Visit: Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village, Warrnambool, Victoria

BY DAY Flagstaff Hill’s Maritime Village is set on 10 acres and reflects the pioneering atmosphere of an 1870’s coastal port. Visit the Sail Maker’s Loft, Village Blacksmith, Shipping Agent, Ship Chandlers, Bank of Australasia, Printer’s workshop, and much, much more. Guided tours are available at no charge (bookings essential). Experience first-hand the perils of early sea travel as you explore The Gravesend Theatre, Interactive Displays, and the Relics & Treasures recovered from various shipwrecks in the Great Circle Gallery.
A key feature of the Great Circle Gallery is the priceless Minton earthenware statue, the Loch Ard Peacock, Australia’s most valuable shipwreck relic. Transported from England to Melbourne aboard the clipper the Loch Ard in 1878 for display at Melbourne’s Great International Exhibition of 1880, the life-sized Loch Ard Peacock was washed ashore in a packing crate, just days after its namesake ran aground.