Albany self-guided drive: Killer Coast 50km route

Fifty kilometers of granite cliffs, whales and colonial history on Menang Noongar land

This self-guided driving tour follows a 50-kilometer route around Albany, Western Australia, tracing 45,000 years of Kinjarling history on Menang Noongar land. You navigate by GPS and audio guide, stopping at Middleton Beach, Mount Clarence, the Brig Amity replica, The Gap's granite channel, and the historic whaling station, with lifetime access to the app and offline maps. The route takes two to two and a half hours and suits all fitness levels. Admission fees to individual sites are separate.

Step-by-step itinerary

Self-guided drive through Albany highlights

• Drive along Middleton Beach
• Pass Rotary Lookout views
• Drive past Mount Clarence memorial
• Pass Brig Amity Replica ship
• Drive by Albany Wind Farm turbines
• Pass The Gap granite channel
• Drive past The Blowholes
• Drive along Frenchman Bay
• Pass Albany Historic Whaling Station

The experience

You start at Middleton Beach (Binalup, "place of first light" in the Menang language), and drive a 50-kilometer loop that follows the coast and the legacy of early European settlement. The audio guide plays as you pass each stop: Rotary Lookout overlooking King George Sound and its deep-water harbor; Mount Clarence with the Desert Mounted Corps Memorial and the 1914 ANZAC convoy story; the full-scale Brig Amity replica, the 1826 colony ship that brought Major Edmund Lockyer and the first settlers. The route is self-paced, so you linger where the granite formations or the views hold you, or move through quickly if the weather turns.

The second half of the drive passes the Albany Wind Farm's 18 turbines (which generate 80 percent of the town's power), then reaches The Gap, a spectacular granite channel carved by Southern Ocean waves, where you can stand on the viewing platform and watch the sheer force of the sea. The Blowholes force ocean swells through granite crevasses with enough power to send spray into the air. Frenchman Bay sits sheltered below, a freshwater source that once supplied explorers like George Vancouver. The route ends at Albany's Historic Whaling Station, the last operating station in Australia until 1978, where the audio guide walks you through the global history of the industry and the protection of whales today.

The app works offline, so you don't need cellular service once you've downloaded the maps and audio before you leave. GPS directions get you to Middleton Beach to start, and from there the turn-by-turn navigation and the audio guide handle the rest. You own lifetime access to the tour, so you can return to Albany and drive it again whenever you want.

What’s included

• Lifetime access to the self-guided tour in English.
• offline maps, audio guide and geodata for Android and iOS.
• GPS directions to Middleton Beach so the tour starts when you arrive.
• flexibility to explore at your own pace and return whenever you want.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

GroupPrivate

Audio guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 4 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effort

Operated by VoiceMap Audio Tours

Is this one for you?You navigate and set the pace yourself with GPS and audio, which works best if you have a smartphone and want to explore without waiting for a group or a guide's schedule. The offline maps mean you're not dependent on cell service once you've downloaded them before you leave.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

What is Kinjarling and why does this tour focus on it?

Kinjarling is the Menang Noongar name for the Albany area, with 45,000 years of Indigenous history on this land. The tour traces that heritage alongside the colonial story, from Middleton Beach's role in early settlement to the whaling industry that shaped the region for two centuries.

Do I need to pay extra to enter the sites the tour passes?

Admission fees to individual attractions like Mount Clarence, the Brig Amity, and the whaling station are not included in the tour. The audio guide tells you about each site as you pass, but entry to any of them is your choice and expense.

Can I stop and explore on my own, or do I have to keep driving?

This is entirely self-guided, so you stop whenever you want. The GPS and audio guide stay with you, but the pace is yours: spend an hour at The Gap if the light is right, or skip ahead to the next stop. The full route takes two to two and a half hours if you drive straight through.

What do I need to bring to use this tour?

You need a smartphone with the tour app installed and headphones or speakers to hear the audio guide. Download the maps and audio before you leave your accommodation so the tour works offline while you drive.

Is this tour suitable if I'm not very fit or I have mobility issues?

The tour is suitable for all fitness levels because you experience it from your car. You drive past each stop and can step out at viewing platforms like The Gap if you want to stretch, but there's no requirement to walk or hike.