Port Fairy /pɔːt ˈfɛəri/[2] is a coastal town in south-western Victoria, Australia. It lies on the Princes Highway in the Shire of Moyne, 28 kilometres (17 mi) west of Warrnambool and 290 kilometres (180 mi) west of Melbourne, at the point where the Moyne River enters the Southern Ocean.

At the 2016 census, Port Fairy had a population of 3,340.[1] Its main industries are tourism and fishing, and it is the home port for one of Victoria's largest fishing fleets. A pharmaceutical factory owned by Sun Pharma is located on the outskirts of the town. Port Fairy is home to two Primary school education facilities, The Port Fairy Consolidated School [8] and St. Patricks Parish Primary School.[9]
Port Fairy was voted as one of the world's most livable cities with a population under 20,000 after winning the 2012 International LivCom award.[10]
Port Fairy has a rich history and 50 buildings are protected by the National Trust of Australia. Griffiths Island nearby holds a breeding colony of the short-tailed shearwater or Australian muttonbird.
The Port Fairy Folk Festival is held during the Labour Day long weekend in March each year. The festival has run continuously since 1977. In 2016, Port Fairy will celebrate the 40th edition of the Folk Festival from 11 to 14 March. Over the 40 festivals there have been around 3,500 acts including over 500 international acts and over 12,000 musicians to an audience of beyond 240,000 ticket holders and 1,000,000 attendees.[11]
The other major celebration in the town is the Moyneyana festival, held over summer from Christmas Eve to 26 January.
Port Fairy also has a highly rated 18-hole links golf course, the Port Fairy Golf Club, situated on Woodbine Road.[12]
The town has an Australian rules football team, the Port Fairy Seagulls, which plays in the Hampden Football League.[13]
Port Fairy has many surfing spots for all skill levels including the Old Passage, a right hand rocky break at the old entrance to the Moyne river; the Lighthouse, a right-hand point break off Griffiths island; and the East Beach with many right and left beach breaks.