Top Towns for 2022: Discover the many things to love about Albany

Danielle Norton pens a love letter to Albany, a port town on Western Australia’s southern coast that endears itself with its bookstores, bakeries and beaches to see why it landed at no.22 on your list of Top 50 Aussie Towns.

Find the complete list of the Top 50 Aussie Towns here.

An Albany love affair

My friends are surprised when I tell them a visit to Albany is like a blind date that goes really, really well. The description on the brochure, a port town in WA’s great South West, did little to highlight the revelatory conversation starters the town had in store for me, the surprises and pleasures that spending time with it would bring, and how it would woo me with its bookstores, bakeries and beaches.

Albany has style and sophistication, but it also has a rugged edge, sitting as it does between the coast and the outback. Alongside the blossoming cultural scene, where film and foodie festivals abound, there’s also the possibility of mountains to climb, historical tales to uncover, and adventures to be had.

Fresh local produce available at the Albany Farmers Market — It’s the little things, like freshly-baked croissants, that make Albany so charming. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

Wandering the streets of Albany, I am struck by the little details that make this town so charming. It embraces the artistic talents of its community. Tiny mosaic artworks punctuate the footpaths and the town’s laneways are adorned with street art by both Australian and international artists.

Walking between the farmers’ market and my hotel, the Hilton Garden Inn Albany on the foreshore, I feel like I am being romanced by the town. A fancy restaurant, a contemporary store selling quality clothing, homewares and gifts, a worthy rival for any city shopping strip, an unassuming smile before I see behind its facade into another multi-layered part of its personality.

The town is on its best behaviour, but not afraid to show its true self. A litany of pristine beaches surrounds the town and I am nearly giddy choosing between Ellen Cove and Discovery Bay, where the old Whaling Station sits, Misery Beach (named Australia’s best in 2022), Emu Point and Little Beach.

Full of history and charm

Albany knows to give me options and I feel like this date has really done its homework about me. There are not one, but two, bookshops. Paperbark is fully stocked with bestsellers and recently released tomes, and I love the Gemini second-hand bookshop, which has a whole section dedicated to Western Australian authors such as Tim Winton, Rachael Johns and Craig Silvey.

I sink my teeth into a potato galette at Bred Co and start to convince myself that this combination of flaky, sweet and savoury could be a snack that would satisfy me for the rest of my life.

Albany streetscape — Albany has style and sophistication, but it also has a rugged edge. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

My date also knows I didn’t pay close enough attention in school. The pride of Albany is the National ANZAC Centre. I had completely forgotten the fact that every soldier who fought in Gallipoli had been transported to this tiny town in WA to be shipped from the Port of Albany to Turkey.

For history buffs, the gift shop is well-stocked with obscure books and memorabilia. As we climb to the Convoy Lookout at the top of Mt Clarence, the vantage point makes it easy to see why this was such an excellent position for a fort.

Exterior shot of The National Anzac Centre, at night. The National Anzac Centre is located within the Princess Royal Fortress precinct of Albany Heritage Park. — The pride of Albany is the National ANZAC Centre. (Image: National Anzac Centre)

The views of Frenchman Bay and King George Sound are captivating. I love the fresh air in Albany, the beaches at every turn, the tranquillity, the Saturday morning farmers’ market on Collie Street, the Wilson Brewing Company on a Sunday arvo, kids and dogs included.

I love the university options for regional students, the cosmopolitan celebrations like CineFestOz Albany and Taste Great Southern , Sunday sessions with live music in the Hilton Garden Inn, people walking dogs in the early morning on the foreshore lining up to buy coffee at Haz Beanz , whale-spotting tours, the swimming pool platform in the ocean at Middleton Beach where the local kids take their first strokes.

I love the feats of engineering that have constructed walkways over the wild waters of The Gap and the respect for nature that means humans have left the nearby blowholes unfenced. I love learning that the First People of Albany have a history of embracing the white settlers, who arrived on Christmas Day in 1826, and the Noongar population were not imprisoned or embroiled in battles with them.

The Gap, Torndirrup National Park — The walkways over the wild waters of The Gap are feats of engineering. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

The two cultures coexisted at a time when fierce wars were being fought around the country. The Noongar philosophy of sharing the spoils of the land was extended to the newcomers. I love that so much evidence of this exists today; I see the fish traps at Oyster Harbour on the Great Southern Outback Eco Tour, where the traditional owners have been catching fish for about 40,000 years.

I love that the local council respects the Noongar calendar of the seasons, which is installed as an artwork in the courtyard at the visitor centre. When people arrive at this, the southern terminus for the Munda Biddi Trail and the Bibbulmun Track, they can look down and see the six seasons depicted. Albany, I am very impressed. I’ll be waiting for your call.

Explore more of Albany in our travel guide or find out which other towns made it into your Top 50.

WA might be enormous, but the right insider knowledge brings its mysteries a whole lot closer.

“Western Australia is a land of record-breakers,” says Carolyn Tipper, a Travel Director working on AAT Kings Western Australia tours. “It has the second-longest fault line, the second-largest meteorite crater, the second-fastest flowing river—it just keeps surprising you. And every area has its charm.”

From tropics to deserts, Australia’s largest state is a land of extremes. You can’t see all of Western Australia in a lifetime, but with the right guide, you can discover its hidden pockets of magic.

Carolyn wishes to reach her guests’ hearts. “I want them to enjoy and be in awe,” she says. “I want them to have the holiday of a lifetime.”

1. Mimbi Caves

You wouldn’t expect a Great Barrier Reef in the outback – but that’s what you’ll find at Mimbi Caves. Once part of a 350-million-year-old reef, these caves hold marine fossils, ancient Indigenous rock art, and Dreamtime stories shared by a Gooniyandi guide.

“That’s when the real connection happens,” says Carolyn, who has taken guests through on the AAT Kings Wonders of the West Coast and Kimberley tour . “When guests connect, not just with the land, but with the people who have called it home for tens of thousands of years.”

Eye-level view of traveller exploring Mimbi Caves. — Walk through ancient limestone passages. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

2. Kalbarri National Park

Nothing prepares you for the Kalbarri Skywalk: a 25-metre platform jutting over Murchison Gorge, 100 metres above the red cliffs and river below. From July to October, join the AAT Kings Untamed Pilbara and West Coast tour to see over 1000 wildflower species paint the park, and listen as an Indigenous guide shares their uses, bush foods and medicine plants.

“I want our guests to have an emotional experience,” says Carolyn. “It’s not just about seeing the land, it’s about stepping into the stories.”

An aerial view of the Kalbarri Skywalk, one of the secret places in Western Australia, with visitors on the edge. — Stand on the Kalbarri Skywalk in Western Australia. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

3. Hamelin Bay Wines

Margaret River isn’t just a top wine region – it’s a winner in every category. Where the Indian and Southern Oceans collide, granite cliffs rise, limestone caves sprawl and Karri forests tower. It almost distracts from the world-class Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay.

Almost.

Out of over 100 cellar doors, AAT Kings pick Hamelin Bay Wines as a favourite. Hosted tastings of small-batch wines on the Western Wonderland tour end with a group meal. The menu shifting with the seasons.

“Get off the beaten track to one of WA’s most relaxed venues for some amazing red and white signature wines,” explains Carolyn, “accompanied with upmarket pub food.”

Spectacular views.

A person raising a glass of Chardonnay against a glowing Western Australia sunset. — Sip world-class wines at Hamelin Bay in Western Australia. (Image: Getty)

4. Wildflower Guided Walk, Kings Park

Western Australia is home to 12,000 native plant species – 3000 bloom in Kings Park’s Botanic Garden. Stroll past Kangaroo Paw, Banksia and blooms from the Goldfields, Stirling Ranges and Kimberley. “The diversity of Western Australia is immense,” says Carolyn, who leads guests through on the South Western Escape tour .

Couple enjoying the view from the Lotterywest Federation walkway at Kings Park and Botanical Garden. — Wander among thousands of native plant species. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

5. Hoochery Distillery

Did you know that between Kununurra and Emma Gorge lies the state’s oldest continuously operating distillery? Well, the oldest legal one. Set on a family farm, Hoochery Distillery was hand-built using materials found on the property, conjuring up award-winning rum from local sugarcane, wet season rainwater and yeast.

Today, visitors can sample a hearty nip of rum, along with whiskies and gins – all crafted using traditional, labour-intensive methods. It’s the ideal way to soak up the ‘spirit’ of the Kimberley on the AAT Kings’ Untamed Kimberley tour .

People enjoying a rum tasting at one of the secret places in Western Australia. — Sample award-winning rum. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

6. Geraldton

The wildflowers of the Midwest will make your heart blossom. In Geraldton, the Helen Ansell Art Gallery brings the region’s botanicals to life in vivid colour and intricate detail. In nearby Mullewa, wander bushland trails lined with everlastings and native blooms. Further afield, Coalseam Conservation Park bursts into carpets of pink, white, and yellow each spring. Do it all on the Wildflower Wanderer tour with AAT Kings.

woman walking through Wildflowers, Coalseam Conservation Park — Chase vibrant wildflower trails. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

7. El Questro

Wake up after a night under the stars at Emma Gorge Resort, ready to explore the mighty beauty of the El Questro Wilderness Park. With deep gorges, thermal springs, and cascading waterfalls, time slows here.

Join the AAT Kings’ Wonders of the West Coast and Kimberley tour to drift through Chamberlain Gorge, where sheer sandstone walls glow burnt orange in the sun, archer fish flick at the surface, and rock wallabies peer down from ledges above. Then, step into Zebedee Springs, a secret oasis of warm, crystal-clear pools among prehistoric Livistona palms – a moment of pure, wild stillness.

Emma Gorge Resort at El Questro. — Wake to adventure at Emma Gorge Resort. (Image: Tourism Western Australia)

8. Lake Argyle

Once vast cattle country, Lake Argyle now sprawls like an inland sea – Western Australia’s largest freshwater lake, created by the damming of the Ord River. Scattered with over 70 islands, its glassy waters teem with life, like freshwater crocodiles, barramundi, bony bream, sleepy cod and over 240 bird species. That’s nearly a third of Australia’s avian population.

Glide across the lake’s surface on a cruise as part of AAT Kings’ Untamed Kimberley tour , where the silence is only broken by the splash of fish and the call of birds. For Carolyn, this place is a perfect example of how WA’s landscapes surprise visitors. “Lake Argyle is a big puddle of water that became a game-changer,” she says. “Seeing it from a boat, coach, and plane is mind-blowing. It puts time, isolation and the sheer scale into perspective.”

Aerial View of Triple J Tours on the Ord River, near Kununurra. — Glide past islands on Western Australia’s largest freshwater lake. (Image: Western Australia)

Discover more of Western Australia’s hidden gems and book your tour at aatkings.com.