Portland is a quiet coastal country town in south west Victoria, about 4 hours drive from Melbourne and 6 hours drive from Adelaide. It has an airport and bus transport options which makes it accessible from anywhere in Australia.
It has become a mecca for fishing enthusiasts targeting southern blue-fin tuna, due the close proximity to the continental shelf, allowing deep water fishing. Whiting, snapper, flathead and yellow tail kingfish can all be caught in the waters closer to Portland, by boat and off the breakwater and wharf jetty.
Whales have been spotted in and around Portland regularly over the past few whale seasons (July - October) with a calf being born along Dutton Way coastline in 2016, which was spotted almost daily from Dutton Way rocks for about 6 weeks.
An international shipping port, Portland has a busy shipping schedule, also hosting cruise ships at certain times. The Lee Breakwater is 1 km long, shelters the harbour, and is popular for land based fishing.
Portland has an active local community, ensuring there is plenty to do. There are beaches, lookouts, a tourist tram, regular markets, fish weigh-ins, bike rides, walks, shops, cafes, playgrounds, a skate park precinct, gardens, historic buildings, museums, plus much more if you get a chance to explore the town and surrounding areas. Visit the info centre to find out what there is to do that interests you.
The only Australian land based Australasian Gannet Rookery at Point Danger contributes to the magnificent bird life around Portland. Gannets can sometimes be seen from the cliffs and breakwater, diving for bait fish. Penguins and albatross are sometimes spotted from boats, as well as dolphins and seals.
The Great South West Walk provides many walking tracks for hikes, as a complete circuit with overnight campgrounds, or in smaller sections as day walks.
Nearby is Cape Bridgewater with a petrified forest, blowholes, freshwater lakes, a seal colony, clifftop lookouts and a cafe beside a popular surf beach. The Cape Nelson Lighthouse and Princess Margaret Rose Caves are also worth a drive to see.
The beaches are quiet and clean, the people are friendly, and the scenery spectacular.