We have fallen in love with this stunning seaside town

A visit to the seaside town of Port Fairy is an excellent way to experience Victoria's Great Ocean Road.

When it comes to Port Fairy's sheer natural beauty, and historic streetscapes and river port, little has changed since the 19th century. OK, south-west Victoria may not be Noosa, weather-wise, but it's got some stunning beaches where you can swim. Let's call the weather here elemental. You just go with it. The sound of the ocean is Port Fairy's permanent soundtrack.

The folkie. The annual folk festival over the Labour Day weekend in March sells out every year: that's 10,000 folkie-seat-toting visitors, staying in the ginormous tent city that suddenly springs up or in the huge range of accommodation the town offers. Book a year ahead; there truly is no room at the inn over folkie. Or summer and Easter for that matter.

Walk along the historic wharf to and round Griffiths Island, home to breeding shearwaters, families of wallabies and a bluestone lighthouse. Southern right whales calve along this coast over winter; dolphins, seals and huge stingrays are regular visitors. Nearby Tower Hill, a dormant volcano with food-stealing emus, kangaroos and Indigenous tours, should not be missed.

For on-water location, you can't beat Charlie's on East, Time and Tide's High Tea west of town and The Wharf restaurant on the Moyne River. Opposite the wharf, the quaint 1847 Merrijig Inn with its garden bar is the spot to be on a sunny afternoon before a memorable dinner. In town, Blakes never disappoints. Or you can buy fresh seafood straight off the daily cray boat at the wharf.

If the budget allows, being by the Moyne River, watching all manner of watercraft glide by, is super-relaxing, though frustrating because you just want to live there. Stay anywhere along East Beach, or near as, for awesome views. Bluestone cottages, steeped in history, are dotted around town; once slated for demolition, they're now worth a fortune. See portfairyaustralia.com.au for a range of options.

The pub in the town of Woolsthorpe, about 25 kilometres north of Port Fairy. The town itself and the hotel look unassuming as you approach, but once inside, the place is pumping with live music on weekends, great food and a magical playground for the kids.

...booking in for a tour of the Budj Bim Cultural Landscape in Gunditjmara country, World Heritage-listed for its 7000-year-old eel-farming traditions. Why didn't we learn this at school? budjbim.com.au

The Port Fairy Community noticeboard on Facebook for a local take, especially during whale season. Nothing beats real-time reporting in the town.