Meet the site
Frenchman Bay, on the southern shore of King George Sound, was the site of Australia's last operating whaling station, run by the Cheynes Beach Whaling Company until November 1978 and now the Albany Historic Whaling Station at Discovery Bay. The bay is sheltered from the Southern Ocean by Flinders Peninsula, and its beaches and coves offer some of the easiest snorkelling around Albany.
Whaling Cove, beside the station, is a small, well-protected cove with crystal-clear water surrounded by large granite boulders; local guides rate it among the best snorkelling spots in the region. The granite continues underwater as boulders and gutters in 2-8 m, with kelp, sponges and encrusting algae and a good population of reef fish – herring, sweep, old wives, wrasse, scalyfin, leatherjackets and blue groper – with rays over the sand. At Frenchman Bay beach itself, the granite rocks at the eastern end form a sheltered cove with abundant marine life.
The bay also has a history of shipwrecks. The wooden barque Fanny Nicholson ran ashore here in 1872, the Runnymede in 1881, and several whaling-station craft were abandoned in the shallows, including the oil-lighter Elvie and an iron water-lighter off Whalers Beach. A WA Museum survey found the Elvie and the water-lighter virtually buried in sand and could not locate the others because of winter sand build-up, so they are rarely visible.
This is a snorkel and easy shore-dive location for families and newer divers, best combined with a visit to the whaling station, where the whale chaser Cheynes IV – sister ship of the Cheynes III dive wreck – is displayed on land.
Research this site before booking Stored site notes may be historical. These questions highlight gaps without turning old instructions into a current dive plan.
Frenchman Bay & Whaling Cove is recorded as Shore/Rock Platform in Albany & Great Southern. The listed access is shore. Confirm the actual meeting point, route and permission to visit; a map pin does not establish any of these.
Topics flagged by the stored research
These are questions prompted by the existing notes, not a verified or complete hazard assessment.
- Other water users
- Ask about vessel activity, exclusion areas and the agreed surface arrangements.
Historical access notes exist for this record, but have not been independently verified for current use. Request current directions from the operator or site manager rather than following an old entry description.
Questions, answered
Is Frenchman Bay & Whaling Cove suitable for my certification?
The record lists Snorkel/Any. That does not establish suitability for every route or day. Share your training, recent experience and equipment needs with the operator and ask about the specific proposed dive.
Can I book Frenchman Bay & Whaling Cove through YouDive?
YouDive is an independent research directory. Contact an operator directly to confirm whether it currently runs the trip, the inclusions and the booking terms.
What you might see
Herring, sweep, old wives, wrasse, scalyfin, leatherjackets, blue groper, rays, cuttlefish, kelp, sponges
Location
Sheltered bay on the southern side of King George Sound beside the Albany Historic Whaling Station (Discovery Bay), with granite-boulder snorkelling at Whaling Cove and buried whaling-era wrecks.
Facilities nearby
Frenchman Bay: caravan park, toilets and picnic area; Discovery Bay (Whaling Station) café and toilets (admission for the museum); car park at Whaling Cove. Air fills at South Coast Diving Supplies, Albany.
Before you make plans
Conditions, access and operator schedules can change. This is a location guide, not a dive plan. Ask a local operator about current conditions and suitability for your training and experience.
Sources & further reading
historicalbany.com.aumuseum.wa.gov.aumarinelife.org.auRecord updated 27 Sept 2026. Source claims are being reviewed.
