Koroit | Towns of the south-west - November 20, 2023 - The Standard - video Dailymotion

WATCH: How Koroit put its name on the map.

Transcript

00:00 Coroyte is situated in southwest Victoria, 10 minutes either side of the coastal tourism

00:05 hotspots of Warrnambool and Port Ferry.

00:07 The town is named after the Coroytich-Gundich people, who occupied the land prior to European

00:13 settlement.

00:14 At the doorstep of Coroyte is the Tower Hill State Game Reserve, which features an inactive

00:19 volcano.

00:20 Tower Hill is a popular tourist destination, with an abundance of native flora and fauna.

00:25 With a population of roughly 2,000 people, Coroyte is one of the largest settlements

00:30 in the Moyne municipality, and is seen as an area of sustainable growth.

00:34 The town has become an attractive option for young families, and has two schools, Coroyte

00:39 and District Primary, and St Patrick's Primary, along with a kindergarten which was opened

00:44 in 2014.

00:46 Coroyte was first settled by Europeans throughout the 1840s and 50s.

00:50 The rich volcanic farmland drew Irish potato farmers, who had fled famine in their homeland,

00:55 and couldn't believe their luck to find a piece of island in their new country.

01:00 More than 160 years later, Coroyte is still known for its Irish heritage, and appears

01:05 first in a Google search for "Australia's most Irish town".

01:09 This heritage is celebrated on the last weekend of April, with the staging of the Coroyt Irish

01:14 Festival.

01:15 The event attracts a crowd of 4,000 people each year, with more than 70% of the audience

01:21 coming from outside the region, providing a significant tourism and economic boost to

01:26 the town.

01:27 Other annual events on Coroyte's calendar include the Coroyte Truck Show, the Coroyte

01:31 Lions Club Art Show, the Lakes School Show, and the Coroyte Agriculture Show.

01:37 Sport plays a huge part in Coroyte life, with strong football, netball, cricket, bowls,

01:43 croquet and basketball clubs ensuring an active lifestyle.

01:47 The town features a busy commerce centre, with new businesses commonplace on the main

01:52 street.

01:53 Established in 1853, the renowned Mickey Burkes Hotel has maintained strong historical ties

01:59 with the town's Irish heritage.

02:01 Coroyte's largest employer is the dairy producer Bega, which operates a factory at

02:06 the town's eastern entry.

02:07 A number of well-utilised public spaces adorn the town, including the Botanic Gardens, Skate

02:13 Park, Village Green, and the Coroyte Railway Station precinct.

02:18 This area has become the halfway mark and centrepiece of the Port Ferry to Warrnambool

02:22 Rail Tram.

02:23 While the town is inland, it's just a 10km drive to the famed Killarney Beach to cool

02:29 off on hot summer days.

02:31 [music]