Albany
Kinjarling
The Oldest European Settlement in WA
On the lands of the Menang Noongar people.
schedule 1 min read / Updated Apr 2026
On the south coast of Western Australia, Albany is the oldest European settlement in the state, founded in 1826. The deep natural harbour of King George Sound was the last sight of Australia for thousands of Anzac soldiers in World War One.
Albany was settled in December 1826, two years before the Swan River colony at Perth, by a small detachment from Sydney sent to forestall any French claim on the region. The Menang Noongar people are the Traditional Custodians and have lived around King George Sound for at least 30,000 years.
The natural harbour was the assembly point for the first Australian Imperial Force convoys leaving for World War One in 1914. The National Anzac Centre on Mount Adelaide above the harbour tells the story of Australian and New Zealand involvement in the war and is widely regarded as one of the country's best museums.
The coast around Albany has some of the most dramatic granite headlands in the country. The Gap and Natural Bridge in Torndirrup National Park, just outside town, are 25 metre granite cliffs facing the Southern Ocean. The Bald Head walk traces the granite peninsula and is one of the great coast walks in the south-west.
Where to stay
Holiday parks near Albany.
2 options via our booking partner
Panorama Caravan Park
5.6km away
Rose Gardens Beachside Holiday Park
6.2km away
Bookings handled by our partner Parkbooker. We may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
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Attribution
Sources & credits
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Images (2)
- Museum of the Great Southern, Albany, April 2022 04.jpg · Calistemon · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Museum of the Great Southern, Albany, April 2022 05.jpg · Calistemon · CC BY-SA 4.0
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