Albany

Albany, on Western Australia's southern coast, is a mix of dramatic coastal scenery and colonial history. The port is on Princess Royal Harbour, a large natural harbour surrounded by granite cliffs and beaches. King George Sound stretches beyond, where whales pass through between June and October. The city's historic heart, with its Victorian shopfronts, has a quieter feel than Perth's busier waterfront, and a modern footbridge links the harbour precinct to the CBD. The National Anzac Centre, overlooking the harbour where the first ANZAC convoys departed in 1914, is a well-designed museum worth the visit. The Gap and Natural Bridge, two dramatic granite formations on the Torndirrup Peninsula, are 20 minutes south. The town has good fish and chips, and the local wineries of the Great Southern region produce cool-climate shiraz and riesling. Whale World, a former whaling station turned museum, covers the industry's history. Most sights need a car or shuttle from the port.