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Landmarks of Albany
Albany Town Hall
The building of the Albany Town Hall began in 1886 and was officially opened by Mayor William Grills Knight on the 1st June, 1888. The town hall clock was not installed for a few years and on the 15th April, 1891 at 3pm, the clock started keeping time for the townspeople. The Albany Town Hall was an important civic building and on the ground floor was offices and a public hall on the first floor that would host community events such as town meetings, events, theatre and dances.
Patrick Taylor's Cottage
Patrick Taylor's Cottage is the oldest surviving dwelling in Western Australia, having been built by the Morley Brothers in 1832. John Morley had served as a former sailor and was one of the first settlers in Albany. Patrick Taylor purchased the cottage in July 1834 for £400 and the eleven room, wattle and daub 'manure' cottage consists of an entry room, boxroom, parlour, nursery, bedroom, dining room, family room, sewing room, kitchen, laundry and side verandah.
Point King Lighthouse
In 1857, the British Government offered to build two lighthouses in Albany, one on Breaksea Island and the other at Point King as long as the local government would pay for the running costs. The lighthouses were built in 1857 and on the 1st January 1858, William Hill, the lighthouse keeper of Point King shone the light for the first time, providing a key navigational light for the port and becoming only the second lighthouse built in Western Australia. The light was operated manually and the keeper lived in the dwelling where the tower was housed. The lighthouse was used until June 1911 and the last keeper was Samuel Mitchell.
Princess Royal Fortress
The Princess Royal Fortress was opened in 1893 and was the first federal defence of Australia. All the Australian colonies agreed to pay equally for the construction of the fort with the British Government supplying the guns. This was an important point in history, as the federation of Australia was not formed until 1901 and showed that the colonies worked together to protect the nation. Two gun batteries were dug into the hillside of Mount Adelaide. Princess Royal Fort had two Mark IV 6-inch BL guns and the Plantagenet Fort had one six inch gun. The fortress was staffed by eight officers and five men of the South Australian Permanent Artillery in 1902. In 1956 the fort closed. Today the Fort is a museum managed by the City of Albany.
Old Convict Gaol
The Old Convict Gaol was built in 1852 and consisted of men's cell blocks and warders' quarters for convicts shipped to Western Australia as skilled labourers. Several convicts were transported from England, between 1850 and 1868 and often served time in the Gaol. A ticket of leave system was used that allowed the convicts to leave the Gaol before the official end of his sentence and be hired as a source of labour by free settlers. The convicts built roads, bridges, courthouses, hospitals and other public buildings.
Old Post Office
The Old Post Office was built in 1869 partly by convict labour and the building was the region's first government building included postal, judicial, customs and a meeting place for the Road Board and local government. In 1875, the building was a base station for telegraphs linking the colony with Adelaide and the world. In 1896, the tower was built for a cost of £4500 and in 1901 the clock tower was raised 6 metres.
Residency Building
The Residency Building was built in 1853 and was support for the Old Convict Gaol as a store and a administration office. Following the closure of the Gaol in 1872, the building was renovated and the store was converted into a home for the Government Residents and Resident Magistrate. The Residency Building then was used as a school hostel, naval depot and training facility. In 1975, the site opened as a museum and is part of the WA Museum.
St John's Church
St John's Anglican Church is the oldest church to be consecrated in Western Australia. The ceremony was conducted by Bishop Short from Adelaide on 25th October 1848. At consecration, the church could accommodate the total population of the town - 170 people. Construction began in 1841 and was delayed because the economic conditions of the 1840s made building funds difficult to find and the construction of the building came to a standstill. The Rectory was commenced in 1850 and walls were of 'cob' - a traditional mixture of clay, marl, chalk, gravel and straw - 45cm thick. The upper floor was added in 1875. A second rectory was built behind the original in the 1980s.
Strawberry Hill Farm
Strawberry Hill Farm was established in 1827 and was the first government farm. Major Edmund Lockyer, Dr Alexander Collie, John Morley and with the knowledge of the Menang People the area was selected. The original cottage on the farm was built in 1831 at the request of Governor Stirling. Shortly after Dr Alexander Collie, the first Government Resident of Albany lived in the small cottage and named the farm Strawberry Hill after his crop of strawberries grew lots of fruit. Sir Richard Spencer was appointed as the second Government Resident in 1833 and acquired the farm where he lived with his wife, Ann, 9 children and 11 servants.