Portland

Situated within Victoria in Australia, the city of Portland is considered as the oldest European settlement and is currently the heart of urban living amidst the vicinity of the Glenelg Shire. This particular area has been named by the British navigator James Grant in 1800 in honor of the Duke of Portland. Portland Bay is the only sea port between Melbourne and Adelaide deep enough to accommodate large-scale ships. It is this very nature of the port which has enabled James Grant to dock his ship along the coast of Portland and evade the cruel storms in Bass Strait.

Soon after Grant’s exploration, Edward Henty together with his family decided to migrate from England to Western Australia in 1829 and eventually moved to Van Diemen’s Land where they ferried a handful of their stocks across the Strait in search of the fertile and fine grazing land that the Western District can offer. After completing an arduous journey in a span of 34 days, the Thistle finally arrived at Portland Bay on the 19th of November 1834 which brought new stocks and fresh supplies for Edward and his family. The succeeding voyage of the Thistle brought additional stocks for the Henty family which in turn has enabled them to establish more housing for their community. Soon after, they have been able to create a landing place at Portland Bay, which is now known as the town of Portland. Their settlement back then has been considered illegal since the settlement was not yet open for settlement. By the year 1838, the municipality of Sydney authorized land auction, and it was Charles Tyres who was first granted with the permission to survey the town of Portland in the succeeding year.

Portland today is now a vigorous and must see tourist destination that houses an estimate of 12,000 residents. The current influx of job openings in this area enticed many immigrants and job seekers, which then led to its current population boom. The quaint town of Portland can be reached by taking a 362 km route west of Melbourne or by simply following the Great Ocean Road. You can enjoy scenic spots along the way which are very ideal for your generic “tourist photos.”

There are current talks about further deepening Melbourne’s shallower port, which is Port Phillip. These talks are aimed at the objective of maintaining Victoria’s premier shipping status.