Port Fairy
Initially this historic township shows off her beauty with many buildings showcasing the early settlers to the area. Each building has a story to tell and it is worth exploring the streets to enjoy the architecture. Once you look past the history of the town you can see the draw from the river and the beach. I could imagine what it would be like during summer with sandy children running through the town with ice cream running down their arms. A typical seaside town packed during summer but worth visiting during any season.
Port Fairy is at the end of the Great Ocean Road on the Ship Wreck coast, 300kms from Melbourne. It is a tourist town and home to a number of music festivals, including the Folk Festival held yearly in March. While we visited in off peak (during the dead of winter) we were not short on things to do. Even when I ventured off by myself for a couple of days I still found plenty to keep me occupied.
Where to stay
There are plenty of accommodation options to suit all budgets. We stayed at the Port Fairy holiday park. It was a decent walk into town but the sites and amenities were great. It was really quiet when we visited so we almost had the park to ourselves. We used the heated pool every day to get in some exercise before exploring. There are other caravan parks in town so it is worth having a look around to ensure you stay somewhere that suits your needs.
Given Port Fairy is a tourist town there are many other accommodation options, including hotels, apartments and other boutique offerings that vary in price. The usual search options will assist with locating something suitable or you can use Port fairy accommodation. Remember to book ahead if your visiting during the tourist season as it books out quickly.
Coffee
I love coffee – as most Australians do. But I don’t drink cows milk so I am a little needy. Almond milk cappuccinos are my go too – the bigger the better. Most places these days stock at least a type of almond milk so that is positive. But some brands are terrible. So I always ask the brand they use before I order a coffee. There are some great cafes in Port Fairy and they all had amazing coffee. These are the cafes that we enjoyed most. Bank St + Co, Port Fairy Coffee Roasters, and Rebecca’s Café. I may have enjoyed a sneaky cake at a couple of these cafes also so have a look at the range. There was also great outdoor seating around the streets so it was easy to spend an afternoon enjoying coffee and people watching.
Where to eat
There were so many choices on where to eat that we may have eaten out a lot more than we usually do. It was also my birthday week so I may have been spoilt a little. Here are the places we tried and really enjoyed. Oak and Anchor Hotel – we stopped in here a couple of times. Once to warm up after shopping at the market in the rain and another time for dinner. It had a lovely atmosphere and was warm and inviting on a cold day.
We managed a breakfast at Bank St + Co – they have a great variety and everything was fresh and lovely. The Star of the West Pub has parma and pots on Wednesday nights for $22. The parmas were bigger than the plate. So if your hungry head here for a typical pub feed.
If we had more time we would have tried out a lot more restaurants. We did check out lots of menus and there is definitely something for everyone at Port Fairy.
What to do
There is so much to see and do at Port Fairy. Even in the middle of winter we found heaps to entertain ourselves. The wharf area is beautiful with houses that over look the river and boats cruising past. There is a walkway all the way along that makes this area easy for exploring and relaxing. If you cross the bridge you can walk around Battery Hill. The track is easily accessible with amazing views of the mouth of the Moyne River. Battery Hill proudly displays the cannons from the the late 1800’s which were used to protect ships carrying gold from Victoria and also from a potential Russian invasion. Volunteers fire the main cannon weekly during the summer holidays.
Griffiths Island is an easy walk from the wharf and accessed from the mainland, a 3km circuit with the lighthouse the focal point on the east side of the island. The island has wildlife, bird watching and views to die for. There are many walks in this area – we did some trails at Tower Hill, 16kms from Port Fairy. Lots of wildlife and great views if you manage to get to the top of the Tower Hill peak. Very steep but worth it. We also did a walk at Yambuk lake which takes you around the lake then out onto the beach in a circuit.
If fishing is your thing then you can fish right off the wharf into the Moyne river or beach fish at Easts Beach. There is a boat ramp on the Moyne river in town and also at Killarney and Yambuk Lake. Fishing charters operate out of Port Fairy also if you are looking for something a little more epic.
If fishing or walking is not your thing then head into town and browse the shops. There are lots of local speciality shops that will keep you occupied for the afternoon. Once you are exhausted from all that shopping head to Poco Artesian Ice Cream for an afternoon treat.
If the weather is not great them jump in the car and head to the Crags. Only 15 kms towards Yambuk this unique piece of coast line is breath taking. There is an easy accessible viewing platform that provides amazing views but unfortunately you cannot get down to the beach from here. Then head to Koroit and have lunch and some beer tastings at Noodledorf Brewery. You can then head into Warrnambool and check out the wombat on the Otway Rd railway bridge. There is definitely a story here that you should explore.
Day Spa
As I mentioned above we were away for my birthday so I booked myself in for a morning at the Port Fairy Day Spa. There are many treatment options to choose from but I had a beautiful facial and a hot stone massage. Then to top it off I enjoyed a cheese platter as part of the deal I signed up for. The girls in there looked after me and I would highly recommend calling in there if you have a few hours free.
I am not sure how we had not previously spent time in Port Fairy. I am so glad we spent a week exploring this area as it is beautiful and well worth dedicating some time here. We will be back Port Fairy.
During the current pandemic environment it is difficult to make plans. Sometimes you just need to take the opportunity when it comes and explore your back yard.
