‘Are we progressive? My oath we are!’ A local’s guide to Albany, Western Australia Carolyn Beasley Perched on Western Australia’s southern tip, Albany clings to the shores of King George Sound and the sheltered bays of Princess Royal and Oyster harbours. Granite peaks are surrounded by bushland, rich with wildflowers. It’s the home town of sisters Vikki Thorn and Donna Simpson, two-thirds of folk-rock trio the Waifs. Thorn describes her childhood as idyllic. “That was because of the topography of the place,” she says. “It’s very accessible to a lot of beautiful places.” Thorn married an American and usually lives in the US, but during the pandemic she chose to bunker down in her hometown.