Ms Shannon, 24, left her home in Fermanagh, Northern Ireland, two years ago and will return at the end of the month.

In her last couple of weeks in Australia she got a reminder of her homeland at Mickey Bourke’s Koroit Hotel St Patrick’s Day celebrations.

“It’s been great with an Irish community here, I don’t get as homesick,” Ms Shannon said of her time in the south-west.

She had been working in Brisbane and arrived in the region to a job as a nanny at a local farm in January.

“It’s been good to experience a different part of the world. The weather has been much better than back home.”

Mickey Bourke’s owner Bruce Murley said St Patrick’s Day patrons drank up to seven barrels of Guinness and ate their way through countless Irish stews and beef and Guinness pies.

The venue was sold out for lunch and dinner and groups from Cobden, Terang and Mortlake made the journey to Koroit to soak up the Irish spirit.

“Along with the Irish festival this is our biggest day. As a stand-alone day for us it doesn’t get bigger than St Patrick’s Day,” Mr Murley said.

Musicians Tommy, Tuddy and Mick, the Rusty O’Bucks and Cill-Airne provided the tunes at the popular Irish-themed venue.

Among those enjoying the music were Melbourne’s John and Maureen O’Brien, who return to Mickey Bourke’s each St Patrick’s Day and this year celebrated their eighth wedding anniversary.

“The year before we got married we were driving to Robe and saw the sign for the Irish village and because of my Irish heritage I wanted to go have a look,” Mrs O’Brien said.

“And we’ve been coming every year since.”

Family and friends accompany the pair and the group ensures it is always dressed to impress. 

“The more ridiculous the better,” Mr O’Brien said.