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A
brief overview of European settlement
Although
there is conjecture as to the exact date of the naming of Port
Fairy, it is agreed that Captain James Wishart named the area
after his cutter 'The Fairy'. It is believed that as early
as 1810, but more likely 1827-28, Wishart and two seamen named
the unsettled area when sailing up the Moyne River in search of
fresh water.
The
area attracted many sealers, whalers and seamen during the early
part of the nineteenth century. A whaling station was established
on the island at the river mouth by Penny and Reiby and in 1835
it was purchased by John Griffiths. The island now bears his name.
The
whalers were so successful during those years that by the 1840s
the supply of whales was exhausted and the whaling station closed.
During
the 1830s some of the seamen, such as Griffiths, Charles Mills
and Alexander Campbell began to settle the land. It was
during the 1840s that Port Fairy began to flourish as a town.
James Atkinson had obtained, sight unseen, the "Belfast"
Special Survey from the Crown in 1843 and proceeded to lay out
a town in that name. Although the town was known as Belfast, the
port retained it's original name.
Settlers
were encouraged by the richness of the soils and commercial opportunities
in the expanding Western District. By 1857, 2190 people lived
in the municipality and Port Fairy became, for a time, one of
the busiest ports in the colony; second only to the Port of Melbourne.
In
1887 the town was renamed Port Fairy by a special act of parliament.
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Shipwrecks
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Maritime & Shipwreck Heritage Walk
Mahogany
Walking Trail
Historic
Buildings
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Port
Fairy Historic Walks
The
First Houses in Australia
A thesis by Ann Ross provides evidence to cast a new
light on Aboriginal lifestyles before the arrival of Europeans
in South West Victoria
http://home.vicnet.net.au/~aar/housing.htm
The
Griffith Island Project
sponsored by the Port Fairy Historical
Society
Have a look to see how the project is progressing.
Contact Martin Syme on 5568 2632 if you would like to become involved.
www.port-fairy.com/griffithisland
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Interesting
Links
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Australian
National Maritime Museum - Lifeboat Restoration
http://www.anmm.gov.au/mmapspic.htm
The
Donnelly Deception and The Mahogany Ship
Articles
& Maps relating to the settlement of South-Western Victoria,
Australia in the 1800's
http://www.ballaratgenealogy.org.au/digby/art-map.htm
HISTORY
OF SETTLEMENT South West Victoria
http://www.standard.net.au/~jwilliams/history.htm
Port
Fairy Historical Society
http://home.vicnet.net.au/~pfhs
Victorian
Heritage Register
http://www.heritage.vic.gov.au
National
Library's Exhibition of George Raper
http://www.heritage.vic.gov.au
Port Fairy,
Portland &
Warrnambool
Genealogy & History presented by Jenny Fawcett
Richard Osburne
and the 'Mahogany Ship' presented by Joan Fawcett
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References
and Literature
Port Fairy Tourist Association
(1998) Historic Port Fairy on the Shipwreck Coast
Powling JW PORT
FAIRY - The First Fifty Years William Heinemann Australia
Pty Ltd
Learmonth NF The Portland Bay Settlement Baulch
Publications, Hawkesdale
Earle W (1896) History of Port Fairy Melbourne
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