April

Women in Whaling was an evocative artist-in-residence project by Jo Wassell that brought into focus the often-overlooked lives of the wives and daughters who shaped Australia's whaling communities from the margins. Developed at Albany's Historic Whaling Station, the project unfolded over a sustained three-month period of intimate sittings, photography and archival research. The project culminated in an exhibition at the Historic Whaling Station Gallery, which opened on April 2 and ran until May 31, where drawings and stories were presented as a collective testament to intergenerational strength and unacknowledged contribution.

WA's first port marked its bicentenary with PortFest on 11 April, as Southern Ports opened the gates of the Port of Albany to the community for a rare behind-the-scenes experience.

The free community event gave visitors the opportunity to explore the port's rich history, experience the scale of its operations and learn more about its vision for the future.

Thousands of people then descended on the Port, making it Southern Ports’ largest and most successful community open day yet.

Early on the morning of 19 April, three yachts swept into Frenchman Bay in the final white-knuckle moments of the 2026 Great Southern Lime Fremantle to Albany Ocean Race, presented by Royal Perth Yacht Club.

One of Western Australia's most historic offshore sailing events, the race traces its origins to the 1950s. Since the inaugural contest, more than 320 crews have taken on the challenging 350-nautical-mile journey. The 2026 race delivered the closest finish in the event's history, with Obsession edging out Sirene by less than a kilometre after a dramatic duel along the south coast.

Throughout the April school holidays and in the lead-up to Anzac Day, the Princess Royal Fortress came alive with the resounding boom of the iconic 9-pounder gun, fired twice daily on Tuesdays and Thursdays. On 21 April, long-time volunteer Trish Forsyth (pictured below) made history as the first female gunner to conduct an official gun salute at the fortress.

Historian and Albany 2026 ambassador Malcolm Traill officially launched his new book South at the Albany Entertainment Centre, drawing a crowd eager to hear a snippet of the stories from the author.

Bringing together 62 articles originally published in local outlets since 2017, South is a compelling collection of historical stories and rare images. For the first time, these pieces sit side by side, forming a vivid and often surprising portrait of Albany’s layered past.

The former Pool Petroleum fuel tanks on Mt Melville, constructed during the Second World War, provide a rare link to Albany's role in coastal defence and military history.

As part of the new Mount Melville Cycle Link project, Veterans Assist Great Southern led the development of interpretive signage to share the site's story. Community members gathered on 29 April for the official unveiling, marking a new opportunity to learn about this important piece of Albany's wartime heritage.

Consultation opened on the proposed heritage listing of Albany’s historic open channel stone drains and kerbs, a distinctive feature of the city’s streetscape since the 1860s. Designed to manage stormwater on Albany’s steep terrain, the network represented an early engineering solution that has remained functional for more than 160 years.