Tuesday 19 August 2014

Port Fairy

It has a reputation of being a rugged and windswept coast and a lot of it is, but Port Fairy is gorgeous, closeted, historic, in a word magical. A port since 1826.

Or as m~ more eloquently put it...

Port Fairy. I was expecting a windswept, cold, eroding village at the end of the Great Ocean Road, but I was bedazzled by a sweet little harbour town with history beckoning at every turn. It didn't hurt that we stayed at the old Merrijig Inn that has been standing amongst the twisted old trees since 1846 even though it had seen rather shabby treatment before being restored as an enticing B&B in 1988. 
The harbour, or port was established in the 1820's before any of the rest of Victoria was settled because there were seals and whales just off the coast. Now it is an inviting, picture-perfect setting for people who have enough time and money to take it easy and reflect on those long gone days of whaling and sealing.