XXXXXXXXXXX
XXXXXXXXXXXXX
Hit the GOURMET TRAIL From local producers to much-loved culinary icons, regional Victoria serves up something for every taste WORDS BY EMILY HUMPHREY & VISIT VICTORIA
1
Port Fairy Uncover history in every corner of this winsome fishing village at the end of the Great Ocean Road. The last destination on Victoria's famed Shipwreck Coast, Port Fairy boasts wide streets lined with 19th-century cottages, great Norfolk pines and old stone churches. It’s a lovely place for a stroll, whether it’s a bushwalk at Tower Hill Wildlife Reserve or a walk along the wharf and around Griffiths Island – a haven for short-tailed shearwaters, or mutton birds, in summer. Try to see them at sunset.
MAIN: Port Fairy beach; CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Lunch at Northern Ground; Taking in the view at Lightfoot & Sons Winery; Passing Clouds station; Johnny Baker's, Castlemaine; Lake House chef with a fresh catch; The Lake House; beer time at Noodledoof Brewing Co. in Koroit.
In a place steeped in the charm of yesteryear, it’s no wonder that the mostloved eateries are old stalwarts: Merrijig Kitchen (located in Victoria’s oldest inn, with a cosy ambience) is a local institution, with a daily-changing menu based on local produce and their own kitchen garden. Local restaurateurs Ryan and Kirstyn Sessions, known for their celebrated, two-hatted fine dining restaurant Fen that closed in 2018, now run ‘fast foodie’ gem Randy’s Burgers – soft shell crab burger, anyone? Meanwhile, Fen is now operating in a series of monthly pop-ups at Port Fairy’s boutique accommodation Drift House, with select dates in March available to book as part of a package. Shaw River Buffalo Cheese, a local favourite on menus around here, is a family business in nearby Yambuk. Its yoghurt and cheeses are made from the only 100% pure Riverine Buffalo herd in Australia. Stop by the farmers market (second and fourth Saturday each month) for local homemade, grown or created goods. You’ll find some of these delights from local producers on the menu at Le Crêpe Man of Belfast, a relative newcomer that’s settled in well. When it’s time for a tipple, head to craft brewery Noodledoof Brewing Co. in Koroit, a stone’s throw from Port Fairy.
