Albany - Day 1 - Kalgan River Cruise and National Anzac Centre

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An easier day today!

We started with a cruise on board the Kalgan Queen with Captain Jack. We started at the Emu Point Boat Pens where Jack fed the ray that lives in the harbour so that it would swim under the viewing port in the hull and some of the pelicans including Perch who he rescued 16 years ago and has a special relationship with.

From the boat pens we motored out into Oyster Bay where Jack introduced us to an Osprey. We all tried to take a photo when it came in for its fish breakfast, but he was so fast. As I write this, I’m not sure if there’s going to be an Osprey photo on the blog or not.

We crossed to Green Island which was Western Australia’s first vegetable garden farmed by convicts. When the vegetable farm was set up the pelicans abandoned this breeding colony … for 130 years. They have now returned and breed on the island year-round. A variety of other birds join them during their breeding seasons. The island is one of only four pelican breeding grounds in Western Australia.

We cruised by Green Island and past the deep water oyster beds. Jack related a lot of information about new seagrass friendly oyster farming techniques that have been developed. Old methods deprived the seagrass of sunlight wiping out vast areas of seagrass. New methods of farming the oysters had to be developed because the seagrass is so important for the environment. Those with an inclination were able to sample locally farmed oysters fresh out of their shells. That was a pass from Tracey who only eats Oysters Kilpatrick!

Crossing under the Lower Kalgan Bridge, which has a very low clearance, it started to feel like we were on a river cruise. We had been cruising the river channel for some time, but the river’s channel is obscured by the waters of Oyster Harbour and has to be navigated by way of channel markers.

As we cruised Jack kept up a running commentary covering history, wildlife and Dad jokes!! We would have been happy with seeing the Osprey, but we also saw several white-bellied sea eagles which were awesome. Then there were the more pedestrian birds: pelicans, of course, cormorants, oyster catchers, Royal ibis and darter birds – the really strange looking ones with the snake-like necks.

The Kalgan River was first navigated and mapped in 1803 during an expedition led by Nicolas Baudin. He named it Rivière des Francais and it was known as French River until it was re-named by explorer Alexander Collie in 1831. He asked his Aboriginal guide to tell him what the Noongar people called the river. He recorded the name as Kal-gan-up which is said to translate as place of many waters or, possibly, many fishes. At the furthest navigable point of the river Baudin recorded encountering a wall of stone. It later came to light that the stones are fish traps built by the Noongar people thousands of years ago.

During the voyage we also tasted locally grown strawberries and sampled natural raw red gum honey said to have more antioxidants than manuka honey! We sailed past Elbow Island … at a bend in the river - and Jack related a poignant and romantic story about the island’s local name of Honeymoon Island. At the same point that Baudin reached in 1803 Jack put us ashore to walk the rest of the way to the rock wall.

After our stop we were treated to a morning tea of savoury damper (secret family recipe made by Jack’s Mum!) and tea/coffee. Apart from the herbs and spices the recipe relies on naturally soured milk. Not milk soured with vinegar or lemon juice, naturally soured. That means you use half a two-litre container of milk, close it up and leave it on the kitchen bench or in the pantry until it’s chunky! So, you have to plan to make it because it’s going to take you (at least) a week to ‘make’ your milk!! It tasted fantastic, but way too labour intensive.

Back at the boat pens we disembarked and looked across the car park to the Squid Shack. Since it was right in front of us we decided it was the obvious place for lunch. Salt and pepper squid and chips for four.

Our next stop was at the National Anzac Centre. As we drove around to the centre, we stopped at one of the viewpoints looking out over King George Sound and Oyster Bay. It gave us a bird’s eye view of the area where our cruise commenced this morning.

The National Anzac Centre commemorates the first and second convoys of ANZAC troops who voluteered to serve in WWI. All the ships carrying Australian troops and horses and New Zealand troops and horses congregated in King George Sound before departing for Egypt on 1 November 1914 and 31 December 1914 respectively. The centre opened in 2014 and uses multimedia, interactive technology and historical artefacts to tell the story of the ANZACs. Upon entry visitors are given the identity of an ANZAC and they can follow that soldier’s story through various sections of the museum.

After the museum we explored part of the heritage listed Princess Royal Fortress a pre-federation fortress that was built to protect inter-continental trade routes. When war was declared, and Australia was preparing to send troops to Europe Albany was chosen as a safe harbour where the ships carrying the troops could congregate safely before their departure to the theatre of war.

Our final stop was at the Desert Mounted Corps Memorial that commemorates Australian and New Zealand soldiers who died in service or were killed in action in Egypt, Palestine and Syria during WWI. It is more commonly referred to as the Light Horse Memorial because it commemorates the men of the Australian Light Horse Brigade and the New Zealand Mounted Rifles. Our third monument/memorial to the Light Horse in as many months.

After we arrived back at the house a load of washing was popped into the machine before we walked down into the historic centre of Albany to check out some of the buildings there. We discovered that the building with a tower that was lit up last night was the original Town Hall – a beautiful old building.

We ate in tonight! Cathy prepared us a lovely batch of spaghetti carbonara. Our turn to cook tomorrow night.



Steps: 10,597 (6.95kms)

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