This is an excellent base for birding with seabirds, waders and ducks the main interests. The port in the Moyne River is home to Silver Gulls, Crested and Caspian Terns, Cormorants, Pied Oystercatchers, Masked Lapwings, Straw-necked and Australian White Ibis, White-faced Herons and occasionally Black-winged Stilts and Common Greenshanks.

Griffith Island to the south of the town centre is joined to the mainland by a several stone causeways. The island is the site of a huge colony of Short-tailed Shearwaters. A viewing platform allows visitors to view the arrival of the adults each summer evening. Walking trails thread through the rookery and during the day the nesting burrows can be clearly seen. Look out for shearwater carcasses with leg bands and send any bands found to the relevant authorities.  A walk around the island will take an hour or two and a good range of birds can be seen. Albatrosses and Giant Petrels can often be seen beyond the surf. Hooded Plovers and Pied Oystercatchers can usually be found in the tidal pool areas. Terns and cormorants are quite common on the reefs. The island supports a fair number of migratory waders - Ruddy Turnstones, Sharp-tailed, Common and Curlew Sandpipers, Sanderlings and Grey-tailed Tattlers are worth looking for. You may be lucky, especially in winter, to encounter a seal on the southern beach and Southern Right Whales are occurring regularly, close to the shore in winter. The island supports few land birds but is a good place for Nankeen Kestrels, Black-shouldered Kites, White-fronted Chats and Singing Honeyeaters.

Across the road from the causeway to Griffith Island is a small area of salt marsh. This often holds small numbers of Latham's Snipe and a few years ago a Red-necked Phalarope visited briefly. Chestnut Teal and Pacific Black Ducks are usually present. Historically, Orange-bellied Parrots were found in this habitat near Port Fairy and are remote possibilities still.

Upstream from the port the Moyne River widens into Belfast Lough - the Port Fairy area was settled by Irish farmers and many of the local place names reflect their influence. The lough and adjacent marshes and grasslands hold many swans, ducks, grebes and herons. Access is difficult but is best from the coastal road leading to the golf course and eastern beaches. The coastal dunes have mostly lost their vegetation but hold good numbers of Striated Fieldwrens. A Fiordland Penguin was found moulting on a basalt reef here in Jan 2000. At the same time an Elephant Seal was on the beach nearby.

Killarney Beach is well worth a visit for waders. This is one of the most important areas in Victoria for Sanderling and Hooded Plover. Check all waders for leg bands and flags. The ocean beaches near Port Fairy have turned up many interesting beach-washed seabirds over the years. A walk on the beach after a big storm could be productive - have a couple of plastic bags in your backpack.