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WESTERN AUSTRALIA'S FIRST BICENTENARY

Celebrate 2026 Albany

Kinjarling, Western Australia

Creating the opportunity to connect with the past to celebrate the present.

Welcome to the Albany Historical Society

Creating the opportunity to connect with the past, to celebrate the present.

The Albany Historical Society (AHS) celebrates Albany 'Kinjarling', we recognise our community's diverse cultural heritage, our rich and unique history and the important role Albany played as the first British colonial and Aboriginal settlement of Western Australia. We respect and recognise the connection to country of the Menang Noognar people and the importance Kinjarling holds in their culture and in their day to day lives.

The Albany 2026 Bicentenary is an opportunity to recognise and celebrate our development, our influential figures, their cultural links, years of hardship, triumph, perseverance and determination. We pay respect to all ancestors and celebrate who we have become.

SPECIAL FEATURE

The Anzacs at Gallipoli

They stood beside their allied brothers with courage, endurance, resilience, patriotism, humour and showed their hand in mateship.

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SELF GUIDED
NIGHT
TOURS

Walk alone by candlelight and explore the darker side of the Albany Convict Gaol.

ENTER

NEXT TOUR 1 June 2024

FEATURE ARTICLE

John McKail

By Grant Peake

One might refer to John McKail as a ‘rebel with a cause’, a colourful character, who traversed the Swan River Colony with his fiery nature, acts of insurrection and irascible nature.

Relocating to Albany changed John McKail’s outlook on life and maturity altered McKail into a man of his word. McKail certainly left his mark without a doubt yet his contribution to Albany must not be forgotten or over shadowed.

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COLLECTION

BATELIER

The Batelier Collection is maritime art of national significance and it is with great pleasure that AHS is offering the public the ability to purchase prints.

Claude Batelier’s SS Lothringen Deep Water Jetty Albany 1906.png

Claude Batelier’s HMS Euryalus 1904 at Sea.png

Claude Batelier’s SS Grantala Albany 1904.png

PIONEER PATHWAYS

Honouring the people who contributed to the first settlement of Western Australia and the place it is today.

Honouring our founders and pioneers of Albany (Kinjarling) and their incredible contributions to the region and state of Western Australia. This informative walk through history will educate visitors, local community and the many school and youth groups that we welcome each year and by their incredible contributions, have created the community we have today.

New Albany Historical Society night tours in town’s most haunted building - Albany Convict Gaol

Stuart McGuckin | Albany Advertiser

Tue, 26 March 2024 3:00PM

Brave history buffs and thrillseekers will get the chance to explore Albany Convict Gaol in a whole new light on Saturday evening. The Albany Historical Society is throwing open the gaol's doors for five hours from 7pm to midnight to allow patrons to wander through what is considered one of the most haunted buildings in Albany.

AHS treasurer Grant Peake said only candles strategically placed throughout the complex would light the way for those brave enough to walk the gaol's passages and wander through its cells at night. "It will make the atmosphere of the experience completely different," he said.

Mr Peake said many visitors had reported "experiences" and that his own had been within one of the main corridors.