
Rex (Regional Express, air service): 13 17 13
Australia emergency services: 000
Four Gates Group cruise specialists (24/7 for clients):+38 097 653 05 53

Albany does not require the complex logistics typical of large departure ports — here everything is arranged simply and on a human scale. The liner berths a step away from the town centre, the free shuttle whisks you to the main square in mere minutes, and beyond that begins the real Western Australia: a wild coastline, whales, historic streets and the quiet of nature. The cruise experts at Four Gates Group will help you plan your day in Albany — from choosing an excursion to the best coastal viewpoints. Get in touch with our manager — and your day in Albany will become one of the brightest memories of the whole cruise. 🛳️✨

ℹ️ Please note: the information on this page is for reference only and is current as of the time of publication. Prices, schedules, routes and visiting conditions may change without notice. For up-to-date details, please check with a Four Gates Group cruise specialist or on the official websites of the relevant venues.

FOUR GATES GROUP — Cruises by professionals

Albany's Attractions and Sights: A Complete Guide for Cruise Passengers

Albany — the oldest European settlement in Western Australia, a city where colonial history is interwoven with the dramatic landscapes of the Southern Ocean. This is the site of the first British landing in Western Australia (1826), the last harbour seen by ANZAC soldiers before they sailed off to the fronts of the First World War, home to the world's only fully preserved whaling station and some of the most spectacular granite formations on the continent. In 2026 the city celebrates its 200th anniversary — the first bicentenary in the history of Western Australia. For a cruise passenger with 8–10 hours ashore, the key is choosing the right route. Below is a tested guide to the main attractions, with up-to-date 2026 prices, opening hours and precise directions on how to get from the Albany Port cruise berth to each site. 🎯

🎖️ 1. National Anzac Centre
💡 Interesting facts and useful information:
The National Anzac Centre is not just a museum, but one of Australia's most important places of national memory. It stands on Mount Clarence above King George Sound — the very strait from which the first convoy of ANZAC soldiers sailed off to the fronts of the First World War in late 1914. For many of the more than 41,000 men and women, this was the last patch of Australian soil they would ever see. 🕯️
🔹 At the entrance, each visitor receives a card with the name of a real soldier or nurse and «lives through» their fate — from mobilisation to the final page, where they learn whether their character survived. There are 32 such characters in all.
🔹 The Centre opened in 2014 to mark the centenary of the convoy's departure. It has already collected numerous architectural and museum awards.
🔹 The exhibition is built around interactive multimedia installations, rare photographs, newsreel footage and personal belongings of those who served.
🔹 The Centre sits within the grounds of the Princess Royal Fortress (1893) — one of Australia's oldest coastal defence sites, complete with gun batteries and lookouts.
🔹 Because of its strong war themes, the experience is not generally recommended for children under 7.

📜 History:
Albany's strategic importance was determined by nature itself: the deep, sheltered King George Sound is one of the finest natural harbours in the Southern Hemisphere. That is why, in 1893, the Princess Royal Fortress with its Plantagenet Battery was built on Mount Adelaide to protect the shipping lanes.
In the autumn of 1914, the ships carrying the Australian Imperial Force and the New Zealand Expeditionary Force (together — the ANZACs) to Europe gathered in the Sound. On 1 November 1914 the first convoy set out into the open sea. For thousands of young soldiers this farewell to home was their last — many of them died at Gallipoli, in the Middle East and on the Western Front. Today Albany is regarded as the spiritual birthplace of the ANZAC legend, and the Centre on Mount Clarence is the principal memorial to that memory.

🚢 How to get there from Albany Port:
• Fastest (taxi): 8–12 minutes, AUD 20–28. Address: 67 Forts Road, Mount Clarence
• Free port shuttle + taxi: the shuttle takes you to the Visitor Centre in the town centre, then a taxi ~10 min to the memorial
• On foot: energetic travellers can walk up in about 45 min (part of the route is uphill)

💶 Cost and opening hours:
• Adults: AUD 24
• Concession: AUD 20
• First child (5–15 years): AUD 10, each additional child — AUD 5
• Children under 5: free
• Opening hours (2026): daily 9:00–17:00 (last entry at 16:00), closed only on Christmas Day
⚠️ IMPORTANT: entry to the Princess Royal Fortress itself and to Albany Heritage Park is free; a ticket is required only for the National Anzac Centre exhibition. Booking ahead is not essential, as there is no timed entry. Allow 2 hours for the Centre, or up to 4 hours together with the fortress. Details — nationalanzaccentre.com.au.

🐋 2. Albany's Historic Whaling Station
💡 Interesting facts and useful information:
This is the world's only fully preserved whaling station open to tourists. The former Cheynes Beach station operated until 1978 and was the last working whaling station in Australia. Today it is an honest, at times harrowing, but remarkably educational museum about a dark chapter of Australian industry. 🌊
🔹 On the site stands Cheynes IV — the world's only preserved whale-chaser ship, which you can board.
🔹 The former whale-oil tanks now house cinemas screening short films about the history of the industry.
🔹 The highlight of the exhibition is a blue whale skeleton — the largest animal in the planet's history — along with a world-renowned collection of marine animal art and fine scrimshaw carving.
🔹 A single ticket gives access to the entire complex: the whaling station, the Australian Wildlife Park (wombats, bandicoots, possums) and the Regional Wildflower Garden with thousands of native plants. 🌿
🔹 The station borders Torndirrup National Park — only minutes from the famous Misery Beach, named Australia's Best Beach in 2022.

📜 History:
Whaling was one of the foundations of Albany's early economy from as far back as the 19th century. The Cheynes Beach Whaling Company operated in Frenchman Bay until November 1978, when the station's closure brought commercial whaling in Australia to an end.
Rather than demolish the abandoned structures, the local community preserved them and turned the site into a museum — a rare example of how a controversial industry can be confronted honestly and without embellishment. Today the station is part of the Discovery Bay tourism precinct and is Albany's second most popular attraction. Former whaler volunteers still lead tours and share their stories first-hand.

🚢 How to get there from Albany Port:
• Taxi: 20–25 minutes, AUD 50–65 one way. Address: 81 Whaling Station Road, Frenchman Bay
• Rental car: ~25 min along Frenchman Bay Road — convenient to combine with Torndirrup National Park on the way
• Organised tour: the optimal option for cruise passengers, as there is almost no public transport to the station

💶 Cost and opening hours:
• Adults: AUD 35
• Concession: AUD 30
• Children 6–17 years: AUD 12
• Family (2 adults + 3 children): AUD 80
• Children under 5: free
• Opening hours (2026): daily 9:00–17:00 (last entry and ticket sales at 16:15)
⚠️ IMPORTANT: the price includes 40-minute guided tours held hourly. Allow around 3 hours for a full visit. Because of the station's remote location, it is hard to reach without pre-arranged transport — plan your transfer in advance. Bookings — discoverybay.com.au.

🌊 3. Torndirrup National Park: The Gap & Natural Bridge
💡 Interesting facts and useful information:
Torndirrup is a place where the mighty Southern Ocean has spent millions of years carving solid granite into dramatic cliffs, chasms and arches. The park's star attractions are The Gap and the Natural Bridge. 🪨
🔹 A cantilevered viewing platform with a steel mesh floor extends 10 metres out over the abyss at The Gap. Forty metres below, the waves churn — a sight that is both mesmerising and unnerving. 😮
🔹 The Natural Bridge is a massive granite arch carved out of the rock by the waves. One of the most photographed landscapes in Western Australia. 📸
🔹 Nearby are the Blowholes: when the swell is strong, air roars out through holes in the granite like the breath of the sea.
🔹 From the park's lookouts, humpback and southern right whales migrating along the coast can often be seen between June and October. 🐋
🔹 The park is also home to Misery Beach — despite its gloomy name, it was named Australia's Best Beach in 2022: white sand and turquoise water surrounded by granite headlands.

📜 History:
Torndirrup's granite formations are among the oldest rocks on Earth, more than a billion years old. For the Menang Noongar people, the traditional owners of this land (in whose language this area forms part of Kinjarling), the coastline holds deep spiritual significance.
The current viewing platform over The Gap opened in 2016, replacing old and dangerous tracks — the engineering structure cost several million and instantly became an icon of the region. Torndirrup National Park protects a unique coastal ecosystem and remains one of the main natural drawcards of the Great Southern.

🚢 How to get there from Albany Port:
• Taxi: 18–22 minutes, AUD 45–60 one way
• Rental car: ~20 min via Frenchman Bay Road — the most convenient option, allowing you to visit several lookouts
• Organised tour: most Albany sightseeing tours include The Gap and the Natural Bridge as standard

💶 Cost and opening hours:
• Entry to the park and lookouts: free
• Opening hours: the area is open around the clock; the platform over The Gap is best visited in daylight
⚠️ Caution: the waves here are treacherous and unpredictable — never step beyond the barriers or approach the edge of wet rocks. Every year careless tourists lose their lives in places like this. Stay on the built platforms.

🏘️ 4. Albany's Historic Town Centre and Whaling Heritage
💡 Interesting facts and useful information:
Albany's compact town centre is a living collection of 19th-century colonial architecture, where shops, museums and the port all lie within walking distance of one another. This is where the European history of Western Australia began. 🏛️
🔹 The Brig Amity — a full-scale replica of the ship on which Major Edmund Lockyer founded the first settlement in 1826. It stands right in the town centre. ⛵
🔹 The Albany Convict Gaol (1851) — a former convict prison, now a museum with a famous diorama of the first settlement, refreshed for the bicentenary.
🔹 Patrick Taylor Cottage — one of the oldest residential buildings in Western Australia (around 1832).
🔹 On Mount Clarence stands the Desert Mounted Corps Memorial — a majestic monument to the Australian and New Zealand light horsemen.
🔹 In 2026 the city celebrates the 200th anniversary of the first settlement — a year filled with cultural events, exhibitions and ceremonies honouring the shared history of the Menang people and the British settlers.

📜 History:
On Christmas Day 1826, the brig Amity from Sydney, carrying soldiers and convicts, entered King George Sound. The next day Major Edmund Lockyer's party went ashore, and on 21 January 1827 they officially proclaimed the founding of the first British settlement in the west of the continent. It was first named Frederickstown, after Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany.
The city's present name — Albany — was given by Governor James Stirling in 1832. In the 19th century the port became a vital coaling station on the sea route from Europe to the eastern colonies of Australia, and during the gold rush of the 1890s — a gateway for thousands of prospectors. Many colonial buildings from that era survive to this day.

🚢 How to get there from Albany Port:
• Free port shuttle: on cruise days a free bus almost always runs to the Visitor Centre in the heart of the city
• On foot: ~20–25 min along the waterfront (turn right out of the berth and walk past Albany Marina to the footbridge into the centre)
• Taxi: 5–8 min, AUD 12–18

💶 Cost and opening hours:
• Walking through the town centre: free
• Brig Amity: entry by donation (around AUD 5)
• Convict Gaol and Patrick Taylor Cottage: AUD 8–10 per site, usually open 10:00–16:00
• Desert Mounted Corps Memorial: free, open around the clock
⚠️ Tip: on a cruise day, start with the town centre — from here it is easy to walk to the Albany waterfront with its cafés, where you can take in the view of your liner. ☕

🌬️ 5. Other Attractions Worth Your Attention
• 💨 Albany Wind Farm — 18 giant turbines on the cliffs at Sand Patch, producing up to 80% of the city's electricity. A free walking trail with coastal views. Free entry.
• 🏖️ Middleton Beach — the main town beach with white sand and the calm waters of Ellen Cove, just minutes from the centre. Free.
• ⛵ King George Sound scenic and whale cruises — sightseeing trips around the sound; in season (June–October) — whale watching. From AUD 90–100 per adult.
• 🌳 Ellen Cove Boardwalk — a scenic timber boardwalk along the headland with views over King George Sound; an excellent walk from the port. Free.
• 🍫 The town of Denmark — 45 min to the west; wineries, karri forests and coastline. An option for those taking a full-day excursion.
• 🌲 Valley of the Giants Tree Top Walk — a suspended walkway among the canopies of giant tingle eucalypts, ~1 hour's drive. AUD 25.

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🗺️ Three Self-Guided Routes Through Albany in 8 Hours
A cruise stop in Albany usually lasts 8–10 hours. It is realistic to see 2–4 top attractions — if you plan your route well. Below are three options depending on budget and preferences.

🥉 Route No. 1. Budget — on foot and brief
⏱️ Total time: 8 hours | 💰 Approximate budget: AUD 30–50 + food

🕘 09:00 — Disembark at the Albany Port cruise berth
Take the free port shuttle to the Visitor Centre in the town centre (or walk ~20 min along the waterfront).

🕘 09:20–10:30 — Historic town centre
The Brig Amity, a stroll through the colonial streets, an external look at the Convict Gaol and Patrick Taylor Cottage.

🕙 10:30–12:30 — National Anzac Centre
Taxi uphill (AUD 20). Full tour of the exhibition (AUD 24) + a free walk through the Princess Royal Fortress and the Mounted Corps memorial with panoramas over King George Sound.

🕧 12:30–13:30 — Lunch in the centre or on the waterfront
Local cafés and pubs — a main course AUD 20–30.

🕜 13:30–15:00 — Ellen Cove Boardwalk and Middleton Beach
A free walk along the scenic boardwalk on the headland with views over the sound. In season, watch for whales out at sea.

🕞 15:00–16:00 — Return to port
Taxi or shuttle to the berth.

🕟 16:00–16:30 — Arrival at the liner, check-in

💰 Cost breakdown:
• Port shuttle: free
• Taxi (uphill + back): AUD 30–40
• National Anzac Centre: AUD 24
• Lunch: AUD 20–30
💸 TOTAL: AUD 75–95 per person

🥈 Route No. 2. Optimal — nature and history
⏱️ Total time: 8 hours | 💰 Approximate budget: AUD 120–160 + food

🕘 08:30 — Leave the port, rent a car or hire a taxi for the day
The most efficient way to cover the remote attractions of the Torndirrup Peninsula.

🕘 09:00–11:30 — Historic Whaling Station
Taxi/car ~25 min to Frenchman Bay. Ticket AUD 35 with a guided tour: the Cheynes IV ship, the blue whale skeleton, cinemas in the tanks, the wildlife park.

🕦 11:45–13:00 — Torndirrup National Park
On the way back — The Gap, the Natural Bridge and the Blowholes. Free entry. Spectacular granite cliffs above the ocean.

🕐 13:00–14:00 — Lunch on the Albany waterfront
Fresh regional seafood — AUD 25–40.

🕝 14:00–15:30 — National Anzac Centre
Taxi uphill. The exhibition (AUD 24) + the Princess Royal Fortress with panoramas.

🕞 15:30–16:15 — Return to port

💰 Cost breakdown:
• Taxi/transfer for the day: AUD 60–90
• Whaling Station: AUD 35
• National Anzac Centre: AUD 24
• Lunch: AUD 25–40
💸 TOTAL: AUD 144–189 per person
💡 If travelling as a group of two or three, renting a car for the day (~AUD 90–120 per group) works out significantly cheaper than a taxi.

🥇 Route No. 3. Premium — private guided tour
⏱️ Total time: 8 hours | 💰 Approximate budget: from AUD 400 + tickets

🏆 What's included:
• ✅ Meet a private driver holding a sign right at the ship's gangway
• ✅ A comfortable car/minivan for the whole day
• ✅ A professional English-speaking or Ukrainian-speaking licensed guide
• ✅ Tickets to all attractions with no queues
• ✅ Restaurant table reservation
• ✅ A flexible itinerary — adjusted on the fly

You can book through your cruise manager, or contact us in any way convenient for you:

Phones:
• Office: +38 (044) 337 82 01
• Mobile (LifeCell):    +380 93 653 05 53
• Mobile (Vodafone): +380 66 653 05 53
• Mobile (Kyivstar):   +380 97 653 05 53

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🕘 08:30 — Meet the driver and guide at the terminal

🕘 09:00–11:00 — Historic Whaling Station with a guide
Private tour, the Cheynes IV ship, the blue whale skeleton, the wildlife park.

🕚 11:15–12:30 — Torndirrup National Park
The Gap, the Natural Bridge, the Blowholes. Photos on the viewing platform at a relaxed pace.

🕧 12:45–14:00 — Lunch with local seafood
Fresh crabs, marron, King George whiting — the pride of the region. Reservations are the guide's responsibility.

🕝 14:15–15:45 — National Anzac Centre and the fortress
Private tour with an explanation of the ANZAC convoy's history, panoramas of King George Sound.

🕟 16:00–16:30 — A walk through the historic town centre
The Brig Amity, the colonial streets, souvenirs (Mount Romance sandalwood, local wines).

🕟 16:45 — Return to port in a comfortable car

💰 Cost breakdown:
• Private guide (8 hrs): from AUD 250
• Driver with car (8 hrs): from AUD 200
• Tickets (National Anzac Centre + Whaling Station): AUD 59
• Lunch: from AUD 40
💸 TOTAL: from AUD 550 per group (calculated per group, not per person)

🤝 Four Gates Group organises private excursions in Albany with licensed guides, transfer from the ship's gangway and a guaranteed return on board. Contact your cruise specialist — and your day in Albany will be perfectly planned to suit your tastes. 🛳️✨

⚠️ What to Know Before You Head into Town
🕐 The «all aboard» rule: you must be back on the liner 60 minutes before departure. If you are late — the ship will not wait, and catching up with it at the next port will be at your own expense.
🪪 Documents: bring a photocopy of your passport + your cruise Ship Card.
💶 Cash: keep a little cash in AUD for small expenses, though cards are accepted almost everywhere.
🚕 Transport: there is almost no public transport to the remote attractions (the Whaling Station, Torndirrup) — arrange a taxi or transfer in advance. Taxis at the port are limited.
👟 Clothing: comfortable walking shoes and a windbreaker — it is almost always windy on the coast. Albany is known for its strong winds.
🌡️ Weather: the climate is cooler than the rest of Australia; air temperatures rarely exceed +25 °C in summer (December–February). Bring a layer you can take off.
🐋 Whales: the whale-watching season runs from June to October. That is when you have the best chance of spotting them from the shore.
🐍 Nature: on the trails, keep to the marked routes and do not step beyond the barriers near the cliffs.

ℹ️ Please note: the information on this page is for general guidance and is accurate at the time of publication. Prices, schedules, routes and visiting conditions may change without notice. Please confirm current details with a Four Gates Group cruise specialist or on the official websites of the relevant sites.

FOUR GATES GROUP — Cruises by professionals

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