In the early 19th century whalers and seal hunters used the coast in this region. The bay was named by the crew of the whaler The Fairy in 1828.
John Griffiths established a whaling station in 1835 and a store was opened in 1839. In 1843, James Atkinson, a Sydney solicitor, purchased land in the town by special survey. He drained the swamps, subdivided and leased the land, and built a harbour on the Moyne River. He named the town "Belfast" after his hometown in Ireland. The post office opened on 1 July 1843 (the post office actually opened in 1837 as "Port Fairy" but was renamed "Belfast" on 1 January 1854 before reverting to the original name on 20 July 1887.)
Agriculture developed in the region, and Belfast became an important transport hub. By 1857 the town had a population of 2,190. In the mid-to-late 19th century, Belfast was one of Australia's largest ports, catering to the whaling industry. In 1887 the town was renamed Port Fairy as a result of an Act of Parliament.
East Beach, Port Fairy, Victoria.
The Church of England.
Note 'Belfast' name on Souvenir Shop and no one about again!
Port Fairy on the left of the map, Melbourne on the right.
I've never heard of Port Fairy before...it looks like a lovely spot.
ReplyDeleteIt is a beaut place, lots of history and has connections with Launceston.
DeleteIt does look lovely - and I do like the muttonbirds.
ReplyDeleteApparently EC, early settlers liked muttonbirds too, hence the birds' name.
DeleteOnly have had one year ago, remember it was rather greasy but tasty.
DeleteCertainly different Margaret - Clicked on both links to improve my geography etc. "Griffiths Island" but attached to the mainland by a causeway would be frightfully cold in the winter from those Bass Strait winds, and on seeing that tiger snakes lurk there, that would be a good reason to stay clear.
ReplyDeleteInteresting about the "Mutton Birds" - especially the name. That was new to me, but I don't think the "mutton bird" would be gracing any table plate of mine - ha ha.
Cheers
Colin
Good God - the things you learn from the most unexpected.
DeletePort Fairy is in the Federal Electorate of Wannon: Big Mal Fraser
country - I wonder if ever his missing Memphis trousers washed up on the coastline - ha ha.
Colin
Yes, Fraser's area, as I did see that written somewhere.
DeleteWinds from all ways I expect, both Bass Strait and the Great Southern Ocean.
There are Mutton Birds on Flinders and King Island too.
Viele Informationen von einem schönen Teil des Landes.
ReplyDeleteGruß
Noke
Lovely landscape, you are correct Noke.
DeleteChurches always attract me an my camera. I like how you included the stone wall in the photo.
ReplyDeleteI seem to take plenty of Churches as well, just something about them I expect.
DeleteI loved Port Fairy when we stayed there the night on one of our wine tours. The police came to the restaurant where we were having dinner and asked for our bus driver to accompany them.
ReplyDeleteTurned out that something broke under the bus and was dragging on the brand new patterned surface of the main street and gouged a long channel down the main street.
Ooops - that would have been a bit of a problem.
DeleteColin
Well that caused a mess then Diane :) Something you will never forget know doubt.
DeleteReally good to be there, it looks beautiful.
ReplyDeleteWas a lovely 3 days stay we had there, the rest before returning home.
DeleteIt's a gorgeous beach and a nice quiet town by the look of it. Port Fairy is a much prettier name than Belfast.
ReplyDeleteThere was about two beaches that I liked, no wonder it's a popular place in the summer time.
DeleteSeems a lot of fighting of some kind went on regarding Port Fairy's name.
Yep noted the absence again in the main street.
ReplyDeleteIs it remotely possible that your camera resembles an AK47 machine gun?
I think it is very funny, Diane's mob digs up the main road, you scare the living daylights out of the locals with your AK47 camera, and I had a lovely peaceful visit on my trip in the 1970s.
They are most likely race horses being exercised on the beach and in the sea. Horsham race track is not that far away.
Cheers between laughs
Colin
Goodness knows why there were not a lot of people about when I took the photos. I tell you Colin, there were plenty about when the Bottle Shop was open next to the IGA supermarket!
DeleteThank you for educating me about about a town in my state that I know little about, but a bit more now. Sister, who is more familiar with our west coast, will be challenged when I ask her about Belfast.
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome Andrew, and I bet you will have fun now with the name of Belfast with your sister..I will be going for you Andrew!
Deletea very interesting post, thank for the discovery of such consistently great places!
ReplyDeleteI like the picture of the church, beautiful stones!
You are welcome.
DeleteThe stones would be taken from the ground nearby I should imagine. Actually something for me to research.
I love the name Port Fairy, but I wonder how they came up with it.
ReplyDeleteIt is nice name for a town.
Delete(The bay was named by the crew of the whaler The Fairy in 1828)
That information is in the second paragraph on the second line. I guess you must have missed that line when reading what I had written :)
Now I have a hankerin to ride a horse on a beach.
ReplyDeleteFind yourself a horse and do that, it's fun! :)
DeleteThey are races horse training on that beach and in the water.
Beautiful photos of the beach and church building.
ReplyDeleteThanks Nancy.
DeleteI think the thing I've enjoyed most about your posts is the introduction to the architecture common to Oz. Thanks for sharing all of these!
ReplyDeleteThank you Bill. As we came into more populated areas the architecture became rather different to up north in Western Australia, and the Norther Territory.
DeleteAmazing! Thank you for this enjoyable post
ReplyDeleteYou are welome Martin.
DeleteThe beach and church photo's are just great, and what a brilliant name too! Port Fairy!
ReplyDeleteAll the best Jan
Different name to other towns, kind of makes you think there are Fairy's there :)
DeleteI recently watched the movie "Heart of the Sea." Although the story is fictional, it opened my eyes as to what the whaling industry was like back them and just how important a business it was.
ReplyDeleteI must see if I can find that movie to watch.
DeleteWe also had whaling here in Tasmania, once.
Always like watch the sea. The image of the church has a beautiful architecture.
ReplyDeleteKisses
The sea has a fascination for most. It is a lovely church and I was hoping to be able to go inside and take photos, but that wasn't to be.
DeleteSome bloody nice photos just so you know, I have not heard or Port Fairy but it does sound like a nice place
ReplyDeleteNice place to visit Jo-Anne if you and Tim are ever down that way.
DeleteAnd thanks.
'Tis a delightful place!
ReplyDeleteIt is Jerry, lovely to visit and stay for the 3 days that we did back in September 2015.
DeletePort Fairy is a really lovely little place. We were most impressed when we visited.
ReplyDeleteGood to know you have been there :)
DeleteFairy Meadow is in NSW down on the south coast a long way from the fairy port.
ReplyDeleteMerle.........
Must look for Fairy Meadow Merle to see where exactly it is.
DeleteHave been to Wollongong, might have passed through Fairy Meadow and wouldn't have know as would be busy watching which way we were going. That would have been some years ago now.
Deletethat beach looks nice and inviting!
ReplyDeleteIt does Sussi, especially for the horses on that day in early Spring last year.
Deletewow beach is sooo catchy and visit able ,but church looks so beautiful you always come up with very interesting revelations have a great week ahead
ReplyDeleteThanks Baili - That's the nature of Australia, different in all areas.
DeleteHappy Monday, M-w:)
ReplyDeleteTime difference Sandra, it's Tuesday here..
DeleteThe history of Australia reminds me so much of Canada. For both of us it's all pretty recent really. I am blown away when I visit Europe and rural parish churches have 11th century bell towers and steeples.
ReplyDeleteAmazing how old some churches are in Europe and they and other buildings still stand.
DeleteHorses in the sea, you don't see that very often in Belgium.
ReplyDeleteGreetings,
Filip
Oh really!
DeleteHorses go into the sea and gallop along the beach in many areas of Australia, it builds up there muscles, excellent exercise for the race horses.
You really need a week in Port Fairy and they have just had the annual Port Fairy music festival. I'm sitting in the study and only have to look up to see all the photos taken way back, The Crags, Lady Julia Percy Island and a skyline of volcanoes. I also remember nearly freezing to death waiting for the return of the mutton birds to their nests. They swoop in with barely a sound straight to their own burrow but it's in the dark and the wind comes off the sea and I needed snow gear when all I had was a light scarf.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure the music festival was a great success.
DeleteI can imagine the cold wind coming off the sea, Bass Strait and Southern Ocean.
Our 3 days was enough time in winter for us.
It looks like a nice, quiet spot.
ReplyDelete