The $4.5 million project for King George Square will be different, that’s certain, but it needs to be to revitalise the precinct and attract visitors and commerce to the world-famous seaside village with a can-do attitude.

A modern, two-storey design with a curved roof and large glass window overlooking the Moyne River forms the centrepiece of the proposal.

Some locals might look at the plan and be dismayed by its size and its boldness, while others will view it as an exciting new venture for a town that has come to pride itself on innovation and new ideas in the tourism market over the past 20 years. Port Fairy has made something of itself and the story is not over yet.

The building will include a restaurant and fish-and-chip outlet but also extra dining and conference space. It would be perfect for weddings or private parties and is the type of business that would suit the area perfectly. The location on the river is one of the region’s best, yet it has been under-utilised. 

Indeed, some might say that it has been a waste of space for a long time.

Port Fairy is generally well served with pubs, cafes and restaurants and while some might think that a business of this size would suck trade out of the town, the opposite is true.

An attraction such as this, somewhere that acts as a drawcard for visitors in its own right, would have favourable knock-on effects for other businesses in town. The land is owned by the Port of Port Fairy which has about $1 million to spend on a new project for the area. The rest of the money will have to come from the state government’s  regional development fund.

Port Fairy is one of the jewels in the crown of the great south coast area and if the council and the community decide that this proposal is what the town needs, there should be no argument from those who control the purse strings at Spring Street.

Bring it on.