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Portland - Victoria
Portland is a charming historic city on the western shore of Portland Bay. It is a wonderful holiday destination with beaches, cafes, restaurants, parks, and a bustling seaport.
This lovely seaside town is famous for being Victoria's first permanent European settlement. It was first settled in 1834, and its rich heritage is still visible in the well-preserved colonial buildings and museums around the town centre. Portland is located 350 kilometres West of Melbourne.
Portland’s town centre is a delightful mix of historic charm and modern buildings with an array of quaint shops, cosy cafes, and boutiques, creating a blend of old and new that adds a unique character to the town.
The town centre’s laid-back atmosphere makes it perfect for a relaxing afternoon, with plenty of spots to sit, people-watch, or enjoy a picnic by the sea.
The restored Portland Cable Tram offers a scenic ride along the foreshore, giving you great views of the busy harbour and foreshore.
We visited the Portland Maritime Discovery Centre, which is open daily from 9.00 am to 5.00 pm.
The interesting displays document the region’s rich maritime history, including whaling, shipwrecks, rescue, navigation and the local fishing industry. The centrepiece of the museum is the 1858 Portland lifeboat, famous for its role in the ‘Admella’ rescue of 1859. The lifeboat is one of the oldest remaining unrestored intact vessels in Australia.
At Whalers Bluff, you can see the lighthouse and stunning views over Portland, the bay and the port.
The Whaler’s Bluff Lighthouse was originally erected on Battery Point in 1859. In 1889 it was relocated, stone by stone, to its current position where it guides vessels past the treacherous Whaler’s Reef into the Portland Harbour.
The Portland Botanic Gardens were established in the 1850s by William Allitt, and they are one of the earliest botanic gardens in Australia. They are open daily from sunrise to sunset and have wonderful displays of flowers.
Portland has over 200 historic 19th-century buildings, many of which are made of bluestone. The interesting buildings we saw include:
The original Town Hall was built in 1863, it is now the History House and Museum.
The Court House was completed in 1845 and is still in use today.
This Rocket Shed built in 1886 houses a display of 19th-century rockets.
Customs House was built in 1849 and is still used today.
All Saints Catholic Church was built in 1862 and the spire was added in 1887.
Mac’s Hotel was the first, 3-storey building in Portland and was built in 1856.
Annersley was built as a Surgery and Residence in 1878 for Dr Brewer. Today it is boutique apartments.
St Stephen’s Anglican Church is Victoria’s oldest Anglican Church. The foundation stone was laid in 1855.
Completed in 1883 the stunning white painted building in the town centre was originally a Post Office, then Local Government Offices and is now a restaurant.
The former Loddon Inn is a landmark in Portland and was built in 1844, it is now used as commercial offices.
A short drive from Portland is the Cape Nelson State Park, where you can see the historic Lighthouse and enjoy wonderful views of the rugged coastline.
The Cape Nelson Lighthouse was first lit on the 7th of July 1884, now the grounds are open daily to walk around the lighthouse or you can book a tour to enter it.
Twenty kilometres west of Portland you can discover Cape Bridgewater.
Wander along the seal walk and see the Australian fur seals basking on the rocks.
Visit the Petrified Forest, these unusual formations were created when hollow tubes of limestone called “solution pipes”, were eroded by millions of years of rainfall. You can also walk down to the viewing platform to see the blowholes that have been formed in the volcanic rocks.
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