Welcome to Portarlington Tourism

Famous for its sweet Blue Mussels and the Portarlington Mussel Festival.  Although recognised around Australia for these seafood morsels fresh from the sea, we also invite you to visit and experience for yourself many other activities, natural attractions and events that are available for you to enjoy.

Portarlington is still refreshingly untouched with a coastline that alternates between photogenic escarpments and clean beaches, many with hardly a footprint. Along the seafront are quaint quiet spots and nearby holiday houses which bustle during warmer months and exude an away-from-it-all ambience at other times.

Portarlington is located on the Bellarine Peninsula about a 30-minute drive from Geelong, or approximately 90 minutes from Melbourne. As you travel towards Portarlington from Geelong you will discover why Portarlington is considered the "Jewel of the Crown" with its rolling hills, vineyards, olive groves, and grazing cattle and the ocean views is the distance. As you come over the last hill before the township, you have magnificent views of Port Phillip Bay and in the background you can see the City of Melbourne, clearly on a good day about 40 kilometres across the water. For those who like to spend a leisure afternoon on the water, Portarlington is the closest point to Melbourne by boat.

If you stop and amble along the main street, you can feel the relaxed mood of the town. The people are friendly, and always helpful should you require directions. The shopping strip is central to the camping ground, and the pier. Their are some great cafes to choose from offering a variety of different cuisines, and the town is known for some of the best coffee on the peninsula.

The sparkling waters of the bay are inviting. If you enjoy the water it is very safe to swim, and their are several boat ramps around should you wish to take the boat out to catch fish for dinner. If that is not to your liking then venture out to a local winery where you can enjoy a glass of wine and select from a comprehensive menu that consists of local produce. If you enjoy the wine then speak to the staff who will be only to helpful in having it home delivered.

If you want to go fishing with friends then charter a boat, information on charter boat hire is available at the pier. Why not discover Portarlington on foot, follow the path down to the foreshore and turn either left or right and you will follow the coastline and enjoy some of the most beautiful views. Walk around the streets, and see evidence of the Portarlington Brick Works established in 1874 still visible. It is usually the chimneys that give the clue, as most of the white bricks were made in Portarlington. Portarlington has strong links to the Wild White man, William Buckley who lived with the local aborigines for 32 years. It was here that he spent his last few days with the surveyor Wedge, before traveling to Melbourne to receive his pardon from the Governor.

As you stroll along the foreshore by the Fairfax Street boat ramp you can see evidence of the aboriginal shell middens firmly imbedded in the cliff face.

Fishing is important to Portarlington, once the scallop industry of Victoria, now it is known as the Mussel capital with mussel beds visible from the Esplanade. You will always see a number of fishing vessels tied up at the pier, or the weekend fisherman casting line from the pier.

Portarlington has a large recreation reserve, which has camping and caravan facilities as well as permanent units. Their is an 18-hole golf course, all weather bowling club, skateboard park, boat ramps, safe swimming areas, and a bicycle track that leads around the foreshore to Indented Heads. With increased marketing and promotion focusing on tourism, more and more holiday places are becoming available, and there are many different types of accommodation to suit any budget.

Their are many annual events held in Portarlington to encourage the visitors, like the Agricultural Show held in March, Major Cycling Events, Portarlington Mussel Festival held in January, Celtic Festival held in June, and the Line Dancing Event. On a personal note if you are looking for their perfect place for that special occasion, Portarlington has a lot to offer, with the seaside scenes to capture that perfect memory, several quality up market places for both the bride and bridal party for stay, with ample accommodation for other guests.

While high quality weekend accommodation is available, but be sure to make arrangements early as these events are becoming very popular. So, what is it about Portarlington that people like? They love the village atmosphere, the friendly locals, and the beaches. Generations have made Portarlington their holiday destination. From coming across on the Bay Steamers from Melbourne and camping, to purchasing a holiday house and driving the one and a half hours from Melbourne, many have decided to become permanent residents.

Comments sited in the Tourist' Guide to Geelong and the Southern Watering Places published in 1893, provide the visitor with descriptions that are evident today.