Stony Hill is the highest point on the Torndirrup Peninsula, which shields one of the world’s greatest natural harbours from the Southern Ocean.
Albany’s King George Sound is around twice as large as Sydney Harbour..and is every bit as splendid.
On the first day of November 1914, thirty-six ships sailed out of King George Sound; they (plus another two, which sailed from Fremantle) comprised the convoy that carried the original ANZACs.
Another, not-coincidental claim to fame: “King George” is the name of the most delicious of whiting species.
The late afternoon of 13 February 2025 delivered almost-wintry weather, with a shifting mosaic of haze, showers, and shafts of sunlight.
My photos look west-ish, over the ocean side of the Torndirrup Peninsula; the ocean was atypically placid.
A good road reaches almost to the summit of Stony Hill, a little more than 200 metres ASL.
Immediately adjacent to the car park is a short, wheelchair-friendly, loop walk; on clear days it affords magnificent vistas in every direction.
On this particular afternoon, however, there was no point in pointing a camera north, across Princess Royal Harbour to Albany’s port & CBD (behind them, the Porongurup and Stirling Ranges are usually visible, in the distance) …nor east/northeast, across King George Sound, and then to a seemingly-endless array of wild beaches, bays and granite headlands.
A Google Earth view gives just a hint of how spectacular and varied are Albany’s surrounds; my red marking encircles Stony Hill and Peak Head.
Arguably, on this occasion, monochrome was the better photographic option. (as this post’s sequel will illustrate)
Click here for general info on Stony Hill and Peak Head.
Click this for a well-illustrated, detailed guide to the Peak Head Walk Trail. (not difficult – 4.4 ks, return)
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