This was published 9 years ago
Portarlington, Victoria: Travel guide and things to do
It's a kids' life by the sea at Portarlington.Credit: Angela Wylie
Portarlington is a quiet residential town of 2407 people which, in summer, is flooded with families who take advantage of the largest camping area on the Bellarine Peninsula, turning it into a popular if low-key resort town. It is located on a hillside overlooking Port Phillip Bay 104 km south of Melbourne and 31 km east of Geelong at the tip of the Peninsula which extends out into Port Phillip Bay.
The area was originally inhabited by the Wathawurung Aborigines. European visitation of the bay dates back to 1802 when Lieutenant Murray spent over three weeks exploring its features. He was soon followed by Matthew Flinders who mistook Port Phillip Bay for Western Port. Flinders made camp at Indented Head, six kilometres south-east of Portarlington, and named it after the cleft which the coastline observes at this point.
Two French ships were also exploring the southern waters at this time and, largely to forestall French claims to any part of the continent, the first European settlement on Port Phillip Bay was established by the British in 1803 (see entry on Sorrento). A convict escapee from this settlement, named William Buckley, made his way to the Bellarine Peninsula and was adopted by the local Aborigines who thought him a reincarnation of a dead leader. He lived with them for over 30 years, most of it presumably spent on the Bellarine Peninsula. In 1835 Buckley allegedly overheard the Aborigines plotting to attack a party of whites at Indented Head and he gave himself up to the party of John Wedge (for more information on Buckley see entry on Point Lonsdale).
John Wedge entered Port Phillip Bay shortly after John Batman who is known as the founder ofMelbourne. A stone cairn on a small reserve at Indented Head marks the spot where Batman landed in May 1835, before proceeding to the head of the bay where his party encountered the future site of Melbourne, en route to the You Yangs.
Batman's sister-in-law became the first white woman to land at Port Phillip when she came ashore on the future townsite of Indented Head. An area known as White Woman's Rock is named in honour of this event.
Portarlington was surveyed c.1850 and named Drayton but was renamed in 1851 in honour of Lord Arlington (another claim is that it was named after an Irish village, owing to the predominance of Irish settlers in the area).
The construction of an enormous flour mill in 1857 reflects the reputation the Peninsula acquired in the 1850s and 1860s as the 'granary of the colony'. It provided a considerable stimulus to the development of the area and a jetty was built to facilitate the shipment of the mill's produce in 1859. It was extended then replaced in 1871 as Portarlington began to benefit from the steamer traffic in the bay.
Fishing also became important to Portarlington and a number of fishing vessels can still be seen about the pier today.
Later in the 19th century paddlesteamers began bringing Melburnian holiday-makers who enjoyed, and continue to enjoy, fishing, water sports and safe bathing. Built in 1886, the Grand Hotel in Newcombe St is a reminder of the Victorian era.
Portarlington has a large flora, fauna and recreation reserve which accommodates camping and caravans. Attractions include a sailing club, an 18-hole golf course, excellent fishing opportunities, boat ramps, a safe swimming beach and a bicycle track that leads around the foreshore to Indented Head, as does the roadway known as The Esplanade.
The area around Portarlington produces vegetables, poultry and dairy products. The Portarlington Markets are held at the primary school in Newcombe St on the first Sunday of the month from September to April. Craft markets are held at Parks Hall in Newcombe St on the last Sunday of the month. An Easter Art Show is held annually.
Things to see
Portarlington Mill
The four-storey steam-powered Portarlington Mill is located near the beach in Turner Crescent (off Sproat Street). It was built by T.H. Widdicombe of locally-quarried sandstone in 1857 on what is thought to be a former corroboree site. A small jetty was built on the nearby beach and boats carried the flour and bran to larger vessels in deeper waters.
The closure of the mill in 1874 reflected the establishment of wheat-growing in western Victoria. Widdicombe converted it into a brickworks which supplied bricks to Melbourne, Geelong and the Bellarine Peninsula. Widdicombe bricks and tiles were used in the construction of the Anglican churches at Portarlington and Drysdale.
Now fully restored it contains Aboriginal artefacts and displays relating to the history of the mill and the area. It is open Sundays from 2.00 p.m. to 5.00 p.m. from September to May and, in Januarys it is also open Wednesdays and Saturdays from 2.00 p.m. to 5.00 p.m., tel: (03) 5259 3688.
Historic Home and Tourist Information
Two doors down from the mill is the single-storey historic home of Mr Widdicombe which was built of Geelong bricks on a bluestone foundation in 1850. It is housed with antiques and memorabilia collected by subsequent owners and is open daily from 10.30 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. and it doubles as a local information entre.
Tourist information is also available from the Geelong Otway Tourist Information Centre in Geelong (tel: 03 5222 2900, or free-call 1800 620 888), from the Queenscliff Information Centre (tel: 03 5258 4843) and from A Maze 'n' Things, tel: (03) 5250 2669.
Lavender Cottage Gallery
The Lavender Cottage Gallery is located at 26 Fenwick St. It has paintings, lavender products, pottery, cottage crafts and lace and is open from 10.30 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. from Wednesday to Sunday and every day in school holidays and public holidays. Morning and afternoon teas and light lunches are available, tel: (03) 5259 2983. The Gallery is closed throughout August.
Indented Head
Indented Head is a tranquil settlement of 453 people located 6 km south-east of Portarlington, on the eastern edge of the Peninsula and the western shore of Port Phillip Bay. The beach offers safe swimming and the foreshore area is very pleasant. There is a bicycle track, a camping area, toilets, a boat ramp and a caravan park. These waters are noted for their fishing.
There is a stone cairn in Batman Park (opposite The Esplanade) which marks the spot where John Batman stepped ashore in May 1835. It was here that modern Melbourne has its origins. The landing of Matthew Flinders at Indented Head in 1802 is also commemorated. Flinders gave the site its European name after observing the shape of the coastline. The woodlands of the area once supplied firewood to Melbourne.
The baysteamer, Ozone, which once carried passengers to and fro from Melbourne to the resorts of the Bellarine Peninsula, was sunk offshore in 1925 to form a breakwater. The paddlewheel can still be seen above the water-line.
Stoneacres Farm
The Queenscliff Rd heads south out of Portarlington (off Fisher St). About 5 km along this road turn right into Scotchmans Rd. On the left, at no.330, is Stoneacres Farm, a large orchard/rose garden/nursery which is situated on elevated ground offering fine views over the bay. There is a rose walk, a wild garden, a hedged terrace, a bluestone wall, a sunken garden, a pond and a bog garden. The nursery specialises in old-fashioned roses, perennials and unusual shrubs, tel: (03) 5259 3109.
Scotchmans Hill Winery
A little further along Scotchmans Hill Rd, at no.190, is Scotchmans Hill Winery which was established in 1982. It produces pinot noir and an award-winning chardonnay, along with small amounts of a cabernet-merlot blend, sauvignon blanc and riesling. The cellar door is open daily from 10.30 a.m. to 5.30 p.m., tel: (03) 5251 3176.
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