Timeline

Pre-European Settlement	Area inhabited by Bengalat balug (Clan) of the Wathaurong Tribe
1802	First European explorers. January : Lieutenant John Murray April : Captain Matthew Flinders
1803 - 1835	William Buckley the first European living in the area
1835 +	Area investigated and surveyed by Wedge and Gellibrand
1836 +	Area occupied by squatters
1851	First sale of town lots
1854	Newcombe street became a one sided, north facing business area.
Aug 1856	Portarlington Flour Mill Company formed
1857	Mill opened
1858	Tenders called for building of Bay View Hotel
1859	Jetty built - steamers would come two or three times a week for produce.
1859	First horse race held on a track near the mill.
1859	Duncan McKenzie first applied for a license Sept 7 for the Seaview Hotel - later known as the Portarlington Family Hotel.
1861	Nearly all the local fishermen were Chinese
1861	Cobb & Co coach service began and postal service to Portarlington from the 1860s.
Apr 1862	Portarlington - St Leonards - Queenscliff Road open for traffic
1866	First Wesleyan Church built.
1870	Jetty extended to deep water
1871	A new building / extension was licensed and called the Duke of Edinburgh Hotel.
May 1871	Application to be made for a policeman
Dec 1871	Carrier's licence to run coaches between Geelong and Portarlington granted to S. Pywell.
Dec 1871	Publican's licences granted - Bay View, Portarlington (Andrew Calhoun), Duke of Edinburgh, Portarlington (J. Calhoun)
1872	Lavender Cottage built and owned by David Caldwell
1872	Melbourne passenger steamer ‘Despatch’ made Portarlington one of its stops
May 1872	Cricket club formed - Samuel Marchant Hon. Secretary
May 1872	Baron Von Mueller donated a case of American and European forest tree seedlings for planting
Aug 1872	Land set apart for cricket recreation
Nov 1872	A belfry was being erected at the Portarlington Wesleyan Church
1873	More than 10 acres of land at Portarlington had been reserved as a public park
1873	State School No 1251 opened 20^th October in the Wesleyan Church then moved to Temperance Hall
Oct 1873	CALHOUN's store, Portarlington, burnt to the ground - apparently arson
1874	Thomas Widdicombe established his brickworks at the old Mill
1874	Football Club formed
Apr 1874	Church of England services held in the Mill and conducted by Mr. Allnut every Sunday.
Apr 1874	Bricks for new Temperance Hall coming from Widdicomb's brickworks.
Jun 1874	Divine Service conducted by Church of England reader - Mr. Kelly - in Temperance Hall - first use of the hall for this purpose
Aug 1874	Sons of Temperance Hall (now Masonic Hall) completed
Oct 1874	Mr. Kruse to start manufacturing litho, or dynamite, for mining purposes at the Old Mill.
May 1875	Barque "Queen Emma" laden with coal went aground at Pt. Richards (refloated next day).
May 1875	Mr. H. MARTIN of Drysdale said to have taken over Mr. ALLNUTT's brickyard at Portarlington
Dec 1875	Henry MARTIN, brickmaker, Portarlington, said to be selling his plant etc. by auction on 23/12/1875 due to expiry of lease
Jun 1876	Opening of the Foresters' Hall
Dec 1876	Robert Wright granted a Stage Carriage licence
1877	Trees planted in Portarlington Park
Sep 1877	Auction of "Rosedale" (COLLINS Dairy Farm) near Portarlington
Nov 1877	Tenders called for weighbridge at Jetty
1878	Portarlington Baths almost completed - Joseph WATTS architect
Dec 1878	J. CALHOUN had completed extensive additions to the Family Hotel, Portarlington. Above the dining room were 12 new bedrooms, the old dining room had been turned into a billiard room and a new table installed in it.
Mar 1879	The weighbridge at the foot of Portarlington pier had been put there at the cost of J.F. LEVIEN. The Bellarine Shire to buy it from him in due course by a special rate to be levied.
Apr 1880	"Edina" due to commence its record breaking stint in the bay trade
1880	The Edina called at Portarlington for the first time – took away 1100-1200 bags of produce
Feb 1881	120 acres gazetted as site for racecourse and other recreations
Mar 1881	Lighting of the township still required
Oct 1881	Tenders called for erection of a brick building for State School No. 2455 - replacement of School No. 1251
Jan 1882	Telegraph office opened
Apr 1882	27th April - State School No. 2455 opened by Dr. A. McLeod, president, Bellarine Shire
Aug 1883	Ante-room of Temperance Hall serving as Free Library pending erection of permanent library
Sep 1883	Foundation stone of new Church of England laid - St John's. TERRY & OAKDEN architects
Apr 1884	Tenders were called for the erection of the Portarlington Free Library. Joseph WATTS architect
Nov 1884	Portarlington Flour Mill purchased recently by Mr. H. SMITH of Howard SMITH & Sons as a prelude to starting a brick and tile industry in the district.
Dec 1884	P.M.G. granted residents a morning mail from Drysdale
Dec 1885	Portarlington Brick & Tile Works employing 24 men and manufacturing 7,000 bricks or tiles daily
Nov 1886	S. Davis' soft drink factory in full working order
Aug 1887	Construction started on Grand Hotel, 54 rooms in three storeys. William George WOLF architect
Aug 1887	Reserve fenced and trees planted by A. Willey and William Langdon - called "Willey-Langdon Park"
1888	Colonial Bank of Australasia completed. George JOBBINS architect
1888	Portarlington Brass Band said to have been formed
Mar 1888	Tenders called for additions to State School No. 2455 and brick building for Post & Telegraph Office
Aug 1888	Streets of Portarlington said to have now been asphalted
Aug 1888	Swiss style Presbyterian Sunday School completed. William George WOLF architect
Sep 1888	Foundation stone laid for Post Office
May 1889	Reference to the plans prepared by J.S. JACKSON for rebuilding of R.U. MILLER's hotel, Portarlington. All except the dining and billiard rooms was to be demolished and replaced by a 2-storey brick building, giving a frontage to the Bay of 190'.
Oct 1889	Portarlington Presbyterian Manse recently completed. Contractor, William McLEAN, Portarlington, and architect, A.J. DERRICK. Price £660.
Nov 1892	St John's Church Sunday School, Portarlington, said to have been opened recently by the Bishop of Mebourne. (F.F. GOE). A. McWILLIAMS was the honorary architect of the building.
1893	Portarlington Brass Band gave its first public performance on 23^rd October
Feb 1893	Charles TONNER's residence, Portarlington, and the Portarlington Coffee Palace, said to have been destroyed by fire in Fenwick Street
Aug 1894	Tenders called for brick or timber building for Roman Catholic Church
Jun 1896	W. Lincoln taking up the mail run from Drysdale - he had a special cab constructed for passengers
Nov 1896	Reference to first issue of the "Bellarine Herald", a 4-page weekly produced at Portarlington
Apr 1899	21st - Arlington Masonic Lodge No. 182 consecrated at Portarlington
Oct 1900	Portarlington Town Improvement Association accepted the tender of G.A. DAVIS of Portarlington on 29/10/1900 to remove shelter sheds at Point Henry for re-erection on Portarlington foreshore.
1902	Woolnough family took over coach service from Portarlington district to Geelong
1910	Band Rotunda built – band recitals were often held there
1912	Gas street lighting installed
1916	Local Red Cross branch formed
1920	Bowling greens opened
1924	Electricity supplied to Portarlington
1942	St Patrick’s Church Hall was built
1944	Portarlington Fire Brigade established
1966	New St. Patrick’s Catholic Church built
1969	Aquatic & Sailing club formed
1976	Senior Citizens Clubrooms opened
1999	Bendigo Community Bank branch opened