By Grace Jones | posted on March 4, 2018
THIS year marks a number of significant anniversaries for the Great Southern, including 40 years since the closure of the Cheynes Beach Whaling Company in 1978 and the end of whaling in Australia.
November 21, 1978 saw the Cheynes II, Cheynes III and Cheynes IV whale-chasing ships berthed at the old Albany Town Jetty after their final hunt, signalling the closure of the last shore-based whaling station in Australia and the end of 150 years of whaling in the waters around Albany.
To commemorate the 40th anniversary, Albany’s Historic Whaling Station will host a series of events and exhibitions throughout the year, commencing next month with a family-friendly concert.
Station general manager Elise van Gorp said the events over the next few months will commemorate both the historic period in Australia’s whaling industry as well as the lives of past whalers.
“We will launch a new exhibit here at the whaling museum, an interactive whale chasing experience on-board Cheynes IV whale chaser,” she said.
“There will also be a variety of travelling exhibitions from the Australian National Maritime Museum and a comprehensive school education program and concert series.”
With the range of events and exhibitions culminating around the anniversary date in November, the first concert in the series on March 8 marks the beginning of the 1978 whaling season.
The Last Season Sunset Concert will feature rousing vocals from The Albany Shantymen and will take place on Albany’s Historic Whaling Station grounds with the Cheynes IV whalechaser as the backdrop.
Guests are encouraged to bring a picnic and rug for an evening of music, and to enjoy the sausage sizzle, coffee and ice cream available for sale.
Tickets for the sunset concert are now on sale at discoverybay.com.au; doors open at 5.15pm.
More information on the 40th Anniversary events is available on their website.
