Great Ocean Road Tourist Information
Great Ocean Road Tourist Information
Portland & Cape Bridgewater
Portland is steeped in the European history of Victoria and with over 200 heritage buildings, there are reminders of the past almost everywhere you look in the city renowned for being the site of Victoria's first permanent white settlement. So its not hard to cast your mind back and imagine how it used to be when whalers, sealers and traders plied their trade along the coast in the early 1800s.
Portland today has the only two shipwrecks visible from shore, and has a regular visiting flotilla of square-riggers - a must for sightseers and would-be sailors. With a population of 10,000 people, Portland is a thriving commercial centre offering plenty of things to see and do.
A large fishing fleet based at the port ensures there is an abundance of seafood available all-year round, with crayfish a specialty. During July to November, it is not unusual to have whales within six metres of viewing from the breakwater.
Cape Bridgewater, at the eastern end of Discovery Bay, is just a short drive from Portland and here, more of nature's beauty spots are just waiting for you to explore. Discover the petrified forest, blowholes or walk out to the seal-viewing platform where you can watch Australian fur seals at play.
