Portland, Victoria
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Location of Portland in Victoria (red) |
The town of
Portland () is the oldest European settlement in what is now the state of
Victoria,
Australia. It is the main urban centre of the
Glenelg Shire. It is located on
Portland Bay.
The town was named in
1800 by the British navigator
James Grant, who sailed in the
Lady Nelson along the Victorian coast. "I also distinguished the Bay by the name of Portland Bay, in honour of His Grace the
Duke of Portland," wrote Grant. The bay, the only deep sea port between Adelaide and Melbourne, offers a sheltered anchorage against the often wild weather of
Bass Strait.
In
1834 Edward Henty and his family, who had migrated from England to
Western Australia in
1829, then moved to
Van Diemen's Land, ferried some of their stock across the Strait in search of the fine grazing land of the
Western District. They established a landing place at Portland Bay which eventually became the town of Portland. There they were discovered by the explorer
Thomas Mitchell in
1836. The settlement was illegal since Victoria had not yet been opened for settlement. By 1838 land auctions had been authorised from
Sydney and in
Charles Tyers was the first to survey the township in 1839.
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Panorama of Portland beach, breakwater and docks |
Through the 19th century Portland was an important port for the woolgrowing industry of the Western District, but eventually it lost its primacy to the better facilities at
Geelong. Even in western Victoria, Portland fell behind
Warrnambool as the main commercial centre. In the 20th century Portland's role as a port revived, and its economy was also boosted by the tourism industry and an
aluminium smelter.
Today Portland is a pretty and prosperous tourist centre of around 12,000 people. Population growth has recently risen due to more jobs coming to the area.
Portland is 362 km west of
Melbourne and can be reached either by following the
Great Ocean Road (B100) or the Princes Highway (A1) if you prefer a shorter and faster route.
Portland has a regional airport YPOD (PTJ).
Portland is in the
Victorian Legislative Assembly South-West Coast electoral district, the Western Province of the
Victorian Legislative Council and the
federal Division of Wannon. Its postcode is 3305.
As the new
Supertanker has emerged, Portland, along with
Hastings in
Western Port Bay have become proposed alternatives to the controversial plans for deepening of Melbourne's shallower
Port Phillip. The plans are aimed at maintaining Victoria's shipping status (since Melbourne has become Australia' busiest port, the Victorian economy relies heavily on the import and export of goods). Due to environmental reasons, the plan to deepen Port Phillip has been heavily criticised, whereas Portland offers some of the necessary infrastructure with minimum environmental impact.
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Glenelg Shire Council*
Port of Portland website*
Photos of Portland*
Great Ocean Road holiday photographs & video including Portland*
Great South West Walk Surrounding Portland
