The building now known as the Albany Boat Shed was originally used in Fremantle to house the construction of a replica of the Dutch explorer Duyfken. At the completion of this project the facility was gifted to the City of Albany, in due recognition of the area's rich maritime history, and relocated to the foreshore of picturesque Princess Royal Harbour.

It has since been managed by the Albany Maritime Foundation, which has driven a number of successful wooden boat construction and restoration projects within its walls. Plus, Shed space has been leased to private individuals, for their own wooden boat activities, the building has been home to schools delivering maritime-based educational programs and is now the Foundation is developing the Shed into a tourist destination. 

Every Sunday, the shed turns into a bustling market, featuring local growers and producers of fresh and gourmet foods and Great Southern wines. In addition to the wonderful seasonal produce grown in the Great Southern, talented local artisans showcase their beautiful and distinctive products. There will be local live music to keep your toes tapping, cooking demos and plenty of parking. 

In 2009, Albany Historical Society's fulfilled a long held ambition to open the old P&O Cooperative Store in Frederick Street as a museum. For several years the society had been using the building as a repository for around 30,000 artefacts not on display in its other museums.

The building was opened as the P&O Cooperative store in 1870 to provide heavily subsidised goods to its employees. It has also been used as a shop, guest house, private residence and barracks for the Western Australian Railways. Although the building looks unattractive from the outside, underneath its 1960s brick façade is the perfectly intact original granite structure – a unique example of this type of architecture in Albany.

The Albany Historical Society administers three of Albany’s premier tourist attractions; the Albany Convict Gaol, Patrick Taylor Cottage the oldest dwelling in WA and the Brig Amity. No visit to Albany can be complete without visiting these three wonderful venues that tell the story of Albany and it’s history.

Open 7 days per week, closed Christmas day.

Albany’s Historic Whaling Station was the last operating station in Australia and provides a fascinating insight into Albany’s colourful past. Recognised as a heritage site, the whaling station is an engaging and educational tourism attraction for all ages to enjoy.

Find yourself immersed in the sights and sounds of the whaling industry. Enjoy short films within the converted whale oil tanks. Climb aboard the Cheynes IV, the world’s only preserved Whalechaser ship; see our giant blue whale skeleton; enjoy our world-renowned marine animal art collection and view our precious scrimshaw art. Visit our museum exhibits filled with authentic, whaling artefacts and memorabilia or relax in our café overlooking one of Albany’s most picturesque bays.

Our unique, biodiverse location is also home to over a 100,000 species of native plants which are now displayed in our Regional Wildflower Garden. Families can enjoy free BBQ’s in the gardens and learn about our friendly collection of native animals at our Australian Wildlife Park. Join us for a memorable day on The Amazing South Coast.

Historic Whaling Station, open 9am to 5pm (last entry 4.15pm). 

Australian Wildlife Park & Regional Wildflower Garden, open 10am to 5pm

Café opening hours: 10am – 4pm (lunch meals 10am – 3pm)

Open every day excluding Christmas (25th Dec)

Marvel at Protoceratops, the horned dinosaur… plus many more! Here you can see some of the tallest & smallest meat-eating dinosaurs, dinosaurs from the Jurassic & Cretaceous periods of time, and meet Tyrannosaurus Rex and Velociraptor made infamous in the movie “Jurassic Park”.

Meet and learn about conservation and breeding programmes of the critically endangered Red Tailed Black Cockatoo and the spectacularly coloured Giant Macaws from the Amazon rainforest of South America.

Discover the secret and intriguing world of Australia’s fascinating and unique reptiles, including rare Pythons, Dragon Lizards and Monitor Lizards. Experience the amazing Southern Forest and interact with nature. 

History

The original Old Police Station built was by convict labour in 1868. The mid 1880s saw the horse stables divided off as a lockup and a Court House office was added in 1919. Surrounded by magnificent lawns and gardens, the Plantagenet Historical Society opened the Cottage as a museum in 1968, furnishing it with artefacts donated by residents of the Shire.

The Old Police Station was occupied until 1908 when a new police station was constructed next door.

In 1971 the Pioneer Room was built to display more artefacts, in 1985 and 1987 the cottage and stables were restored and in 1994 the Napier Creek one-teacher school was moved to the museum. In 1997 the second Police Station and Court Room were acquired.

Other buildings include a reconstructed 1870s house built of hand split wooden slabs and a complete apple picking shed has been assembled in honour of that industry's historical contribution and his and her "thunder boxes".

Policing

Police duties included having a change of horses ready for the mail coach which operated from Albany to Perth. They also patrolled as far as Esperance (more than 400 kilometres) on horseback and other duties included census, weather reporting and mail deliveries.

Visiting The Museum

Arriving at the museum complex, visitors will be greeted with a range of main and out buildings all nested in beautiful landscaped gardens, with structures festooned in gorgeous and colourful creepers with delicate and aromatic flowers in season, giving very much a yesteryear village like experience.

Anyone visiting the museum complex, especially those with an interest in historical heritage should set aside a few hours. There is an incredible range of historical artefacts, information and images spread through numerous buildings.

Refurbished in July 2010, the refitted the Museum of the Great Southern overlooks picturesque Princess Royal Harbour, on the site of first European settlement in Western Australia.

The Museum of the Great Southern provides exhibitions, public programs, educational programs and information on the unique natural and social history of the region.

The Museum shares the stories of the indigenous Noongar people and the influence of Mokare, a young Noongar warrior, as well as the stories of the early settlers and convicts, and also explores the region's unique natural landscape, flora and fauna.

Opened on the 1st of November 2014 by the Prime Ministers of Australia and New Zealand, the interpretive content that forms part of the interactive experience was developed by the Western Australian Museum and the Australian War Memorial and is delivered via a series of interactive visual and audible displays. The experience delivered at the NAC is known for commemorating the war through the stories of the Anzacs as opposed to telling its own story via pro-war or anti-war sentiments.

The symbolic location of the centre, selected for its strong sense of place as it looks out across King George Sound, forms an important part of the interpretation. The dramatic architecture, featuring spectacular vistas of the Sound, purposefully enhances the narrative and creates a contemplative space. The building design lends itself to a telescopic view overlooking the location from where the convoys gathered and then left.

The Kodja Place is the result of the district’s cultures working in harmony with a single goal. An architecturally designed, purpose-built rammed earth building houses a multifaceted display of artefacts, stories, interactive displays, exhibits, pictures, and entertaining hands-on devices adjacent to a spectacular Rose Maze.

It tells in a vital, vivid, human and sometimes confronting manner the Kojonup story and the influences, cultural, economic and geographic, that formed the Kojonup of today.

Several areas make up The Kodja Place and its story:

The Kodj Gallery
Yoondi's Mia Mia
The Story Place
The Australian Rose Maze

The effort of hundreds of local volunteers is evident in the design and construction of The Kodja Place. It demonstrates the significance of Noongar and Wadjela cultures in the district, and exists as a graphic illustration of the evolution of a multitude of similar communities across Australia.

The impact of government policies and other cultures on the local Aboriginal way of life is acknowledged while at the same time a forceful demonstration of the reconciliation

process is clearly presented.

It provides a focal point for local cross-cultural harmony, and its existence, its activities and its success provide a source of community pride, a community meeting place and a pivotal expression of the cultural makeup of Kojonup.

It shows visitors this expression in an entertaining, colourful and fascinating manner, and invites you to share in the spirit of the people who have made it possible - the people of Kojonup.
 

Located at Peppermint Grove Farm The Wellstead Heritage Museum is home to thousands of pieces of Australian history. Here you can wonder through time and experience Australia past or stop for a bite to eat at the Wellstead Restaurant., take stroll around the property with some spectacular views Bremer Bay has on offer, observe natural habitat grazing peacefully and native flora and fauna or visit some of the beaches on the peninsula for a spot of fishing or a leisurely stroll. Accommodation is also available for a minimum of 2 nights stay.