A
fter an initial shock at the density of tourist
traffic from Melbourne along the much-
anticipated Great Ocean Road and Ship Wreck
Coast, fortunately, after Port Campbell the traffic
eased giving us an easy run to Warrnambool. Here
we were able to meet up with the dynamic Patrick
and Susie Groot and catch up with the news of
forthcoming regattas and Saint Ayles skiff events in
the region. Happily, Patrick gave us an introduction
to Garry Stewart and the other good people from the
active Maritime History group of enthusiasts in Port
Fairy.
Port Fairy was named in approximately 1810 when
Captain James Wishart dropped anchor there on
board the whaling vessel Fairy and navigated the
Moyne River there and named the port after his
vessel.
Subsequently in around 1835 James Wishart
established a whaling station on Griffiths Island at the
mouth of the Moyne River from whence the whalers
embarked in their sturdy vessels, often using similar
designs to those of the well-known builder ‘Beetle’
from North Connecticut, and chased down the then
plentiful migratory whales from the nearby beach.