Strategy and survival

A highlight of the day was Albany’s Historic Whaling Station Museum which actually used to be an operating whaling station up until the late 1970s. Much of the original machinery and sheds had been preserved to create the museum and therefore as part of our tour we were taken through the step-by-step process of whaling, from actually catching them to then flensing and boiling them. It was quite horrific to think that less than a few decades ago, the land on which we stood would have been covered in whale blood and body parts. Despite being quite disgusted, I was also fascinated with the thought process behind the selection of whaling and why many were so convinced that it was economically and ecologically viable.

In the afternoon, we interviewed Vietnam veteran, Ralph Flowers, who shared an invaluable insight into his experience of the war and what it was really like for Australian conscripts. We were very fortunate that he was extremely open about his experiences in Vietnam, and he was willing to share what the conditions were like, his experience returning from Vietnam, what fighting was like, and what his own personal opinions were on Australia participating in the war. I have found that many veterans prefer not to talk about their experiences; if they do, it is rarely in much detail. With Ralph, I gained a much deeper understanding of social attitudes towards the Vietnam war during the 1960s and 1970s, and a genuine war experience.

Albany history at the old Whaling Station