I rarely travel during January, it being school holidays and the prices reflecting that, along with everywhere teeming with holiday-makers. But this year, I felt a desperate need for nature, preferably of the coastal kind.
Years ago, I’d briefly passed through Portland, 350 Kms to the west of Melbourne. I remembered standing on a cliff, with the wild ocean crashing beneath me. Portland would do the job.
On the way through, I stopped for a night in Port Fairy, famous for its very popular yearly folk festival.
The history of this part of the coastline goes back to the early 1800s.
Many of the original buildings have been retained and so it’s kept its village feel.
The historic port, situated on the Moyne River, is used by commercial fishing enterprises and recreational boaters and anglers.
It’s a veritable tourists’ paradise, many of the old cottages, along with the more well-to-do establishments, having been converted to B&Bs, hotel accommodation and restaurants.
It’s a very easy walk around town and so pretty. I went mad with the camera.
The Caledonian Inn is the oldest licensed hotel in Victoria.
I stayed at the Star of the West hotel in the very centre of town, in a little newly-renovated room with a door out to the balcony, something I love.
On my second morning, I returned to the port area. There’s a pedestrian bridge across the river, which takes you up a grassy verge to look out over the beach and the ocean. (I definitely took a photo of this but its disappearance is one of the mysteries of the universe.)
After a long walk along the sand and a paddle in the water (my first for many a year), I returned to the car and headed for Portland, a short trip away.
Planning to the Nth 
Brings back great memories of trips with our young children in this area. Port Fairy is a wonderful spot.
I look forward to reading more about your trip and I hope you continue to take lots of photos.
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Thanks, Browney. It’s a great spot for families, especially the beach.
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We enjoyed Port Fairy many years ago and the drive is a nice one too. As you say January is a very busy month in Australia
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Thanks, Alison. It’s a lovely spot. I don’t know why it’s taken me so long to get to it.
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Life gets in the way I guess 😀
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Dear Coral,
Happy New Year. You say, “I went mad with the camera”. You certainly did, but I glimpsed sights of an Australia I’ll never see in person, so thanks.
Regards,
Richard.
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So pleased, Richard. Thanks for reading
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Lovely, I was in Port Fairy recently too so I recognised many of your photos. I’m still writing my series of posts so haven’t published them yet!
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Great, Marion. I didn’t realise that. Honestly, I live here and I’m the last one to see my own places. Gradually rectifying it, though. Booked for Tassie this morning, the first time for 12 years. Yaay.
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Wonderful Coral, have a great trip!
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Interesting, some of those old buildings, eg the Caledonia* Inn and the cottages below it, look like they belong in a Scottish village.
*I suppose the clue is in the name!
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Hi, Anabel. Yes they do. Most of the early settlers to the area came from the British Isles. I think it took them a while to realise that the style didn’t really suit the Australian climate, and they had to opt for verandas, wider eaves, etc. So cute though.
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