7th cruise home – program – presenters – the Astor – itinerary – shore tours – pricing & booking

Shore tours are a feature of all cruises

Shore excursions offered by the ship are now announced. You will receive full information on these in due course from Clean Cruising. For now I list the tours that will be offered:

  • Esperance
    • Esperance in a Day 09:30 – 16:30 – $159
    • Cape le Grand National Park & Stonehenge Tour 9:30 – 13:30 – $89
  • Albany
    • Southern Wineries & Albany Sights 13:30 – 17:30 – $109
    • Albany Sights & Discovery Bay 09:30 – 13:30 – $126
    • Albany Heritage Park & National ANZAC Centre 9:45 to 12:45 – $109

You will be able to pre-book these tours in due course.

 

Places of historical genealogical interest

 

For those not doing one of the tours offered by the cruise line we have put together some information on places that may interest you in Albany. A ship is scheduled to arrive in Albany at 9am on Thursday, 22 January 2014 and at 10pm

Thanks to the Albany Public library and Albany Historical Society for advice and assistance with this list. Some of these places are free. Others have an entry fee.

Albany Public Library 221 York Street, Albany

Do you have an ANZAC in your family? is the Albany Public Library’s flagship project commemorating the ANZAC centenary. This is a community driven project which recognises the contributions of our ANZACs, from a military perspective as well as in the context of family and community. The project sets out to personalise the histories of our ANZACs, where their story is told in terms of who they were and the activities in which they were involved. Each story is as unique as each ANZAC, collectively underpinning the overarching military history of Australia in the First World War.

The ANZAC biographies were published weekly in the Albany Advertiser for the year leading up to the centenary of the departure of the first convoy of transports from Albany on 1st November 2014. 30 of these biographies have now been released in book form, available only from the Library for $35. For more information on the project and to read the biographies visit:

http://library.albany.wa.gov.au/Do_you_have_an_ANZAC_in_your_family.php

Albany History Collection (upper level), Albany Public library

The well-regarded Albany History Collection (AHC) is housed in the Library. AHC holds documented cultural heritage of the Albany region, totalling over 50,000 items. Our aim is to collect, preserve, provide and promote access to this information and archives to the community. The AHC holds special collections like the Robert Stephens Collection and the archives of the Albany Historical Society. Material is in a range of formats such as manuscripts, newspapers, microfilms, photographs, oral histories and other audio visual material.

Albany Regional Family History Society

Late-2014 also saw the Albany Regional Family History Society relocate their service and collections to the Library. Society members are available for research enquiries every Friday morning. Note: our cruise visit to Albany is only on Thursday. If there is interest in Albany related genealogy research enquiries, we may be able to arrange for someone from the society to be available where.

 

Other places of interest when visiting Albany 

museum

museum

Albany Historical Society, Patrick Taylor Cottage 39 Duke Street, Albany

  • hours: 10am – 4pm daily
  • website: www.historicalbany.com.au
  • admission: gold coin donation
  • distance from Albany port: approx 1.5 km

Albany Convict Gaol, Stirling Terrace Albany

  • hours: 10am – 4pm daily
  • website: www.historicalbany.com.au/convictgaol.htm
  • admission: Adults $4, concession $2.50, child $2.50, family $10.00, children under 6 free
  • distance from Albany port: approx 1.5 km
Amity

Amity

The Brig Amity – part of WA Museum precinct

  • hours: 9:30am – 4pm
  • website: www.historicalbany.com.au/amity.htm
  • distance from Albany port: approx 2km
  • Guided tours are available – by prior arrangement.
    If there is sufficient interest, we could try to arrange a group. Groups of five or more $5 per head, groups of less than five $7 per head

Western Australian Museum – Albany, Residency Road. Albany

Princess Royal

Princess Royal

Princess Royal Fortress, Forts Rd, Albany

National Anzac Centre Forts Rd, Albany

  • hours: from 9am (last entry is 4pm)
  • distance and Albany port: approximately 2 km (we understand this is up a steep hill, so may require a taxi to get there)
  • website: www.nationalanzaccentre.com.au/visit
  • Admission Fees: adults $24,  concessions $19, child (5-12) $12 (first child) $8 (each additional child), children (4 and under)
Anzac Centre

Anzac Centre

The National Anzac Centre was opened by the Prime Ministers of Australia and New Zealand and the Premier of Western Australia on 1 November 2014: the centenary of the first Australian and New Zealand convoy’s departure to war from Albany’s King George Sound.

A visit to the Anzac Centre is part of the Albany Heritage Park & National ANZAC Centre tour offered by the cruise line ($109). Some may prefer to visit this on its own without the cost of the tour – and flexibility to spend as much or little time as required.

Survey of Albany interests

Click here to do a short survey of interests in visiting the above places.

This will help us to decide whether there is sufficient interest to organise a group visit the brig Amity, and to ask the Albany Family History Society about attending the library on the day the ship is in port. We can also bring people together to share a taxi to places too distant to walk to (this would be organised on the cruise itself just prior to arrival and Albany). Most who want to visit the National Anzac Centre and/or Princess Royal Fortress will need to take a taxi.