WHALE OF A TIME - AND OTHER ANIMALS

We were 3 nights in Goode Beach, part of Discovery Bay, named after the ship Captain Vancouver sailed in and claimed Albany area for the Brits - as you do.  Just land somewhere around the world, anywhere, and claim it for the King - done.

WHALING HISTORY

A few minutes away was one of the other main attractions in Albany - the last whaling station in Australia that closed in 1978 and is a grim reminder of the whale trade.  I could write a long description of a really interesting tour and place - but why reinvent the wheel when a travel journalist can put it so much better - see here for a great article.

This is the saw that he mentions for cutting off the whales head.  There were a lot of gory photos, videos and places where all the blubber was hacked off and then boiled up, but the guys who worked there are obviously now a lost tribe.  It was a tough life, both on the ships and on the shore extracting the oil for use around the world in everything from cosmetics to food.  And it wasn't just the conservationists who stopped the industry -economics played a major part as petroleum products replaced whale oil.







One of the last whaling boats was there and it was fascinating going around it and seeing how it all worked.

This is where the whale oil was stored and now each container is kitted out as the museum or with small theatres for films of the last whalers.

 Of course, it had the ubiquitous cafe attached but you can't beat it for views.

KOALAS ETC

Next to the whaling station was a small animal park with all sorts of indigenous animals - of course, couldn't resist this koala

and this little possum was a cutey too - although Niki isn't enamoured with their cousins living in her roof!