In November 2007, Ted & Anita Heath travelled from the Central NSW Coast to attend a Vindicatrix Reunion in Fremantle Western Australia.

After the reunion, Ted and Anita spent time touring the south western corner of W.A. Albany being a small part of their tour.

The first Europeans to sight what was later to become Albany, were Dutch explorers who were on their way to Batavia (Jakarta, Indonesia) in 1629.


In 1791 Captain George Vancouver was the first to sail into Albany's protected waters, naming the harbour King George Sound. Spending two weeks in the area, he named many of it's prominent features including Princess Royal Harbour, which is one of the world's largest natural harbours.

It wasn't until 1826 that the first colony was established by Major Edmund Lockyer who sailed into King George Sound on the brig "Amity". Lockyer brought with him soldiers, cattle and supplies. The British Flag was raised in 1827, officially proclaiming the place "Frederick's Town" in honour of Frederick, Duke of York and Albany. Albany was never a penal colony and remained a military outpost for New South Wales. By the early 1830's the settlement was most commonly known as Albany.

Whalers soon saw the potential of the ever growing port of Albany, and many countries established bases in the south western port.

Australia had it's own Cheynes Beach Whaling Company which soon became the town's leading industry; killing up to 850 whales each season.

The whaling ships would return to Cheynes beach, towing their catch behind them, many of which would have massive chunks of flesh missing as marauding sharks fed on the carcasses, often, right up to the beach. Flensing was performed on the slipway, and although the whaling factory was closed in 1978, the smell of the operation still pervades the area. The old Cheynes Beach Whaling Company property is now a whaling museum, with the last of Australia's whale chasers high and dry on the beach.

Since the killing has stopped, whale numbers are on the increase and a thriving whale watching industry has been established.

For the men of the Australian Imperial Forces who went to war in the Middle East or Europe in both the first, and second World Wars, Albany was the last view of their homeland, that many would ever see.

On April 25th 1985 (Anzac Day) a plaque was unveiled at the entrance to Princess Royal harbour. It commemorates Kemal Ataturk 1881 - 1938, against whose brave forces, Australian and New Zealand troops fought so gallantly at Gallipoli.

Also in Albany, is the Desert Corps Monument. The original statue of the two horsemen and their mounts was irreparably damaged during the Suez riots in 1956 and had to be sent to Italy, from Port Said to be recast in bronze. Bullet marks on the stonework were patched but are still visible in the newer bronze casting. The War Memorial was unveiled at Mount Clarence in 1964

Also sighted in Albany was a memorial to the men of the World's Merchant Navies whose lives were lost in peace and war, and whose only grave is the sea.

Photos from Ted Heath. research gleaned from several West Australian Tourist web sites.