Portarlington, Victoria, is a town located on the Bellarine Peninsula, 28 km from the city of Geelong.
The town was either named after Sir Henry Bennet, Earl of Arlington, an English politician in the 17th century. Or, due to the many early Irish settlers in the area, the town was named after the town in Ireland of the same name (founded by Sir Henry Bennet in 1666).The Wathaurong People ( Barrabool)
The Wadawurrung, also called the Wathaurong, or Wathaurung, are an Aboriginal Australian people living in the area near Melbourne, Geelong, and the Bellarine Peninsula in the state of Victoria. |
| The Life and Adventures of William Buckley: Thirty-two Years a Wanderer ... by John Morgan, 1852, p. 88. Here |
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| The Life and Adventures of William Buckley: Thirty-two Years a Wanderer ... by John Morgan, 1852, p. 88. Here |
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| 1857 photo of the Wathaurong tribe, VIC |
1800s
The British first explored Portarlington in January 1802, when Lieutenant John Murray commander of the HMS Lady Nelson, entered Port Phillip Bay and spent three weeks mapping and exploring the area. (read: Paul, Lorraine (1982); First lady : the story of HMS Lady Nelson, Neptune Press.) |
| Portrait of Captain John Murray, Royal Navy, ca. 1804, attributed to Hubnor, oil painting, State Library of New South Wales |
Excerpt from Flinders' diary:
FRIDAY 30 APRIL 1802
In the morning a fire was perceived two hundred yards from the tent; and the Indians appeared to have decamped from thence on our landing. Whilst I was taking angles from a low point at the north-easternmost part of Indented Head, a party of the inhabitants showed themselves about a mile from us; and on landing there we found a hut with a fire in it, but the people had disappeared, and carried off their effects. I left some strips of cloth, of their favourite red colour, hanging about the hut, and proceeded westward along the shore to examine the arm of the port running in that direction.
Three natives having made their appearance abreast of the boat, we again landed. They came to us without hesitation, received a shag and some trifling presents with pleasure, and parted with such of their arms as we wished to possess without reluctance. They afterwards followed us along the shore; and when I shot another bird, which hovered over the boat, and held it up to them, they ran down to the water-side and received it without expressing either surprise or distrust. Their knowledge of the effect of fire-arms I then attributed to their having seen me shoot birds when unconscious of being observed; but it had probably been learned from Mr. Murray.
At noon I landed to take an observation of the sun, which gave 38° 7' 6" for the latitude; my position being nearly at the northern extremity of Indented Head. Some bearings were taken from the brow of a hill a little way back; and after a dinner of which the natives partook, we left them on friendly terms to proceed westward in our examination.
Australia circumnavigated : the voyage of Matthew Flinders in HMS Investigator, 1801-1803. Read here. A Voyage to Terra Australis — Volume 1" by Matthew Flinders, read here
Friday, 18th, 1803.-Anchor up at sunrise; came opposite the place we slept on the 12th inst. As we went out of the boat eleven natives met us; they were very civil. I gave one of them a biscuit; he looked at it; I took it again, eat of it when he did the same; whatever we said they said it after us. There was one who appeared to be their chief. They handed us their spears to look at; one of them was barbed and one with two prongs. They followed us as we went on, and Mr. Grimes seemed much frightened and hailed the boat to follow us; when the boat came up we went on board. I made signs for them to come into the boat, but they would not venture. Two of them appeared to be marked with the smallpox.50 After dinner we went onshore with an additional guard; they all met us again. Gave them some fish, a tomahawk, and an old hat; they put our hands to their breast, and looked into my haversack. The boat loitered behind us, and the sailors said that they took the lead-line and a hoe out of the boat, and some fish; got the line again but not the hoe. (2.)
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| A painted portrait of Matthew Flinders painted by Toussaint de Chazal on display at the Art Gallery of South Australia Steve Reynolds |
The convict William Buckley who escaped in 1803, lived around the area with the Wathaurong people for 32 years. (Read: 'The Life and Adventures of William Buckley: Thirty-two Years a Wanderer ...by John Morgan. 1852. Here. Or, 'Old Tales of a Young Country by Clarke, Marcus Andrew Hislop, 1846-1881, p 37. Here). A year's history of the settlement of Port Phillip in 1836
Here1830s
and went ashore at Indented Head, close
to Portarlington, on May 29, where he
stationed, with stores for settlement, three
white men and five (A)borigines from New
South Wales. (1.)
Also in 1835, Buckley surrendered to John Helder Wedge and was later pardoned by Lieutenant-Governor Sir George Arthur, and was later given the position of interpreter of (A)boriginal people.
John Helder Wedge's exploration and mapping of the Port Phillip District, including Portarlington, found rich soil in the region. Grimes passed Portarlington again and named the countryside 'Ballarine'.
In August 1835, the schooner Enterprize landed Melbourne's first European settlers on the north bank of the Yarra River. Wedge and the Batman abandoned Bellarine and Indented Head and followed them there.
When the holdings of the Port Phillip Association were allocated, the Bellarine Peninsula was allotted to the member, John Sinclair.
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| Bent's News and Tasmanian Three-Penny Register (Hobart Town, Tas. : 1836 - 1837), Saturday 22 April 1837 |
Listen: When hunter-gatherers collide with modernity
1840s
By 1839 the Port Phillip Association was bought out by the Derwent Company, and a number of runs on the Bellarine Peninsula and Indented Head were sold to squatters, before folding in 1842.
One of the earliest known European settlers in Portarlington was Henry Baynton. |
| Port Phillip Patriot and Melbourne Advertiser (Vic. : 1839 - 1845), Thursday 16 June 1842 |
North-west of Hamilton, eight miles or so, was Nigretta which was established in 1841 by Henry Baynton, a Hobart Town butcher, who in 1839, established a cattle shipping service from Tasmania to Portarlington, where he had a station named Westham. (3.)
Other squatters owning property around the Portarlington area in the 1840s include William Booth, James Conway Langdon, and William Harding.
In 1848 land regulations were introduced, to subdivide the squatters' runs into smaller allotments. Soon, the era of the squatters would be over in the region.
1850s
The first land sale in Indented Head occurred in 1851.
The Bellarine Peninsula was known as 'the granary of the colony’ and Portarlington became important in the wheat industry.
A steam-powered flour mill opened in 1857.
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| Geelong Advertiser (Vic. : 1840 - 1845), Thursday 7 March 1844 |
In 1848 land regulations were introduced, to subdivide the squatters' runs into smaller allotments. Soon, the era of the squatters would be over in the region.
1850s
Portarlington was formally surveyed about 1850 and named Drayton. It was renamed Portarlington in 1851 and English elms and pines were planted.
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| Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), Saturday 25 October 1851 |
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| Portarlington Mill , Portarlington, VIC, built 1857 |
Portarlington became an important shipping port in the 1850s. The original pier was built in 1858.
In 1858, local farmers banded together and formed the Portarlington Farmers Association.
The Portarlington Pier was built in 1859, after a petition from local farmers demanding access to a public jetty,
Horse racing began at Portarlington in 1859 on a track near the mill.
In the early years of the colony, ships and paddle-streamers were often the only mode of transport between Melbourne and the developing coastal towns.
In the 1860s, Portarlington developed rapidly, after the steam-powered flour mill opened in 1857, which facilitated grain shipments and flour production.
1860s
By 1865, the population of Portarlington had passed 200.
Before 1857, Wesleyan services were held in private homes and then at the Portarlington Mill. On 19th March 1866 the foundation stone was laid by the Rev William Jennings Superintendent of the Drysdale circuit.
The first vessel, the Petrel, made a direct run from Portarlington to Melbourne's Hobsons Bay by 1866.
A public bathing house for tourists existed from 1868.
A brickworks was established in 1870.
The first vessel to pick up passengers and cargo was the Despatch, in 1872.
1870s
The Portarlington Cricket Club was established in 1872.
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| Portarlington Primary School, VIC, first opened its doors on October 20, 1873, operating initially out of the local Wesleyan Church |
An Australian Rules Football club from 1874.
The Masonic Hall opened as the Sons of Temperance Hall in 1874 in Brown Street. Sons of Temperance is a brotherhood of men who promoted the temperance movement and mutual support.
In 1879, the railway line was extended to Portarlington.
1880s
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| Queenscliff Sentinel, Drysdale, Portarlington and Sorrento Advertiser (Vic. : 1885 - 1894), Saturday 8 September 1888 |
1890s
Around Portarlington, Bellarine, and Drysdale there are about 2,000 acres devoted to onions every year, and this area just about meets the local demand. 1894
Catholic Church, completed in 1895. |
| Baths at Portarlington, VIC, Australasian (Melbourne, Vic. : 1864 - 1946), Saturday 19 January 1895 |
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| Grand Hotel, PortArlington, VIC, Australasian (Melbourne, Vic. : 1864 - 1946), Saturday 19 January 1895 |
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| The S S Edina at Port Arlington Pier, VIC, Australasian (Melbourne, Vic. : 1864 - 1946), Saturday 19 January 1895 |
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Mr AVyles carries on business at Portarlington as a stationer, news agent, tobacconist, fancy goods dealer, and hairdresser. Weekly Times (Melbourne, Vic. : 1869 - 1954), Saturday 15 January 1898 |
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| H.M.V.S. CERBERUS. Her practice-ground is off Portarlington and Mornington. Australasian (Melbourne, Vic. : 1864 - 1946), Saturday 28 May 1898 |
1900s
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| Portarlington, VIC, Weekly Times (Melbourne, Vic. : 1869 - 1954), Saturday 29 December 1906 |
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| Leaving the pier, Portarlington, VIC, Weekly Times (Melbourne, Vic. : 1869 - 1954), Saturday 29 December 1906 |
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| SHARK CAUGHT AT PORTARLINGTONBY MR C. RICHARDS (MEASURING 12 FT. IN LENGTH. AND 8 FT. IN GIRTH).Weekly Times (Melbourne, Vic. : 1869 - 1954), Saturday 13 April 1907 |
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| 1. A VIEW OF THE ESPLANADE. 2, PAVILION IN THE EASTERN PARK. Weekly Times (Melbourne, Vic. : 1869 - 1954), Saturday 29 December 1906 |
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| State School, Portarlington, VIC, Weekly Times (Melbourne, Vic. : 1869 - 1954), Saturday 29 December 1906 |
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| CITY NEWSBOYS' PICNIC TO PORTARLINGTON : THE LADS ON THE EDINA AT QUEEN'S WHARF.Weekly Times (Melbourne, Vic. : 1869 - 1954), Saturday 28 March 1908 (The SS Edina was an iconic part of Port Phillips maritime history and culture. It is historically significant for being internationally famous as the worlds oldest working screw steamship) |
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| Portarlington, VIC, Punch (Melbourne, Vic. : 1900 - 1918; 1925), Thursday 11 February 1909 |
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| Messrs. Whybrow 81 Co.'s Annual Picnic, HELD AT PORTARLINGTON, VIC, Punch (Melbourne, Vic. : 1900 - 1918; 1925), Thursday 31 March 1910 |
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| BAY STEAMER ‘SS COURIER’: PORTARLINGTON, VICTORIA. 1910 |
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| POrtarlington, VIC, 1912 |
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| Geelong Advertiser (Vic. : 1859 - 1929), Saturday 12 July 1913 |
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| POST OFFICE: PORTARLINGTON. VICTORIA. 1915, SLVIC |
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| Holiday to Portarlington, VIC, Australasian (Melbourne, Vic. : 1864 - 1946), Saturday 10 February 1912 |
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| The advance Australia. Vol. 23 No. 03 (15 Mar 1919) |
WWI
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PORTARLINGTON HEROES Two gallant sons of Mr and Mrs H. Allen, Gellibrand street, Portarlington, heard the call of duty and nobly re-sponded. Private J. N. Allen enlisted on January 10, 1915, and after being in camp at Broadmeadows sailed for Egypt on May 6 following. He was drummer in the 22nd Battalion. He arrived in Egypt on June 10, and left for Gallipoli in August, and was on the Peninsula until the evacuation. He also saw service at Tel-el-Kebir, and was in several desert actions. On reaching France he took on the dan-gerous work of stretcher-bearer until August 5, 1916, when he was reportedmissing. His His younger brother, Private R. H. Allen, enlisted in July, 1916, and sailed for England on October 21 of the same year. He saw active service with a machine gun section, and in September was reported as having been wounded somewhere in Belgium. Both lads were leading members of the Portarlington Football Club. IN KING AND EMPIRE'S CAUSE PTE. J. H. ALLEN (KILLED) PTE. R. H. ALLEN (WOUNDED) |
1920s
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| Town and beach at Portarlington, VIC, Weekly Times (Melbourne, Vic. : 1869 - 1954), Saturday 18 December 1920 |
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| Portarlington, VIC, Australasian (Melbourne, Vic. : 1864 - 1946), Saturday 15 October 1921 |
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| Post Office, Portarlington, VIC, Australasian (Melbourne, Vic. : 1864 - 1946), Saturday 15 October 1921 |
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RAGGED BOYS' ANNUAL PICNIC. This scene was taken on the steamer Courier before it left yesterday for Portarlington with SOO boys of the Ragged Boys' Home and Mission The plane was provided by Huddart, Parker Ltd Inset Is Mr W Minton, honorary superintendent of the houseArgus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), Tuesday 26 February 1924 |
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| Sports and Social Club’s week-end outing at Porlarlinglon. VIC. Sun News-Pictorial (Melbourne, Vic. : 1922 - 1954; 1956), Tuesday 10 November 1925 |
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| Former Residents of the Old District Around Portarlington, VIC, Weekly Times (Melbourne, Vic. : 1869 - 1954), Saturday 12 February 1927 |
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| 1. Crowd arriving by the S.S. Courier (Port Arlington, VIC) 2. Some of the committee '.Left to right; Messrs. A. Rook, R. Cornali, J. Grav, J. Wilshire, D. Moodie. Weekly Times (Melbourne, Vic. : 1869 - 1954), Saturday 12 February 1927 |
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| OLD MILL, PORTARLINGTON, Mrs. J. Beasley, one of the oldest resi dents of the peninsula, says that her father, Mr. James Young, often mentioned a large camp of aborigines in the locality, with whom the settlers had no trouble until they opened the quarry, for some reason that was never quite clear the blacks resented this, and for a time the workers in the quarry always kept guns close to their hands in expectation of an attack. Australasian (Melbourne, Vic. : 1864 - 1946), Saturday 27 October 1928 |
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| Portarlington, VIC, Weekly Times (Melbourne, Vic. : 1869 - 1954), Saturday 28 January 1928 |
1930s
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| Portarlington, VIC, 1930s, SLVIC |
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| The Gardens and Post Office, Portarlington, Victoria, 1932, SLVIC |
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| KING DAVID— Warrnambool Tribe, Herald (Melbourne, Vic. : 1861 - 1954), Saturday 17 February1934 (Australian Aboriginals did not have kings or queens. However, senior initiated men held high status) |
1920s
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| Newsboys' annual picnic at Portarlington, VIC, Weekly Times (Melbourne, Vic. : 1869 - 1954), Saturday 2 April 1921 |
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| Newsboys annual picnic at Portarlington, VIC, Weekly Times (Melbourne, Vic. : 1869 - 1954), Saturday 2 April 1921 |
1930s
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| Sun News-Pictorial (Melbourne, Vic. : 1922 - 1954; 1956), Saturday 17 September 1932 |
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| Post-office picnic at Portarlington, VIC. Telephone girls. Australasian (Melbourne, Vic. : 1864 - 1946), Saturday 25 February 1933 |
1940s and WWII
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| Cheery boys from the Gordon Institute loaded up the van when they left I for their holiday at Portarlington on Saturday. Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954), Monday 1 January 1940 (The institution provided accommodation for boys who were referred by the police or the courts. Homes and farm employment in the country were found for the boys) |
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Pte. L. Hitch, of Portarlington (Died of wounds.) Sun News-Pictorial (Melbourne, Vic. : 1922 - 1954; 1956), Saturday 17 May 1941 |
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A WARM JOB ON A COLD DAY.—W.A.A.A.F. cooks Jovce Beasley, of Portarhngton (Vic.), and Doris Ash, of Northampton- (W.A.), lift a huge apple charlotte ont of the oven at the R.A.AJ’. station, Laverton. The big kitchens, where meals for thousands of personnel are prepared daily are the most popular working places on the station these cold mornings!—R.A.A.F, Official photo.Sun News-Pictorial (Melbourne, Vic. : 1922 - 1954; 1956), Thursday 14 June 1945 |
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| CWA, Portarlington Brach, VIC, Weekly Times (Melbourne, Vic. : 1869 - 1954), Wednesday 3 March 1948 |
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PORTARLINGTON FOLK 1. Portarlington football team: H. F raser (Ctpt.l, K. Perry (V. Capt. I , J. Manson (Coach), G. Fraser (Treas.).Weekly Times (Melbourne, Vic. : 1869 - 1954), Wednesday 13 July 1949, 2. Some of the CWA members. |
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| 1. The Esplanade, business centre of Portarlington, 2. Junior pupils at Portarlington State School. Weekly Times (Melbourne, Vic. : 1869 - 1954), Wednesday 13 July 1949 |
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Members of the Fishermen's Association, with the chairman, Mr M. Pavletich, at left. Weekly Times (Melbourne, Vic. : 1869 - 1954), Wednesday 13 July 1949 |
1950s
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| Portarlington, VIC, 1950s? SLVIC |
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| Portarlington, VIC. 1. Red Cross members including Mesdames J. Wheadon (treas.), J. Jickell (pres.). and C. New man (sec.).Weekly Times (Melbourne, Vic. : 1869 - 1954), Wednesday 7 October 1953. 2. Some of the Fire Brigade, including M. C. Pavletich (lieut. ), 0. R. E. Mannix (sec.), and B. W. Harding (appliances officer). |
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| Mr Doug. Stewart, the local baker, has an influx of 5000 campers to cater for during the summer holidays. Here he is with his assistant, Doug. Bayley. Portarlington, VIC. Weekly Times (Melbourne, Vic. : 1869 - 1954), Wednesday 7 October 1953 |
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| A section of Newcombe St.,Portarlington,Vic. |
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| Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), Tuesday 26 January 1954 |
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| Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), Tuesday 26 January 1954 |
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| Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), Tuesday 26 January 1954 |
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| Lincoln’s Farm (also known as ‘ROSEDALE’ and Lincoln's Place) in Portarlington, was first acquired by Edwin Collins in 1862 from Joseph Birkett, the first Crown purchaser in 1849 who had established ‘one of, it not the best and most productive farms in the whole of the Bellarine district. According to Heritage Victoria and the National Trust, the property pre dates the National Trust listed Portarlington Mill. Collins sold the farm in 1876 and it was later named ‘Lincoln’s Farm’ after William Lincoln, owner in the later 19th century. The farm remained a fully functioning dairy farm until the 1950.’s. Sadly, this old Australian Pioneer farm (original house, stables and dairy) no longer stands having been demolished in 2020 |
1950s
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| Newcombe Street Portarlington, looking west towards the Grand Hotel, early 1950s, SLVIC |
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| Portarlington R.S.L. conducted a beach girl quest on New Year's Day.Weekly Times (Melbourne, Vic. : 1869 - 1954), Wednesday 28 January 1953 |
Around Portarlington
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St John's Anglican Church, Portarlington, VIC, built 1883 |
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| Grand Hotel, Portarlington, VIC, built 1888 |
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| Former Portarlington Post Office, VIC, built 1888 |
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| The Old Mill Portarlington, QLD, originally built as a mill in 1857 |
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| Heritage house, Portarlington, VIC |
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| The Ol' Duke Hotel, built in 1855, Portarlington, VIC |
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| Portarlington, VIC |
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| The RSL Sub-Branch building in Portarlington was the Colonial Bank of Australasia and the title was first registered in 1887 |
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| "Tarina", Portarlington, VIC, Circa 1896 |
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| Portarlington, VIC |
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| Portarlington, VIC |
Things To Do and Places To Go
Portarlington Mill Museum
Museums - Geelong & The Bellarine
Portarlington Hilly & Historic Walk
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| Replica of the Lady Nelson in Hobart, Tasmania |
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| The Enterprize is a replica topsail schooner built in Melbourne, Australia. It is currently operated by a not-for-profit group for the purpose of providing the people of Melbourne with a means of experiencing nineteenth century sailing and the city's history. |