27 August, 2010 10:59AM AEST

A-Z of the South West number 25 - Koroit

There's a lot more to Koroit than potatoes and Irish music

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Ask most people what they know about Koroit and they'll probably say one of two things - it's the home of the Irish Festival, and they grow potatoes there.

While those things are true, Koroit also has a rich history as an important part of the South West, stretching back to the 1840s.

As Kathy Baulch from the Historical Society explains, the biggest influx was around the time of the gold rush - although there wasn't any gold in Koroit, a lot of food was produced in the area which made its way to the gold fields.

Where the Koroit township now stands is not where the initial settlement took place - that was more to the South of Tower Hill, while the current centre of Koroit was left to be used as a camping ground.

As farming in the area grew, and Irish immigrants arrived, the town was surveyed and started to develop around the late 1850s.

Initially the main street was meant to be what is now High Street, but as the fortunes of early settlers changed, so did the development of the town.

As a result the much narrower Commercial Road became the main thoroughfare, and the place where the usual array of hotels and businesses set themselves up.

Like much of the town, Commercial Road has been very well preserved and gives a great sense of the history of the area.

One of the more impressive buildings is Mickey Bourke's Hotel - although the original stone building was far less impressive. The current one was the result of a renovation about 100 years ago.

Some of Koroit's other gems include some large old Churches, the Victorian Park sporting facilities, and the botanic gardens.

The railway station is also getting a new lease of life as a part of the Warrnambool to Port Fairy rail trail.