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Day Trips from Albany

Day Trips from Albany

The best excursions and trips you can do in a day

Home › Day Trips
Albany’s dramatic south-coast setting is the perfect launchpad for Western Australia’s most varied day-trip circuit. Within a two-hour radius you can stand on 40-metre granite cliffs, sip cool-climate wines overlooking karri forests, watch whales from historic whaling stations, and discover tiny coves where turquoise water meets squeaky-white sand. Most destinations sit 30–120 km away along sealed highways or scenic coastal drives, so you’ll spend more time exploring than commuting. Venturing beyond the city reveals the region’s layered stories—Noongar heritage, whaling tragedies, pioneering forestry, and modern food—while still being home for sunset over Princess Royal Harbour. Because Albany weather can swing from bright 25 °C sunshine to wild winter storms in hours, packing layers is essential. The upside is that each season delivers a different reward: spring wildflowers carpet the Stirling Range, winter brings crashing waves at The Gap, and summer invites long beach picnics at Little Beach. Day trips also free you from choosing between Albany hotels on the harbour or Denmark tree-house retreats—you can sample both regions in a single itinerary. Whether you’re chasing adrenaline (sand-boarding 30 m dunes), culture (convict stories on tiny islands), or simply the best fish-and-chips on the south coast, these self-drive and public-transport routes show why Albany is worth visiting—and why a single day is sometimes all you need to fall in love with the Great Southern.

Full-Day Trips

Worth dedicating a whole day to explore.

Denmark & Greens Pool

$25 fuel + $0 beach entry = $25

Pair Denmark’s artisan food trail with the impossibly calm turquoise shallows of Greens Pool and Elephant Rocks. Taste award-winning cheese, wine and chocolate before swimming in a natural rock-ringed lagoon.

Distance
55 km west
Travel Time
45 min by car via Albany Highway & South Coast Hwy
Total Duration
8–9 hours
Transport
Car (TransWA bus 315 runs 1× daily but limits beach time)
Greens Pool snorkellingElephant Rocks granite archDenmark Chocolate Company tasting plate
Best for: Beach lovers & foodies
Arrive at Greens Pool before 10 a.m.; tour buses start rolling in at 11.

Stirling Range National Park

$35 fuel + $15 park entry = $50

Drive through towering peaks, tackle Bluff Knoll summit for 360-degree views, and photograph fields of endemic orchids in spring. On clear winter days you may see snow dusting the ridge.

Distance
80 km north
Travel Time
1 hr 15 min via Chester Pass Rd
Total Duration
8–10 hours
Transport
Car essential (no public transport)
Bluff Knoll summit trailwildflower walksmountain-top sunrise
Best for: Hikers & photographers
Start the Bluff Knoll hike before 8 a.m. to beat cloud cover and wind.

Porongurup & Castle Rock Skywalk

$25 fuel + $0 park entry = $25

Granite outcrops, karri forests and a suspended metal walkway 600 m above sea level make this one of WA’s most Instagrammed short climbs. Reward yourself with cellar-door Riesling in the afternoon.

Distance
45 km north
Travel Time
40 min via Chester Pass Rd
Total Duration
7–8 hours
Transport
Car
Castle Rock SkywalkKarri forest walkDuke’s Vineyard winery
Best for: Nature lovers with moderate fitness
Combine morning walk with lunch at Ironwood Estate’s deck—no booking needed weekdays.

Bremer Bay & Killer Whale Tours

$50 fuel + $195 boat tour = $245

Between January and April daily boat trips depart to watch pods of orcas hunt off the continental shelf. The rest of the year, Bremer’s long white beach and dune 4WD tracks still thrill.

Distance
180 km east
Travel Time
2 hr each way via South Coast Hwy
Total Duration
9–10 hours
Transport
Car or tour bus (All Sea Charters offers return coach from Albany)
Orca watching cruiseFisheries Beach sand dunesBremer Bay Bakery pies
Best for: Wildlife ensoiasts
Book orca tours online weeks ahead; aim for the 7 a.m. departure to beat swell.

Two Peoples Bay & Little Beach

$20 fuel + $0 park entry = $20

Famous for turquoise water framed by rounded granite boulders and powder-white sand. Snorkel with colourful wrasse, then drive 10 min inland for single-origin coffee at Plantagenet Wines.

Distance
35 km east
Travel Time
30 min via Two Peoples Bay Rd (sealed)
Total Duration
6–7 hours
Transport
Car (no bus service)
Little Beach swimsnorkelling lagoonsunset tasting at Plantagenet Wines
Best for: Families & snorkellers
Bring reef shoes; urchins hide in rock crevices. Shade is scarce so pack a beach umbrella.

Torndirrup National Park & Albany’s Historic Whaling Station

$15 fuel + $35 whaling station entry = $50

Spend the morning watching Southern Ocean swells explode through The Gap and Natural Bridge, then explore Australia’s last whaling station, complete with intact whale-chaser ship and interactive museum.

Distance
15 km south-west
Travel Time
25 min via Frenchman Bay Rd
Total Duration
7–8 hours
Transport
Car or tour minibus (Albany Explorer bus loop)
The Gap & Natural BridgeHistoric Whaling Station tourBlowholes viewpoint
Best for: History buffs & coastal scenery seekers
Visit The Gap at high tide for the biggest spray, then hit the whaling station after 1 p.m. when school groups leave.

Half-Day Options

Shorter excursions when time is limited.

Emu Point & Middleton Beach

$5 fuel or $4 bus return

Safe swimming, calm SUP lagoon, and the best fish-and-chips on the south coast. Perfect if Albany weather turns warm and you want to stay local.

Duration
3–4 hours
Transport
10 min drive or local bus 601 from CBD
Emu Point fish barMiddleton Beach boardwalkfree swimming

Albany Wind Farm

$10 fuel or $20 rideshare

Walk among 18 turbines perched on coastal cliffs for panoramic ocean views and bracing sea air. Sunset here is spectacular.

Duration
2–3 hours
Transport
15 min drive or taxi
Sand-patch boardwalkturbine base viewpointwhale spotting in season

Mount Clarence & Desert Mounted Corps Memorial

$5 fuel or free on foot

Short summit walk with sweeping views over King George Sound and the Anzac fleet departure route. Interpretive plaques bring Albany’s wartime history to life.

Duration
2–3 hours
Transport
8 min drive or steep 30 min walk from town
ANZAC dawn service lookoutsound viewsfree entry

Albany Farmers Market

$10–20 for nibbles

Sample Great Southern produce—truffle honey, freshwater crayfish, venison jerky—and chat with growers every Saturday morning.

Duration
3 hours
Transport
Walk or 5 min drive to Centennial Park
truffle tastingsfresh marron rollslive music

Day Trip Tips

Make the most of your excursions.

  • Fill the tank before leaving Albany—fuel is scarce once you head north to Porongurup or east to Bremer Bay.
  • Check Albany weather the night before; storms can close Bluff Knoll and The Gap viewing platforms.
  • Book Saturday killer-whale tours online early; they sell out weeks ahead.
  • Carry cash for honesty-box berry stalls near Denmark and Porongurup.
  • Download the free Albany Trails app for offline maps if you lose signal on coastal roads.
  • Most sights open 9 a.m.–5 p.m.; plan for an 8 a.m. start to maximise daylight.
  • If relying on public transport, TransWA buses accept cash only—no card taps.

Need a base for your day trips?

Our accommodation guide helps you pick the best area to stay in Albany.

Where to Stay →

Explore Activities in Albany

Continue Planning Your Trip

Itineraries

Sample trip routes and plans for Albany

Getting Around

Transport options and tips for Albany

Budget Guide

Trip costs and money tips for Albany

Things to Do

Top attractions and activities for Albany

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