Port Fairy, Victoria

Port Fairy, Victoria

Infobox Australian Place | type = town
name = Port Fairy
state = vic


caption = Moyne river, Port Fairy
lga = Shire of Moyne
postcode = 3284
pop = 2,523
est = 1843
elevation= 6
maxtemp = 18.6
mintemp = 9.5
rainfall = 770.1
stategov = South-West Coast
fedgov = Wannon
dist1 = 293
location1= Melbourne
dist2 = 75
location2= Portland
dist3 = 29
location3= Warrnambool

Port Fairy is a coastal town in western Victoria, Australia. It is located on the Princes Highway in the Shire of Moyne convert|28|km|mi|0|lk=on west of Warrnambool and 290 km west of Melbourne, where the Moyne River enters the Southern Ocean.

History

The area was initially inhabited by the Knarn Kolak Aboriginal people.

In the early 19th century the area was used by whalers and seal hunters. By 1835 a whaling station had been established on what is now Griffiths Island. Bluestone cottages built by whalers and sealers of the time are still standing around the town. A general store was opened in 1839. In 1843, James Atkinson, a Sydney solicitor, purchased land in the town. He drained the swamps, subdivided and leased the land, and built a harbour on the Moyne River. He renamed the town 'Belfast' after his hometown in Northern Ireland. The Post Office opened on July 1, 1843 Citation
last = Premier Postal History | title = Post Office List | url = https://www.premierpostal.com/cgi-bin/wsProd.sh/Viewpocd.w?

access-date = 2008-04-11 ] as Port Fairy but was renamed Belfast on January 1, 1854 before reverting to the original name July 20, 1887.

Agriculture developed in the region, and Belfast became an important transport hub. By 1857 the town had a population of 2,190. In the mid-to-late 19th century, Belfast was one of Australia's largest ports, catering to the whaling industry. In 1887 the town went back to the original name Port Fairy, as a result of an Act of Parliament.

A railway was extended to the town in 1890, but closed in 1977.cite journal
year = 1990
month = March
title = Tracks Across the State
author = Sid Brown
journal = Newsrail
publisher = Australian Railway Historical Society (Victorian Division)
pages = pages 71–76 ]

The town

At the 2001 census, Port Fairy had a population of 2,523.Census 2001 AUS
id=UCL242600
name=Port Fairy (Urban Centre/Locality)
accessdate=2007-08-06
quick=on] Its primary industries are tourism and fishing, and it is the home port for one of Victoria's largest fishing fleets. A small pharmaceutical factory owned by GlaxoSmithKline is located on the outskirts of the town. Port Fairy contains 50 buildings protected by the National Trust of Australia. Griffiths Island nearby holds a breeding colony of the Short-tailed Shearwater or Australian Muttonbird.

The Port Fairy Folk Festival is held in March each year. Port Fairy also has a highly rated golf course.

The town has an Australian Rules football team playing in the Hampden Football League.Citation

last = Full Point Footy | title = Port Fairy | url = http://www.fullpointsfooty.net/Port_Fairy.htm | accessdate = 2008-07-25 ]

ee also

* MV "Port Fairy"

References

External links

* [http://www.portfairyfolkfestival.com/ Port Fairy Folk Festival]
* [http://www.portfairy.com.au/ My PortFairy - Accommodation, Dining, Events and Activities]
* [http://www.port-fairy.com/ Port Fairy Community Pages]
* [http://www.australianplaces.com.au/drivetown/town-portfairy.html History and overview of the town today]


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