Nestled in a natural coastal environment just 2 km off the Princes Highway and just minutes from Port Fairy, Killarney is known for its beautiful swimming beach protected by off shore reefs
Settled by mainly Irish potato and onion growers around 1845-46, Killarney is a rural village named in the 19th century after Killarney in Ireland by Irish settlers. You will now find a winery and an abundance of dairy, potato and carrot farms making use of the rich volcanic soils. The original Hotel, the Plough Inn was opened in 1845, but was later replaced by the Carleton Inn, although the two co-existed for several years the Carleton Inn still remains today across from a quirky Antique and collectables store.
This hidden gem boasts Victoria’s best whiting fishing, safe snorkelling and paddling in a natural lagoon, amazing birdlife, rockpools, a boat ramp and endless beach walking. And don’t forget your surfboard. Lovely clear water and wide open spaces set the scene for endless ambling. Let the kids run free at the playground then splash into the sea back at the 1km long swimming beach. Relax: the waves are usually low to calm and without rips.
Fringing the coast from Warrnambool to Port Fairy, Belfast Coastal Reserve offers surprises at every turn — rocky reefs, sandy beaches, coastal dunes, salt marshes, estuaries and rare creatures such as the Orange-bellied Parrot. Wander and keep watch for wild things thriving here: on the beach, Victoria’s largest population of Hooded Plovers, and in the ocean, southern right whales and dolphins.
Thought to be a sixteenth century Portuguese vessel, the story of the famed Mahogany Ship has captured the imagination of old and young since the early days of European settlement in Victoria. So is it fact or fiction?
A hidden gem that offers a great beachside holiday escape, safe snorkeling and fantastic fishing. Explore Killarney Beach Caravan Park.
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Great Ocean Road Regional Tourism acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the Great Ocean Road region the Wadawurrung, Eastern Maar & Gunditjmara. We pay our respects to their Elders, past, present and emerging. We recognise and respect their unique cultural heritage and the connection to their traditional lands. We commit to building genuine and lasting partnerships that recognise, embrace and support the spirit of reconciliation, working towards self-determination, equity of outcomes and an equal voice for Australia’s first people.
