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Sand, granite and cliffs

I first visited Albany on a dismal winter's day. The sky was grey and a light drizzle was falling, as if trying to conceal Albany's treasures.

But on a second visit during summer, Albany laid bare its secrets. There was so much to see, and after five days exploring I still had a long to-do list.

You can be walking alone on a pristine stretch of beach one minute and enjoying the forest the next. There are windmills to visit and a whaling station to explore, or you might prefer to discover the medicinal power of oil.

  • Sensual Sandalwood *


The Mount Romance sandalwood factory produces beauty products and essential oils that are for sale in a shop that smells like a beauty spa.

I booked a session cryptically named; the Cone, the Gong and the Bowl, which is an out-of-the-ordinary, but relaxing one-hour meditative experience.

Reclining on mats under twinkling lights in a 16-sided sandalwood-scented cone might not be for everyone, but Gong Master Shashona assured us that we would feel a deep peace lulled by the resonant vibrations of the gongs and the scent of sandalwood.

"You may feel as if you are floating during the experience, you may find your sinuses clear. Rest assured you are in a safe place to completely relax," Shashona said.

The only drawback is that you may fall asleep and begin to snore.

Completely relaxed, I pondered the reasons why going for a gong were so interesting, and I realised it has all to do with new experiences, so important when it comes to travel.

  • Alternative Albany *


Albany was established in 1826 when the brig Amity sailed from Sydney under the command of Major Edmund Lockyer, who was ordered to found a settlement at King George Sound. But there is evidence the area was inhabited by the Mineng Aboriginal people some 25,000 years ago.

Early European settlement is still evident and heritage trails, such at the Amity Trail, wind around the town centre. The Patrick Taylor Cottage is the oldest intact dwelling in WA having been built in 1832. Other old buildings around the town include Albany Gaol, built in 1852.

The London Hotel 1909 has an alternative-styled lounge, a bit like a bordello you might see in Wild West movies. It is antique and opulent, full of velvet curtains, and chintz and dark red and gold furnishings. Attached to the hotel is Liberte, a coffee house-cum-wine bar- cum tapas bar, more Parisian than parochial. It's quirky and quaint, run by an American called Kester Solomon, who gave up professional poker playing in Las Vegas to start a new "hand" with his family in Albany.

  • Theatrical Scenery *


Flat, WA? Not a bit of it. There are steep cliffs and blowholes around the tip of the rugged peninsula in Torndirrup National Park. We visited on a wet and wild day when heaving swells and waves lashed the coastline. The Gap and natural bridge are immense. The blow hole, reached by a short steep walk over the granite, thundered and spat out sea water. On a sloping rock close to the blow hole is a pole with two life-saving buoys attached to it, and a sign telling you what to do if someone falls into the sea - "don't panic" is one of the instructions.

In November 1978 the Cheynes Beach Whaling Company in Albany closed down. Now it's Whale World and houses displays and information about the whaling days as well as a skeleton of the last whale taken from the sea. You'll need about three hours to do Whale World justice, and if you want to see the real things then visit Albany between June and October when the southern right and humpback whales migrate with their calves.

  • Family holiday hotspot *


It's the sea and the beaches that define Albany as a family holiday hotspot. Middleton Beach is a favourite and at Little Beach the hillside rolls gently down to the water where there are enormous granite boulders. The colour of the sea during summer is something to write home about and the bay is chocolate-box perfect. The long, lonely stretch of nearby Two People's Bay comes with crunchy white sand and big sky. Walk the length of the beach for an almost exclusive work-out.

For a more intense workout, you could walk a section of the Bibbulmun Track, the 965km trail that stretches from Kalamunda to Albany. There are another 20 or so popular walking trails within 30 minutes drive of Albany, some of which accommodate bikes. The 9km Luke Pen Walk loops along the Kalgan River through forest, vineyards and pastures. We saw osprey and pelicans and learnt about Noongar fish trap relics.

The Kalgan Queen riverboat offers half-day cruises of the river and Oyster Harbour.

One day, after hiking 670m up to Devil's Slide in the Porongurups, we stopped at Ironwood Wine Estate one of a number of wineries in the region. Owner Gene Harman told me the vineyard was established in 1996.

"Vines here thrive in the cooler climate where crisp sunlight and cool summer nights produce a full-flavoured premium fruit," he said.

With a glass of wine, and a lunch platter before me, I couldn't have been more relaxed, although I must admit the idea of kayaking along the Kalgan River before sundown made my heart beat just a little faster.·For more information visit amazingalbany.com or phone 9841 9290.