Portarlington’s Grand Hotel sitting proudly in Newcombe Street overlooking the bay is the townships most dominant feature. The pub dates back to 1888 and serves ice cold beer and pretty tasty meals. Newcombe Street is also home to a few other great dining options many using local produce including the famous Portarlington mussels that are a must for any seafood lover. There’s a bakery with some of the freshest loaves, fish and chips and quite a few quality cafes and restaurants.
Not far from the town centre are some of the Bellarine Peninsula’s best wineries like Kilgour Estate in Bellarine which produce some magnificent wines including Chardonnay, Pinot Gris and Merlot. Bellarine Estate on the Portarlington Road leading into the township not only makes fine wine but has a microbrewery and produces several different boutique beers, which are all just delicious. Scotsman’s Hill Vineyard at Spray Farm have regular events including music festival’s which have brought some of the world’s biggest artists to their vineyard to perform to huge crowds, over recent years they have had names like Lionel Ritchie, Joe Cocker and Jimmy Barnes. Some of the more boutique wineries in the area include Grassy Point Winery, Hat Rock Vineyard and Terindah Estate.
For a novel way to entertain the kids head to the Portarlington Miniature Railway. This unique attraction is situated at Point Richards to the west of the township is loved by young and old. The miniature railway and operates every second Sunday and more often during the busy summer period.
The Portarlington Mill is one of Portarlington’s historical treasures. Dating back to 1857, the mill is now protected by the National Trust and is open weekends for visits.
Portarlington is one of the venues for many of our region’s major events with the annual Mussel Festival in January, National Celtic Festival in July and a host of cycling and water sports over the summer period.
But what really attracts people to Portarlington is the beach; there is no better way to enjoy a lazy day than on the tranquil sandy shores of Port Philip Bay. The water is relatively safe and ideal for swimming and the foreshore is a great place for family picnic or BBQ. The pier offers great fishing opportunities and there are plenty of places. There’s plenty of parking and the town offers all the amenities you need for a day trip or longer stay. Being only about half an hour from Geelong and under an hour and a half from the centre of Melbourne it’s no wonder Portarlington is so popular all year round.
For those who like hitting little white balls around, the Portarlington Golf Course is one of the region’s best with a challenging and varied 18 hole course. Nearby Clifton Springs also has a very popular golf course.
