Blogs from Port Fairy, Victoria, Australia, Oceania

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Oceania » Australia » Victoria » Port Fairy May 25th 2023

In the early 19th century whalers and seal hunters used the coast in this region. The crew of the sealing cutter The Fairy captained by James Wishart reportedly gave the bay its current name in 1828. Whatever its origins, the name "Port Fairy" had come into general use by 1835. In 1843 James Atkinson, a Sydney solicitor, purchased land in the town, draining the swamps, subdividing and leasing the land, and building a harbour on the Moyne River. He named the town "Belfast" after his hometown in Ireland, and the names of prominent buildings either bear the name Belfast or Irish names. The town reverted to Port Fairy in 1... read more
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Oceania » Australia » Victoria » Port Fairy March 11th 2019

Today I left the Great Ocean Road after ten days. I intentionally took my time and got a great sense of that part of the country, As I left the area I revisited both the Bay of Martyrs and Bay of Islands as their magnificent scenery deserved another look. This was quite the contrast to my next stop - Tower Hill Reserve, with Tower Hill being a dormant volcano showing signs of previous volcanic activity. While there I completed two walks, the two km Journey to the Last Volcano Loop and the shorter Lava Tongue Boardwalk. Unfortunately both were underwhelming. Few signs of significant activity. You could see a small crater and walk around the rim. It looked like a paved circular parking lot. The Lava Tongue Walk as well had a few volcanic rocks on ... read more
Bay of Martyrs
Bay of Martyrs
Bay of Islands

Oceania » Australia » Victoria » Port Fairy November 26th 2017

Port Fairy Folk Festival - Day One So after a good nights sleep, we sure needed it, after such a tough few days. The weather is still cold wet and windy. I had previously organised to store our bikes at a work colleagues, (Sue Clarkes) parents house in Port Fairy. Bikes safely stored in the shed, its time to hit the town and check out the action at the folk festival and have some fun. Over the next few days, we checked out every pub, hall, garden marquee, theatre, sports pavilion, every where wall to wall folk music. I caught up with good friend and work colleague Ian Hunt, his partner Lisa and daughter Sarah at an alfresco café. Coffee and cake went down a treat even in this drizzly cold wet weather. At the "Star ... read more
Raglan Road Folk Band
Jane and Emma
Crowd "going off" at sports pavillion

Oceania » Australia » Victoria » Port Fairy May 9th 2017

,Colin and I broke camp early as the cloud laden skies were threatening to drench us. So after a quick breakfast we started the days ride. Its amazing how fickle the weather could be from one day to the next, gone was the warm sunshine tailwind of yesterday, today would prove very challenging. Today we would battle a fierce headwind that would fight us all day. We only traveled about 8 ks before the rain set in. It truly was cold wet and miserable riding, we headed for a tiny country school, where the teacher took great pity upon us and offered the shelter of the schools shelter shed. We were so happy to get out of the rain and that bloody cold wind, change into some dry clothes, boil the billy for a welcome coffee, ... read more

Oceania » Australia » Victoria » Port Fairy May 7th 2017

This cool sunny morning Colin, Kirk and I,decided to explore the mouth of the Gellibrand River, which meanders down from the Otway Ranges. We were drawn to some interesting cliff formations on the other side of the river. It appeared there was a tunnel with a sliding concrete door, very mysterious, however we couldn't get across the river, to check it out. The shallow sandy floor of the river was quicksand,( check out Colin knee deep in the shallows). We thought it could have been a mine entrance, who knows, the mystery deepens. When we returned to camp, Danny told us that Bruno and his bike had hitched a ride with a caravaning elder couple to Warnambool. (It seems Bruno has spent more time in cars and vans than actually on his bike.) But for us ... read more
London Bridge
Loch Ard Gorge
Kirk up the apple tree

Oceania » Australia » Victoria » Port Fairy April 14th 2017

We awoke to storm clouds closing in, so we packed up our dewy tents on the beach and broke camp early, as the local surfers were suiting up to hang ten on the waves. We headed into Lorne to stock up on breakfast, to fuel us up for the days ride.Our destination today is further down the Great Ocean Road to Wye River. As we tackled the small climb out of Lorne, disaster struck for Bruno as his cluster on his rear derailer had completely stripped. Bruno decided to lock his bike at the hotel, and hitch with his back wheel all the way back to Geelong to buy a new rear wheel cluster, Two things will guarantee a hitcher a ride, a jerry can or a bike wheel. We wished him well. The three cyclateers ... read more
Roadside camp Kennet River

Oceania » Australia » Victoria » Port Fairy June 13th 2016

Our start on Sunday was interrupted by a lock on the front tool box which seized up. I got some Graphite Powder from the reception and solved the problem. On leaving the first stop was Bunnings for some more powder - probably never need it again on the trip. We made our way about 15km up the coast to Killarney Beach - $20 a night - much better. It is a "local" sports field, very quite, but even has a free laundry. Unfortunately we had already done all our washing in Warrnambool. We dropped the van and set out to explore. Just down the road was an interesting antique shop. The photo of the boiler gives an inkling to the interior. I bought Liesel a cake lifter she wants used on a project when we get ... read more
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Oceania » Australia » Victoria » Port Fairy January 18th 2016

Geo: -38.3855, 142.237The big drive.Breakfast is followed by taxi drive into SADelaide (our new nickname for the city that never wakes) CBD to pick up our Hyundai iMax and it's ready to go. Everyone has there own sat Nav on but Chris advises I turn left which turns out to be a one way street in which I have a near miss with a bollard.Turn around and we're back on track. First stop is Murray bridge to get some supplies of water, chocolates, ice creams, crisps and soft drinks. All the necessary road trip fodder. Murray bridge has the first bridge to span the Murray.Other stops are relatively short toilets stops, one which meant a nearby bush as Chris and I experienced a sizeable rat grinning at us. The others thought it would be funny to ... read more
Port fairy
Our old faithful
Somewhere

Oceania » Australia » Victoria » Port Fairy February 10th 2015

Drove from Margaret River to Pemberton which was 140 Km and took 2 hours. Roads were straight and lined with Karri Trees which were 90 metres tall. Again saw more Kangaros in the fields. Finally arrived at Karri Valley with help of our Sat Nav called 'Doris'. We drove along a track to a cabin deep in the woods. Spoke to the owner who said we were in the wrong location, he said just drive back through the trees and turn left. Well after several attempts at exiting the trees we found our way back to the road and on to our real destination. We had a wooden shed on stilts on the side of lake. It resembled hi-de hi style chalet with a view across the lake. We decided to go for a walk but ... read more
Red glow of the bush fire at sunset from Pemberton

Oceania » Australia » Victoria » Port Fairy February 16th 2014

Hi. Sorry about the multiple mails last night - finger trouble obviously! Headed for Mt. Gambier this morning where we caught Sunday mass in St. Paul's, a very upbeat church with an amazingly mixed ethnic community - some lovely singing by the choir (recorded!). We then visited the Blue Lake there - you will recognise the pic. Saw some emus by the road today..........had almost reached Port Fairy (used to be called Belfast) when the petrol warning alarm sounded - we have done just over 400 miles since lealving Adelaide. Port Fairy is a lovely seaside town. Weather good, about 22 degrees and sunny and we went for a walk out to and around Griffiths Island which has a shearwater colony on it - didn't see many though. And there was a proper lighthouse here. The ... read more
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