Albany Mayoral contest 2023: Natural assets and people among the qualities candidates say set Albany apart

This year’s race to become the next City of Albany mayor is being contested by seven candidates. Every Thursday in the lead-up to the October 21 election The Advertiser will ask each candidate a key question to give our community a better insight into who they are voting for. This week we asked the candidates: Their 100-word responses have been ordered according to how the candidates will appear on the ballot paper. Lynn MacLaren On a cold, blustery Southern Ocean, where a deep natural harbour and fresh rivers attracted early settlers, Albany’s European heritage sets it apart from other towns. It boasts not only the historical last whaling station in Australia, but the genesis of Greenpeace Australia to help close it. The historical character of the main street between green hills, toward a blue/grey harbour is as attractive as the surrounding biodiversity from the Porongurup and Stirling Ranges to the white sandy beaches and black cliffs near Torbay. Rare flora, birdlife and whales are tourism treasures alongside world-class creativity from The Waifs to Tim Winton. Greg Stocks Albany is the sum of all its parts. Stunning, unspoilt landscapes, world-class beaches, important history and a unique mix of urban and rural communities create a City like no other. Delighted tourists visiting Albany often say, “I can’t believe how beautiful Albany is.” We know. It is Albany’s natural environment, liveability and temperate climate that really sets it apart from everywhere else. Ask Perth visitors in the middle of summer! It’s also a great, safe place to raise families whilst enjoying very good education, health and sporting infrastructure. We are all fortunate to be living in a community-minded, wonderful City. Cheryl Kneebone Albany is a most unique place, centred on the ocean with its various lakes about, its wildlife, many a variety of birdlife flutter all about us. We have the most amazing walks about our neighbourhoods and bush walks as long as they remain a natural habitat and a great array of shops with no intrusion from manufacturing. Albany is a coastal haven with the scope of tourism catered for, from its hinterland to the Porongurups and the Stirlings. We have a wealth of wonderful people and are so unique in the diverse restaurants on our unique foreshore, along with the Middleton Beach walkway, which can outdo any place in WA. Matt Benson-Lidholm Knowing and appreciating Albany’s uniqueness is something visitors and residents readily comprehend. We enjoy unrivalled natural assets, including beaches, flora and fauna, stunning landforms, a world-class harbour/anchorage & pristine waterways. The built environment is also special, including ancient fish traps, colonial architecture and the NAC. For me, however, appreciating Albany’s uniqueness is a sense of place quality. In living and working here, we respect the legacy of the Mokare-Collie relationship, whilst enjoying a multicultural and empathetic lifestyle. As such, I believe the various building blocks are in place for a sustainable and enduring future for all, together. Scott Leary I believe we live in the best place on earth. We have the best beaches and a range of natural beauty right on our doorstep. We have great facilities and are within reach of neighbouring towns and surrounds of the Great Southern and all it has to offer. We have a deep Indigenous history. We also have an Anzac history and a great sense of associated pride. However, what truly sets us apart from other places is us, the locals, and our sense of community — what makes Albany is the people of Albany. Ken Kelly Albany was the first settlement in WA and was the place where the initial relationship between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people was safe and respectful. Albany is a beautiful town with easy access to the environment, beaches and a coastline both beautiful and dangerous that is unique to WA with easy access to the Great Southern region. It has historical significance with a modern outlook that is inviting and educating to locals and tourists. The people are extremely friendly and helpful with a positive outlook on life. Being in Albany is relaxing and healing to your spiritual, social and emotional wellbeing. Chris Thomson Albany in 100 words The mounts, the trails, the wind, the whales. The sea, the breeze, the shrubs, the trees. The art, the sport, the Sound, the port. The people, the news, the steeples, the views. The bush, the ‘burbs, the gardens, the herbs. The farms, the beaches, the thinkers, the teachers. The fish, the chips, the Brig, the ships. The bandicoots, the possums, the tree-roots, the blossoms. The workers, the retired, the energetic, the tired. The doctors, the nurses, the good, the bad verses. The families, the clubs, the friends, and the pubs. Steak pies or a porkie, and doing a Yorkie.