Albany, Western Australia

Fishermen

One of the finest ANZAC memorials I've ever seen

Wind Farm



The Bridge


Streetscape

Brig Amity

The tiny settlement at King George Sound, later known as Albany, was established in 1827 and was the first colony in Western Australia. The British feared that the French would likely claim this vast land as their own if they got half the chance so Governor Darling sent a party of troops and convicts from Sydney to establish another penal colony. The journey took 6 weeks and 2 days to arrive on board the Brig Amity.

When Charles Darwin visited the sound he wasn't very impressed after he took rock and soil samples. He much preferred the Swan River site and two years later this other settlement, now known as Perth, became the major colony and Albany was almost forgotton.

But today Albany is jumping out of its skin. A thriving city of 35,000 people, major industries include tourism, agriculture - wool, beef and grain, aquaculture, fishing, wood chipping and mining.

The Albany wind farm consists of twelve 1800kW wind turbines connected to the Albany electrical system and control network and supplies approximately 70% of the city's electricity. The turbines are ENERCON E66 machines from Germany and were installed by Enercon Power Corporation, an Australian Company.

When Charles Darwin farewelled Australia he wrote:

... you are a rising infant and doubtless some day will reign a great princess in the South; but you are too great and ambitious for affection, yet not great enough for respect; I leave your shores without sorrow or regret.

I wonder what he'd think about us today.