Albany’s Historic Whaling Station has achieved national recognition at the prestigious Qantas Australian Tourism Awards, receiving Silver in the Cultural Tourism category and Bronze in the Tourist Attraction category at the ceremony held in Fremantle on Friday 6 March 2026.
The national awards bring together the country’s leading tourism operators to celebrate excellence, innovation and leadership across Australia’s visitor economy. We were proud to represent Western Australia following our double Gold win at the 2025 Perth Airport WA Tourism Awards, where we were named the State’s top Cultural Tourism experience and Tourist Attraction.
Receiving two national awards is an incredibly proud moment for our organisation and the Great Southern region we represent. Standing alongside Australia’s leading tourism experiences highlights not only the strength of our attraction, but also the stories, landscapes and people that make this region so special.
This achievement has been decades in the making and reflects the passion and dedication of the many people who have built and cared for this landmark, past and present. We remain committed to continuing this legacy, evolving the precinct while sharing Albany’s maritime story with visitors from around Australia and the world.
When you visit Albany’s Historic Whaling Station, you step into the site of the former Cheynes Beach Whaling Company, Australia’s last operating whaling station. Visitors can board the fully preserved whale chaser Cheynes IV, discover immersive exhibitions, and explore an expansive precinct that blends history, culture and nature in the heart of the Great Southern.
As a regional not-for-profit organisation operating for more than four decades, we reinvest every success back into preserving and evolving this heritage-listed precinct. National recognition like this helps highlight the strength of tourism in the Great Southern and continues to position Albany as a destination of cultural significance on the Australian stage.
What’s on this autumn
Autumn brings a vibrant program of exhibitions, tours and cultural events to the Station, offering plenty of reasons to visit.
Connecting Threads – A History of Albany Woollen Mills
On display now through to 28 March 2026, this exhibition by Sally Pell celebrates the wool, the workers and the quiet stories carried across generations, stitched into blankets, lives and community memory.
Women in Whaling – Jo Wassell
Opening 2 April and running through to 31 May 2026, this Artist in Residence exhibition brings into focus the often overlooked lives of the wives and daughters who shaped Australia’s whaling communities through finely rendered portraits and stories.
Nocturnal Wildlife Tours
Returning these April school holidays for six nights only, our popular Nocturnal Wildlife Tours offer a rare opportunity to experience the wildlife park after dark.
Benang Koondarm: Tomorrow’s Dream
A highlight of our Albany 2026 program, this free community event on Saturday 18 April 2026 is a joyful outdoor celebration featuring powerful dance, language songs and storytelling alongside food vans, markets, family activities and festival fun beneath the stars.
KAARLA WIRREN (Fire Spirit)
On Saturday 16 May 2026, this powerful new performance celebrates the resilience of people in the face of historic change, honouring strength, spirit and the fire that connects us all.
We invite you to experience our award-winning attraction and discover the exhibitions, stories and events bringing the Station to life throughout autumn and beyond.
