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Portarlington Mill
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The History of Portarlington
An extract from Tourists' Guide to Geelong and the Southern Watering Places,
published in 1893.
Portarlington foreshore.
[Photograph # 1128: The Bellarine Historical Society photograph collection]
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"This picturesque spot is the first port of call for Melbourne and Geelong
steamers. The distance from the Gellibrand Lightship to Portarlington is 22 miles, and the
"Courier" covers the distance in a few minutes over the hour. Portarlington is
rapidly rising into favor as a watering-place within easy reach of Melbourne, and enjoys a
more secluded and sheltered position than most of the pleasure haunts in Port Phillip Bay.
It lies on the northernmost point of the "Indented Heads", as this portion of
the coast was named by Flinders in 1802. The town rises sharply from the sea-shore,
reaching to the summit of a slope, from which a fine view is obtained of the opposite
shore of the bay, with the three remarkable hills called the You Yangs as a centre-piece.
Portarlington is much recommended for invalids to recruit their health, and enjoy pure
air and sea bathing. The first attraction in Portarlington is the beach. Fronting the
beautiful beach are numberless shady nooks and sloping hills. A broad fringe of bright
sand runs for many miles in both directions, and pedestrians will find a stroll to Clifton
Springs on the west, or St. Leonards on the east, well worth the exertion. A few hundred
yards to the east of the jetty, visitors may enjoy excellent bathing in the commodious and
well-arranged baths.
Above the beach and a little to the left are the Gardens - a large grassy enclosure,
well planted with trees, and supplied with shelter in the shape of pavilions, and numerous
seats. This is the best spot for enjoying the view from Portarlington. Across the bay rise
the You Yangs on the left; and further off the Dandenong Ranges stretch towards the east.
On clear days the Melbourne shipping and the sharp outline of Mount Macedon are easily
discernible.
The town is neatly laid out with broad streets, some of which are planted with English
elms and pines.
In addition to the pleasures of sea-bathing, delightful scenery and healthy walks and
drives, the visitors and residents of Portarlington enjoy many of the conveniences of
larger cities. A very pretty and centrally situated Post Office receives and despatches
several mails daily. The mail with Melbourne morning papers being delivered by 10 a.m.
Near the Post Office is a well-appointed Free and Circulating Library, with a large and
interesting collection of books and newspapers.
Portarlington Free Library.
[Photograph # 949: The Bellarine Historical Society photograph collection]
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Churches of the Wesleyan, Presbyterian, and Church of England dominations are centrally
situated, each church having its own Sunday school.
The State school is a handsome brick building, with a good staff of teachers, and shows
very good results.
An excellent Private School, under the management of Mr. C. Tonner, draws a number of
boarders from Melbourne, and with good school discipline, and the pleasant and healthful
surroundings of Portarlington, it is quite easy to understand that such an institution as
Mr. Tonners is highly appreciated.
Cobb and Co's. mail coach runs to and from Drysdale railway station, seven miles away,
in connection with the morning and evening trains.
The morning coach also runs through to Geelong, returning in the afternoon at 3 p.m.
Excursions will find no difficulty in driving about the beautiful district surrounding
Portarlington. During the summer months Cobb & Co's waggonettes run two or three times
daily between Portarlington, Drysdale, and Clifton Springs, at a return fare of 3s. Cobb
and Co. have also a well furnished stable near the Grand Hotel, where visitors are
supplied with family waggonettes, pony phaetons, buggies, etc., at reasonable charges.
The following are interesting drives in the neighbourhood of the Port :-
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St. Leonards - 6 miles; good sea fishing, splendid view of entire bay. |
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Drysdale - 6 miles; this drive is through rich undulating country. Visitors have an
opportunity of seeing the United Service Home, butter factory, chicken farm, etc. |
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Clifton Springs - 7 miles; sulphur baths, mineral waters; beautiful shelly beach. |
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Bellarine Hills - 8 miles; a round drive, with grand scenery. The hill overlooks Corio
Bay, Swan Bay, Port Phillip, and Bass Straits, with fine view of Geelong, Drysdale,
Queenscliff, Portsea, Sorrento, etc. |
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Queenscliff - 14 miles; fine drive through farm lands, grazing and forest country. |
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Wallington - 12 miles; Strawberry gardens, fruit and flowers in season. |
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Ocean Grove - 14 miles, and Barwon Heads - 15 miles; fine ocean beach; good fishing, and
shooting at Connewarre Lakes. |
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Geelong - 19 miles; the drive is an exceedingly pleasant one, through fine country; good
roads. |
First-rate accommodation is provided for visitors at the Portarlington Grand Hotel,
Miller's Family Hotel, Bay View Hotel, also the Coffee Palace, and a number of nicely
furnished boarding houses.1"
References :
- A. J. Campbell, Tourists' Guide to Geelong and the South Watering
Places, Henry Thacker, Geelong, 1893, pp.50-52.
[From the Geelong Historical Records Centre and the files of the
Bellarine Historical Society]
Members of the Bellarine Historical Society and residents of the towns of the Bellarine
Peninsula have commenced a major project to document the history of their local areas on
the Internet. These histories will includes towns, buildings, families, schools,
environment - in fact any subject which adds to the history of the Bellarine Peninsula.
These are not all encompassing histories and certainly will not replace the need for
researchers to visit or contact the Bellarine Historical Society and other local
repositories for more detailed information. The purpose of these histories is to increase
the awareness of the depth of history on the Peninsula and to encourage further research
into local archives.
We'd love your input to the history of Portarlington. This is how you can help :
| If you've already researched or would like to research a part of Portarlington's history
- people, buildings, etc. - and would like it added to the Portarlington web page(s),
contact our Publicity Officer. |
Please don't be bashful - your contribution can be anonymous or we'll happily put your
name to it.
If you don't have email access, please mail information or questions to :
Publicity Officer, Bellarine Historical Society, PO Box 53, Drysdale, Vic 3222
| Photographs : Bellarine Historical Society;
Geelong Historical Records Centre; various private collections. |
| Maps & Plans : Bellarine Historical Society;
Geelong Historical Records Centre. |
| Newspapers : Geelong Advertiser Indexes
- Bellarine Historical Society & Geelong Historical Records Centre; Geelong
Advertiser on microfilm - Geelong Historical Records Centre; various local newspapers
- Bellarine Historical Society. |
| Miscellaneous Documents & Advertisements :
Bellarine
Historical Society; Geelong Historical Records Centre; various private collections. |
| Bellarine Shire Council Records : Geelong Historical Records Centre. |
| More recent Council Records : City of Greater Geelong. |
| Cemetery Records : (Portarlington Cemetery) Bellarine Historical
Society; Geelong Historical Records Centre. |
| Land Records : Registrar of Titles, Melbourne; Bellarine Historical
Society; Geelong Historical Records Centre. |
Brownhill, Geo. H. Illustrated Guide to Geelong And District,
Facsimile edn., Deakin University Press, Geelong, 1990.
Campbell, A. J. Tourist Guide to Geelong and Southern Watering Places,
Henry Thacker, Geelong, 1893.
McLeod, Eunice. Early History of Portarlington and East Bellarine, Indented
Head and St. Leonards, Eunice McLeod, Portarlington, 1962.
McLeod, Eunice. Portarlington, Indented Head, St. Leonards : History &
Reminiscences, Marine History, Portarlington, n.d. (reprint with changes to
above publication).
Wynd, Ian. Balla-wein : A history of the Shire of Bellarine,
Shire of Bellarine, Drysdale, 1988.
Wynd, Ian. Geelong The Pivot : A Short History of Geelong and District,
Cypress Books, Mont Albert North, 1971.
Created by : Susie Zada
© 1997 Susie Zada, Ocean Grove, Victoria, Australia
Last revised : July 17, 2004.
Email : szada@zades.com.au
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