Port Fairy Picturebook

In common with so many of the southern Ports we've visited, Port Fairy owes its beginning to whalers and sealers on seasonal hunting expeditions from Tasmania. By the mid 19th century following European settlement on the mainland, agriculture became established in the district. Despite the closure of the whaling station in 1840, Port Fairy became a major transport hub and one of Australia's biggest Ports in the day.

Port Fairy has a history of reinvention. It was originally named after the cutter 'Fairy' although it was re-named 'Belfast' before reverting to Port Fairy some 40 years later. At one time Port Fairy was also host to a large fishing fleet but this has now declined to just a couple of boats. A milk powder factory on the edge of town manufacturing baby formula is only a memory, although locally born residents such as Max the Harbour master, recall it affectionately. He gleefully recounted the still warm flakes, being rolled into a stick shape and occasionally being handed as 'a treat' by a kindly plant manager before naughty schoolboys were coaxed to school. The milk drying factory gave way to anti-biotic production and now GlaxoSmithKline, one of the worlds top 6 pharmaceutical companies, uses the plant for opiate alkaloid extraction and the production of a a variety of painkiller medications.

In addition to the pharmaceutical business of GSK, tourism is Port Fairy's BIG BUSINESS. With so many historic buildings and exemplars of 19th century architecture, preserved quaintness and seaside location plus proximity to Melbourne, it's not hard to understand why this is a popular tourist destination. Half the town appears to be 'holiday accommodation'! The town also hosts an annual Folk Festival in March which draws a crowd of 40,000. This is when the locals 'cash in' and do all their fundraising for the year for whatever project they are concerned with. The whole town gets behind the event with committees hard at work year round preparing for the provision of catering, entertainment etc.... Many locals also fund their own annual holiday by vacating their home for the period of the festival and holidaying elsewhere on the proceeds of the rent. It's a win-win all round!

 Inside the discovery centre on Griffith Island.
There are nesting colonies of Mutton birds and Shearwaters on Griffith Is.

 Blue bells. Quite exotic for a West Aussie.
The cottage style gardens are begining to burst with blooms now spring is here.

A bit of brightness in the saltbush.

 Attempts to stave off erosion at East Beach?

 Oystercatcher at work in a tidal pool.

 Trying to merge with the posts. Inspecting what's in the water below.

 Ships propeller and bell alluding to the maritime history of Port Fairy.

 St Johns - One of several Churches.
Literature suggests they ran out of money for the spire. 
I wonder if the locals know that there is a disused one lying around in a car park only 45min up the road in Portland?

 The Methodist Church

 Spring in the air.

Head up and hat at a rakish angle.

The Port Fairy ANZAC Memorial.

Lone and guarding a corner on the main approach road.

 Spring has sprung

 The Port Fairy Consolidated School

 Blue stone and red doors.

Birds in the Belfry.

 Daisy carpet.

Not an outdoor alter. This is a fish cleaning bench.

We watched fishermen haul a tuna up as long as this bench.

One of them had to stand on the bench to help lift the fish.

The local seal feasted on the carcass for days!

 So many cute timber-lap cottages

We've all heard about 'Typhoid Mary',

so we're not sure if we'll queue up at a food outlet called Coffin Sally!