Albany's Historic Whaling Station at Discovery Bay
About
Overview & Vibe
Albany’s Historic Whaling Station is a museum at the tip of the Flinders Peninsula, on the site of the last whaling station to operate in Australia. It also hires out its grounds for weddings, and the result is unlike anything else in the Great Southern: you can be married in a grassed amphitheatre above King George Sound, on the deck of a decommissioned whale chaser, or surrounded by whale skeletons.
Setting & Style
The site runs across three parts — the Historic Whaling Station itself, the Regional Wildflower Garden with its wetland boardwalks, and the Australian Wildlife Park. The venue’s own photography shows a paved ceremony circle set into lawn with the Sound filling the horizon, white marquees pitched on the grass for larger events, and the Cheynes IV whalechaser standing on the shore behind the café deck. It is coastal, raw and industrial rather than manicured.
Ideal For
Couples who want their venue to be a place rather than a room, and who like the idea of guests wandering through wildflowers and museum galleries between the ceremony and dinner. It suits both small gatherings in the wetland garden and larger marquee receptions on the amphitheatre lawn, and it is unusually strong on accessibility — something few outdoor venues in the region can claim.
The Need-to-Knows
Nothing is priced or sized publicly. The venue says only that it can “accommodate a variety of function and reception sizes and styles”, with no guest numbers and no hire rates anywhere on the site — everything goes through the Bookings Coordinator on (08) 9844 4021. Two practical limits matter: the site is a working visitor attraction open 9am to 5pm daily, and no animals except assistance animals are permitted, with none at all allowed in the Wildflower Garden or Wildlife Park, which are a biosecurity zone — so a dog in the wedding party is not an option in the garden.
Standout Feature
The choice of ceremony backdrop. The venue offers to marry you “on the deck of Australia’s last whale chaser at sunset, or surrounded by incredible whale skeletons, or even the region’s largest shell collection”. Set against the grassed amphitheatre and its view over King George Sound, that is a range of settings no conventional reception venue can offer.
Contact
Amenities
- Grassed Amphitheatre Overlooking King George Sound
- Regional Wildflower Garden
- Wetland Boardwalks
- Marquee Sites In The Wildflower Garden
- Cheynes IV Whalechaser Ship
- Giants Of The Seas Whale Skeleton Display
- Hilda Hotker Shell Collection
- Parry Gallery Exhibition Space
- Historic Whaling Station Museum
- Australian Wildlife Park
- Whaler's Galley Cafe
- In-House Catering
- Gift Shop
- Free Gas Barbeques
- Undercover Picnic Areas
- Coastal Photography Locations
- Drop-Off Zone
- Designated Disabled Parking Bays
- Level Or Ramped Access From Car Park
- Accessible Toilets
- Wheelchair Designated Seating
- Accessible Stage And Speaker Platforms
- Free Wheelchair Hire
- Seating At Regular Intervals
- Assistance Animals Welcome On The Whaling Station Site
Ceremony Setting
- amphitheatre
- garden
- wetland
- marquee
- museum
- deck
Dietary Options Supported
Nearby Landmarks
- King George Sound – The ceremony lawn overlooks it; "larger functions held in the grassed amphitheatre capturing amazing water views"
- Flinders Peninsula – "Situated at the tip of the Flinders Peninsula, overlooking the stunning King George Sound, it is an amazing and unique location to host an event"
- Albany – "Our venue located a short drive from Albany is a truly beautiful function, wedding ceremony, reception and photography venue"
On Site Accommodation
- No
Price Notes
- No hire rates or per-head pricing are published; all venue, gallery and function enquiries go to the Bookings Coordinator on (08) 9844 4021
- Spaces offered for hire: the grassed amphitheatre in the Regional Wildflower Garden; the lush native wetland and garden; alongside the Cheynes IV whalechaser ship; the Giants of the Seas skeleton display; the region's largest shell collection; and the Parry Gallery
- Marquees can be set up within the Wildflower Garden
- CATERING is through Whaler's Galley Cafe within the visitor complex — "take advantage of the amazing views and delicious catering on offer". Cafe enquiries, reservations and group bookings are on (08) 9844 4711
- Whaler's Galley Cafe is open 9am to 4pm daily with lunch 11am to 3pm, plus dinner on the first Friday night of each month from 6pm
- The site is a working visitor attraction, open 9am to 5pm every day
- FREE gas barbeques and undercover picnic areas are available in both the Historic Whaling Station and the Regional Wildflower Garden, and guests may bring their own food and drinks — except into the Wildlife Park
- ANIMALS: assistance animals only on the Historic Whaling Station site, and NO animals at all — including assistance animals — in the Wildflower Garden or Wildlife Park, which are a biosecurity zone
- ACCESSIBILITY (from the venue's July 2024 ATIC accessibility guide): a drop-off zone, designated disabled parking bays, level or ramped access from the car park to the entrance, accessible toilets, wheelchair-designated seating, accessible stage and speaker platforms, and free wheelchair hire on site
- The interior of the Cheynes IV whalechaser is the one part of the site that is not accessible — visitors must descend stairs and steps to explore inside the ship
- The Parry Gallery inside the entry complex is available for hire across the year, with sales managed through the gift shop; its application form, terms and layout documents are dated December 2023
- Operated by Discovery Bay Tourism Precinct Ltd, trading as Albany's Historic Whaling Station
Price Per Head
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