Port Fairy - Great Ocean Road

[Guest The Pom Queen]

Port Fairy is a picturesque coastal fishing town located in South-Western Victoria, almost 300kms from Melbourne. This jewel of the Great Ocean Road is seemingly frozen in time. Located at the end of Victoria’s famed Shipwreck Coast, beauty and history unfold at every corner.

Voted in 2012 as one of the world’s most liveable cities with a population under 20,000, Port Fairy has a rich history of 1800’s architecture with more than 50 buildings protected by the National Trust of Australia. There’s plenty to delight your senses and enchant your soul.

Port Fairy is a town in love with the arts. Annually, it’s easy to get swept up in the excitement of the internationally recognised 4-day Folk Festival held on the long weekend in March; one of the largest in Australia.

You won’t find any fast food restaurants in this town; however you will find plenty of local cuisine, fine food and wine on offer. This community values Port Fairy’s laidback atmosphere and unique essence. There is a permanent population of almost 3,000; however, being a popular holiday destination, the town swells with an influx of tourists over summer. 2017 saw 11,000 people attend the sold out Folk Festival.

At any other time, there’s no issue getting a park in the main streets; in fact conceptually, paid parking doesn’t match the town’s ethos - and nor do gaming machines. The town is leisurely paced but very liveable with a hospital, five churches, a Catholic school and a consolidated State school. There are five motels and more than 15 bed and breakfast accommodation options.

The housing ranges from modern contemporary buildings designed to maximise water views, to white washed 19th century whaling cottages; with median property price at $442,250 and weekly rental at $350.

The local fishing port is one of the busiest in Victoria. You can watch as fishermen unload their catch of crayfish and abalone and enjoy the glorious seabirds that frequent the area. Outlying from Port Fairy is Lady Julia Percy Island, which boasts a large seal colony, and southern right whales can be seen breaching in the waters off Port Fairy during the winter months.

The Botanic Gardens were first established in 1858 and the town is renowned for its magnificent Norfolk Pines lining many of the streets and the Moyne River.

Sporting enthusiasts will be chuffed with Port Fairy’s highly rated 18-hole links golf course and the town’s Australian rules football team; the Port Fairy Seagulls. There are an abundance of surfing spots for all levels and three main beach areas.

Warrnambool, a city with a population of almost 35,000, is a 25 minute drive eastward and houses all the trappings of heavier density places such as fast food restaurants and typical large stores including Bunnings, Harvey Norman, Target,

Kmart and Spotlight to name a few.

With its sweeping ocean and river views, award winning restaurants, boutique-style shopping and a myriad of natural attractions, Port Fairy offers a delightful sea change lifestyle, far from the madding crowds.

 

Demographics 

Port Fairy (3284) is a suburb of South Western Victoria, Great Ocean Rd/Otway Ranges, Victoria. It is about 248 kms from VIC's capital city of Melbourne. Port Fairy is in the federal electorate of Wannon.

In the 2011 census the population of Port Fairy was 3,094 and is comprised of approximately 53.9% females and 46.1% males.

The median/average age of the people in Port Fairy is 48 years of age.

87.3% of people living in the suburb of Port Fairy were born in Australia. The other top responses for country of birth were 3.7% England, 0.8% New Zealand, 0.5% Netherlands, 0.3% Ireland, 0.3% Germany, 0.2% Scotland, 0.2% Northern Ireland, 0.2% India, 0.2% Canada, 0.2% Wales, 0.2% Sri Lanka, 0.2% South Africa, 0.2% France, 0.1% Malaysia.

93.8% of people living in Port Fairy speak English only. The other top languages spoken are 4.5% Language spoken at home not stated, 0.2% German, 0.2% Spanish, 0.2% Italian, 0.2% Mandarin, 0.2% Other, 0.1% Thai, 0.1% Other, 0.1% Tamil.

The religious makeup of Port Fairy is 28.8% Catholic, 23.7% No religion, 18.1% Anglican, 8.7% Religious affiliation not stated, 8.5% Uniting Church, 5.9% Presbyterian and Reformed, 1.8% Christian, nfd, 1.4% Lutheran, 0.7% Other religious affiliation , 0.5% Buddhism.

53.7% of people are married, 24.4% have never married and 8.6% are divorced and 3.0% are separated. There are 264 widowed people living in Port Fairy.

53.5% of the people living in Port Fairy over the age of 15 and who identify as being in the labour force are employed full time, 35.0% are working on a part time basis. Port Fairy has an unemployment rate of 4.2%. 

The main occupations of people living in Port Fairy are 21.8% Professionals, 18.6% Managers, 14.6% Technicians & trades workers, 10.3% Community & personal service workers, 10.0% Labourers, 9.7% Clerical & administrative workers, 7.6% Sales workers, 4.7% Machinery operators & drivers, 2.7% Occupation inadequately described/ Not stated.

The main industries people from Port Fairy work in are 14.1% Health care and social assistance, 12.8% Accommodation and food services, 11.8% Construction, 9.5% Retail trade, 8.5% Manufacturing, 8.3% Education and training, 7.1% Public administration and safety, 6.3% Agriculture, forestry and fishing, 4.0% Professional, scientific and technical services.

46.2% of homes are fully owned, and 26.3% are in the process of being purchased by home loan mortgage. 24.2% of homes are rented.

The median individual income is $510 per week and the median household income is $924 per week.

The median rent in Port Fairy is $200 per week and the median mortgage repayment is $1588 per month.

[Guest263228]

Port Fairy was quite ok but preferred Apollo Bay on the Great Ocean Road. Never the less a route well worth undertaking. 

[IrishDigger]

We have always enjoyed our visits to Port Fairy which was originally called Belfast.

Another nearby town steeped in Irish history is Koroit and well worth a visit,

http://www.koroitirishfestival.com.au/about-us/about-koroit