2 Geckos Travelling Australia: Sat, 28th Jan, 2017 Cosy Corner East Campground, west of Albany, WA (exploring Albany)

Clear sky again and light breeze. Headed into Albany to explore. Some clouds in the east.

First stop – Albany Museum and Brig ‘Amity’. We are early so wandered around checking out the buildings and the ship. This lovely building is called the Residency, built in 1856, as a store and depot for hiring convicts.

Walked out onto the Welcome Jetty. Signs need to be redone. In 1826 the first European settlers arrived in the Brig ‘Amity’ to establish a penal colony. The names of the first settlers are on boards.

Princess Royal Harbour then a little lake beside the Brig.

A few heritage buildings have been moved here – Mt Barker Co-op Building and a one teacher school.

Beside the building is the original sea wall beside the Police Cottages.

The Brig ‘Amity’. The original was built in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada in 1816 by Christopher Scott. This replica was built in Albany in 1975-76 by Stan Austin. It is built to exact scale of original although no plans were found when the project commenced. It was built using designs, techniques and materials similar to those used in the early 1800s.

This is used to pull in the anchor by putting a stick in the holes and cranking it around to wind in the rope – Steve turned it.

Interesting seeing how the steering worked as Steve turned the wheel the ropes moved and made the timber shaft swing across the floor which makes the rudder move below us.

Mouchemore’s Cottage is original.

The Museum didn’t open till 10 so we kept going. Looking across to the grain silos.

Continued down Princess Royal Drive past the silos then to the woodchip loading area.

Past the Pilot Station at Semaphore Point – no entrance to that but I zoomed in on Breaksea Island with its lighthouse.

End of the road so turned around and stopped near the silos to get a photo of the mural.

Looking the other side to Mt Clarence and Mt Adelaide.

Headed up the hill to Apex Drive with its avenue of memorial trees. Each tree has a plaque.

Up to the carpark at Mt Clarence. There are lots of walking trails all over the two mountains. A bit of history.

The Australian horses sent off to fight a war.

Now the many steps up to the Desert Mounted Corps Memorial. A few information boards along the way.

Desert Mounted Corps Memorial.

Gallipoli Lone Pine.

About Apex Drive.

Further up to the summit and the Padre White Lookout. The Dawn Service was started by Padre White up here.

Fabulous view.

Walked further along the lookout platform – zoomed in on the wind farm then around over Mount Melville.

The summit.

The Ataturk Entrance is only narrow – from King George Sound into Princess Royal Harbour. In exchange for the Turkish Government’s agreement to name the beach at Gallipoli where the Australian and New Zealand troops landed ‘Anzac Cove’, the channel leading into Princess Royal Harbour was officially named ‘Ataturk Channel’.

Back down the access road to the carpark instead of the stairs!! Drove halfway back to the Apex Lookout which looks over the east and Middleton Bay and Beach. Had a cuppa enjoying the view and chatting with a couple. They have moved to Perth from Brisbane but he was originally living in Cairns.

Back down Apex Drive to Forts Road and into the Prince Royal Fortress area on Mt Adelaide. The original parade ground is now the car park. Went into the Garrison Barracks – part restored – the remainder not.

Inside one room was a display of WW2 model planes etc. The rooms are all pine-lined.

Lots of information to read.

The kitchen area – very nice, had a pantry room next door.

In another room was another display and on one wall all about the aboriginal servicemen.

Next was the Sentry Box next door to the Guard House.

Then the Military Institute (now a gift shop).

Nearby is a BBQ area which was the site of the kitchen during WW2.

Nearby was the ablution block.

Further down the hill was the Commanding Officers’ House – now a function centre.

Above that (behind the Barracks) is the WW2 Quartermaster’s stores and billeting hut sites and the big water tank.

The curved building was the Nissen Hut (no info about that) and the Military Heritage Centre but they were shut.

Around the other side was the site of the horse and cart shed with a replica built on it and the original manure pit – didn’t stink.

Across the road was the Regimental Aid Post – there were a few stretchers etc inside.

At the start of Convoy Walk was an artwork titled “Longing, Memory, Sight” by Arif Satar and Audrey Fernandes-Satar. Inspired by a fragment of a letter a soldier sent to his loved one, the sculpture contains inscribed text obtained from original letters and postcards sent by Australian soldiers who departed in 1914.

The Walk contains 21 markers containing information about the ships of the First and Second Convoys, including the names and images of the troopships and escorts, and where they embarked troops – as well has how many personnel and horses were on board (too busy reading I didn’t take one with the horses listed – there were so many).

Stopped to reflect in the rose garden to remember the women in wartime.

It is beside the Married Quarters.

Inside this igloo building (very hot in there) was a display of the RAN & HMAS Sydney.

Also missiles, mines and submarines.

Next to that was the site of the Warrant Officers quarters and Artillery Store.

Turned off to check out the Coastal Defences area. Into the bunker.

A tour group came in so we stopped and listened. The first duty of the day was to go into the curved area around the ammo stores and place lanterns in these cavities so the light could shine into the ammo store.

The ammo was brought up by horse and cart and then hand- passed into this area then lowered down one by one via these narrow rooms where there was a shaft at the other end.

As the soldiers boots had nails in them and that could cause sparks on the concrete this floor was laid with jarrah blocks.

Walked through then up steps cut into the stone to the bunker for the Depression Range Finder. Can’t see anything no as the trees have grown.

Around to the first big gun aimed at Breaksea Island lighthouse!!

Steve lent on the gun and it moved so he went to the controls and turned it to aim for the ship!!

Back up to the top of Convoy Walk to the Mt Adelaide summit.

Convoy Lookout.

Looking east over Middleton Beach and Bay.

To protect the battery further in WW2 they built a nasty fence.

The Naval Discovery Trail heads down the hill from this missile guidance thing.

Comes out at a display of Naval guns, torpedoes and missiles. The blue one is the Mark VIII Torpedo.

The kids were having a ball winding the guns up and down and around.

On the left is the SM-1 Surface-to-Air Missile and the Ikara Anti-Submarine Missile on the right.

Down the hill to the WW2 US ‘Still on Patrol’ Memorial.

Looking back up at the National Anzac Centre. Lots of TV screens telling stories of the conflicts our soldiers were in etc.

Info about the signal station and US submarines.

Got our lunch and sat in the park overlooking King George Sound. Very interesting and thought provoking area. It is hard to imagine what those men endured as well as all the loved ones they left at home.

Down the hill and around Marine Drive to Middleton Beach. A surf carnival was being held here in Ellen Cove so no parks here. Drove past the caravan park – one that is actually on the beach – and walked out onto the boardwalk to the beach.

A guy had a hydro-foil on the bottom of his surfboard while he was kite surfing.

Looking east along towards Emu Beach.

Zoomed in on the lighthouse on Breaksea Island – again – can see the house behind it from here.

Mt Adelaide and Mt Clarence.

Back around Marine Drive on edge of Ataturk Channel. Stopped at a lookout – more info.

We could see the Plantagenet Battery and part of the man-proof fence.

Next lookout was over the port area.

Back into town on Stirling Terrace which sits high over the railway lines. Lots of nice buildings here.

Big clock tower on the Post Office building.

Outside the Post Office is a telegraph pole that connected WA to the eastern states via the Overland Telegraph.

Walked back down the street and found a few more old buildings. Albany House was designed by George Inskip and constructed about 1878 for the Union Bank. Wrought iron verandahs were its main feature (which obviously have been removed). Beside it was the London Hotel established in 1909.

Across the road was a Rest Centre that was built in 1908 as a shelter for the drivers of horse-drawn cabs. It remains a shelter for taxi drivers today and toilets etc have been added for public use.

Further along is the Old Convict Gaol Museum (1852) which is on the other side of the railway line from the Albany Museum. We are museumed out so just took a photo and watched a big train pass by.

The pioneers loved the Morton Bay Fig – they are everywhere.

Walked around to the other side of the gaol – you wouldn’t want to try and escape over the wall. The brochure says “ A complex of men’s cell blocks and some Warders’ quarters built in 1852 for Imperial Convicts shipped to WA as artisans and skilled labourers. Women’s cells, the Great Hall and more Warders’ quarters were constructed of brick 1872-1875. At this time the Complex was also used as a Colonial Prison. It was last used as a Police Lock-up in the Great Depression of the 1930s. Extensive restoration from 1989 to 1996 has returned the Gaol’s condition to the original state. Cells, Warders’ Quarters and the Great Hall contain appropriate displays.”

The other major historical house is Patrick Taylor Cottage, built around 1832. This unique eleven room wattle and daub home is the oldest surviving intact dwelling in WA. It consists of an entry, box room, parlour, nursery, bedroom, dining room, family room, sewing room, kitchen, laundry and side verandah and is surrounded by a neat English country garden. Sounds just perfect.

Lots of the houses around here are old and you can see where extensions have been added to the original dwellings.

Across the road is the Wesley Church built in 1863 and Methodist Manse built in 1903. They were built using local granite with elaborate brick window surrounds and are fine examples of late Victorian architecture.

Up York Street (runs up the hillside) to the Town Hall.

Continued along to find the Dog Rock – yes it does look like a Labrador.

Turned around – trying to find the Coles Express servo. Found Coles and got a few groceries then Coles Express but they were 141.9c/l for diesel where the other servo we passed was only 129.9 – go figure. We filled up there instead.

Back passed another church which is the first Anglican Church to be consecrated in WA, built in 1848 – Saint John the Evangelist. It was Padre White’s home church (the lookout on Mt Clarence is named after him). Popped my head inside – the bell ropes on the wall.

There was a glass door so I just peered in and zoomed in with the camera. Very impressive.

Headed back out of town and down onto Frenchman’s Peninsula again. Onto the west side to check out the Wind Farm and Sand Patch Lookout. Now we know the name of the little bird that was flittering around the Kangaroo Paw.

100 metre walk up the hill to the first lookout.

Another 100 metres up to the top of the hill to the second lookout. Great view back to Albany. The silos make it easy to spot.

You can still see exposed bits of the sandblow that gives this area its name.

Looking across to the Stirling Ranges in the north.

Walked back down then to the coastal lookout.

Headed back to the main road. At the intersection we can see the big ship leaving Princess Royal Harbour with the tug guiding it out the Ataturk Entrance into King George Sound.

Into Torndirrup National Park (another pay to visit one) and we turned to the west side again to The Gap and Natural Bridge. This has all just been redone costing a fortune. Near the carpark the ground shows the North Pole and how Australia used to be millions of years ago.

The aboriginal story of the Gap and creation of the shark and the stingray.

Dan would be impressed with all the stainless steel – that would have been a good job.

The rescue of the tourist by the Cheynes II whale boat we heard about happened here.

Lots of people were on the Gap so we walked down to the Natural Bridge. Nice view back up to Sharp Point and Green Islands.

Looks like a fairly recent slip and maybe some more to happen.

How the bridge was formed.

Looks amazing. It is easy to see why people would want to go onto it and then when the waves crashed under it you can see how easy it is to be washed out to sea. Of course that doesn’t stop people as three louts were yahooing their way across the bridge.

A lighthouse on Eclipse Island.

Around to the huge platform that will suspend us 25 metres over the ocean.

Straight down. The water crashed its way into the narrow gap.

The other side.

Put the camera on continuous mode.

We were at the edge when more people arrived and next minute this lady cuddled up to Steve – didn’t take her long to realised she grabbed the wrong bloke. We all had a good laugh.

Looking back to the carpark.

Looks like they will all tip in.

With the late sunsets we can cram a lot more sightseeing into our day. Just back a bit we turned across Cave Point to Cable Beach. I walked down onto the rocks for a view to the lighthouse.

Then down to Cable Beach and along to Peak Head. The first point is where there are some blowholes so we will head there next.

800m walk with 78 steps to the Blowholes. Hope they are blowing – it is windy but not too cold thank goodness as we didn’t put our jumpers in.

Headed down – looking across to Cave Point and its lighthouse.

The blowhole is actually a long crack on the slope of this big rock.

A big wave sprayed up down below and there was a big roar from the blowhole but only the lightest spray came up.

Long walk back up. Stopped half way for a view to Peak Head.

Back to the track then around to Stony Hill. The hike to Peak Head takes 2 hours return and is closed at the moment. We did the shorter walk around Stony Hill where there was a Naval Observation Post and Signal Station.

Followed the track through the bush and big rocks to a memorial plaque.

Climbed up the big boulder past a concrete foundation of the signal station – windy but not too cold.

Peak Head is a lot further over.

The sun is getting lower over the western side.

Looking back to Albany.

Along way down to Flinders Peninsula – only hikers to that point, 16km return from Whale World.

Some ‘bricks’ used to make a shelter.

Balancing rock.

Continued around the path onto a flat rock area with another fabulous view across Princess Royal Harbour to the left with Vancouver Peninsula in the middle and King George Sound on the right.

Back to the truck then we headed back up Frenchman Bay Road till we turning right into Quaranup Road. The sign said historic Quaranup Camp. When we got to the end at Quarantine Hill there was a no entry sign into the camp which is for the Dept of Recreation. I think there was a quarantine station here but no info here.

Back along the track we turned off to a carpark for the Point Possession Historical Trail. 3 ½ hour return, classed difficult so we won’t be doing that one.