Albany, Western Australia
Albany, with about 26,000 inhabitants, is the third largest city in Western Australia. It lies on the Great Australian Bight, 408 km from Perth and about 53 km from Denmark and has a natural harbor.
History
In 1826 there the first penal colony of Western Australia was founded. The following year, the British flag was hoisted and the city was " Frederick Town" named in honor of Frederick, Duke of York and Albany. The town became a military outpost for New South Wales and since about 1830 the name Albany had naturalized.
Between 1851-1880 Albany was an important port city, since ships between the Ostkolonien and Europe had to brush up on supplies in Albany. With the development and use of more powerful ships of this stopover fell away and the place lost its economic importance. The opening of the railway line between Albany and Perth from 1889 brought a renewed upswing, which went out again, however, with the expansion of Fremantle as a port city.
At the beginning of the 19th century Albany became the whaling capital of the world. The " Cheynes Beach Whaling Company " was founded and quickly became the leading industry in Albany. Around 850 whales were killed per season. In the late 20th century, the people of the issue of whaling were increasingly aware. Finally, the whaling in the Southern Ocean at Albany was banned and the whaling industry closed in 1978 its factories.
Meanwhile, whale watching (July to October), a main attraction of the small but growing tourism industry in Albany.
Economy
Albany is an important business center in the southwest of Australia. Economically, the city on forestry, fishing industry, wine ( Goundrey Wines ) and the tourism industry has concentrated.
Attractions
Albany is located with its natural harbor at King George Sound. The place and its surroundings offer a delightful, varied landscape with granite rocks and sandy beaches. The town has two hills, Mount Melville (157 m) and Mount Clarence located (186 m), which offers a good view of Albany.
At the port there is a museum complex, which recalls the history of the place as a port and whaling station. The Old Farm on Strawberry Hill was built in 1831 and is therefore one of the first buildings. The St. John 's Anglican Church was built in the 1840s and is the first church in Western Australia. Also worth mentioning are the Mount Romance Emu Oil and Sandalwood Factory.
Off the coast of Albany, the destroyer HMAS Perth the Royal Australian Navy was sunk in 2001. This wreck and artificial reef is a popular destination among scuba divers.
Nature
In the upstream Torndirrup National Park, there are several natural coastal attractions such as the Natural Bridge and The Gap. Along the coast and in the hinterland are still numerous other national parks, such as the Stirling Range National Park, located about 90 km north of Albany. The special climate situation makes him one of the most important botanical regions of the world. Stirling Range is home to more than 1,500 different plant species, of which 90 are endemic. Also, the highest point in the southwest of Western Australia, the Bluff Knoll, is located there. At its peak, one can observe snowfall during the winter, otherwise very rare for Western Australia phenomenon.
Personalities
- Mark Atkins, musicians and artists
- Andrew McFarlane, Actor