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Port Fairy (Great Ocean Road), Victoria, Australia, is a lovely little town on the western coast of Victoria; it's best known for its beautiful natural setting at the end of the Great Ocean Road, many historic buildings, and annual folk-music festival. It’s a great spot to visit for backpackers who want to experience life in an Australian country town, as well as attending some of the fun community events that take place there throughout the year.
First settled by European colonists in the mid-nineteenth century, these days Port Fairy boasts over fifty beautiful National Trust-listed historic buildings. Visitors can appreciate these lovely old buildings as they wander through town, or follow the heritage walking trails that point out specific places of interest. There are also several museums in the local area, including a few historical society museums, a historic home, a historic lifeboat station, and a cheese museum.
Nature-lovers will also enjoy a visit to Port Fairy, and there are quite a few nature reserves where you can see native wildlife and plants in their natural environment. These include the Tower Hill Nature Reserve, a fascinating place situated within an extinct volcano, where wallabies, emus, koalas, and other wildlife can be spotted. At certain times of the year whales, seals, and dolphins can also be spotted from the local beaches, or you can take a cruise to Lady Julia Percy Island to see a seal colony and other marine life.
Thrill-seeking backpackers will find plenty to do in the Port Fairy area. If you’ve always wanted to learn how to surf it’s possible to pick up a few pointers at the local surf schools, as well as take lessons on stand up paddle-boarding.
Throughout the year there are plenty of special events in Port Fairy to keep visitors entertained. The annual Port Fairy Agricultural Show takes place each year in November -- the perfect opportunity to experience a classic country fair in one of the prettiest locations in Victoria. The Port Fairy Folk Festival is also very popular, extending over four days every March, and attracting a great range of top musicians and thousands of visitors to the town. Please note that Port Fairy (Great Ocean Road), Victoria, Australia hostels and other accommodation gets booked out very early for this event. Finally the Moyneyana Festival is an awesome event with fun stuff to see and do for people of all ages. If you enjoy shopping for local crafts and fresh produce there are also several regular markets held in Port Fairy.
Port Fairy is located just under four hundred kilometres from Melbourne, traveling by the Great Ocean Road. If you’re using public transport, the quickest way to get there is by catching a train to Warrnambool, and then getting a local bus -- Transit South West or Christian’s Bus Company.
Written by Travel Expert Port Fairy
Carsani