Dog Rock

Dog Rock is a large, natur­al granite form­a­tion in the shape of a dog's head, locat­ed near the centre of Albany on Mid­dle­ton Road.

Being a natur­al rock form­a­tion, Dock Rock is certainly anci­ent and therefore known to the local aborig­inal popula­tion since their arriv­al in the region.

An inter­pre­t­ive sign nearby details a legend associat­ed with the rock.

Acc­ord­ing to one story, "Yacka", mean­ing "wild dog tamed", was dec­apitat­ed by an angry Warg­al in anci­ent times.  The story adds that local aborigines would not camp nearby or shelter under it.

An inter­pre­t­ive sign nearby details another legend associat­ed with the rock.  A smaller granite rock "Yacka Nint", the dogs tail, can also be found nearby.

Dog Rock is easily acc­ess­ible and frequently photo­graph­ed by hundreds of visitors every year.  It was noted in the diary of Charles Darwin on his visit to Albany in 1836.

In 1927, the rock was thought to be in the way of roadworks for Mid­dle­ton Road, so a referendum was call­ed to keep or destroy the rock.  Thankfully the people of Albany voted to keep the icon and instead moved the road.

Due to its loca­tion on the edge of busy Mid­dle­ton Road, a paint­ed "collar" was added in 1938 of black and reflect­ive paint to help pre­v­ent traffic acc­id­ents at night.

Dock Rock is an easy walk­ing dist­­ance from the city centre, clearly visible when travell­ing towards Mid­dle­ton Beach and Emu point.

updated 01/11/2019