Special Events

Local Attractions

There are so many things to do while on holidays at Portland Bay Holiday Park. Portland is the largest city in the region, yet it has the charm of a large country town, set by the sea on the Discovery Coast in Victoria's south west region. Here are our top ‘must see’s’ while you’re here:
Visit our natural geographic sites. The Blow Holes & Petrified Forrest situated at Cape Bridgewater, a 5 min walk from your car. You will also see the Great Wind Turbines as you drive along Blow Holes Rd to get there.
Cape Bridgewater beach and the Australian fur seals. Walk along a beautiful white sandy beach, admiring the rock formations created by a volcanic eruption, a popular surfing beach and great place to picnic or grab a bite to eat at the Cape Bridgewater café. Then you can book a seal tour by boat from the café or by booking with seals by the sea. Take a short stroll along the GSWW to the jetty landing and you will take a ride in a boat to see the colony of over 600 Australian fur seals and New Zealand seals, you will also get quite close to them and enter into their caves. If that’s not your thing you can also take a walk out to the edge of Cape Bridgewater cape where you can look down on the seals. The walk is quite easy and takes about 45 min to get to.
The fresh water, Bridgewater Lakes & the Tarragul Cave, right next to each other, a great spot to have a paddle, canoe, jet ski or ski and a picnic lunch. Tackle the quick climb to Tarragul Caves which are young limestone caves but a great view can be seen over the lakes and Discovery Bay when you’re up there.
Cape Nelson, Yellow Rock, the Enchanted Forest & Cape Nelson Lighthouse. Travel along the scenic drive to Yellow rock and have an easy walk and view of our spectacular coast line, another popular surfing beach with a picturesque Yellow rock, easy stairs to walk up and down and a great photo opportunity, from here you can take a walk through the Enchanted forest down to flat rock and return back to Yellow Rock within 45 min.
The Great South West Walk. The GSWW cover over 200km but you can achieve walking little areas of it. It travels along our coastline and inland up to Nelson and over to Heywood. Offering free camping sites and amenities along the way. There are guided walks every month through winter and every week through summer. Some sections can be done in 1-3 hrs. Be inspired by the beauty of the ocean and the elite surrounds of nature. A good walk to do anytime of the day.
The self guided History town tour. Take Portland’s handbook as your tool and walk around the local vicinity of the town taking in the History of the buildings and architecture of the First beginnings of Victoria. The town tour is self guided and gives you a snapshot of history. If you would like to further that knowledge you can visit History house located next to the council offices.
Take a ride on the Cable Tram or hop on the free Smelter Tour. The Cable Tram tour runs for an hour giving you a good run down of the History of Portland on a comfortable ride that takes you from the bottom end of Portland to the top. It will stop off at all our Museums and the Botanical Gardens. Your ticket lasts all day so you can see the museums and take in the sights. The free smelter tour operates Mon, Wed & Fri from 10:15am and is run throughout the year, offering a tour of the aluminium smelter and inside it. It will give you an insight into Portland’s Industry’s and a bit of local History. The tour runs for around 2 hours. See www.portlandcabletrams.com.au for more details on timetables
Visit one of the 4 Museums. We have the Maritime Museum located at the Visitor Information Centre where you will walk through the History of Portland and its industries, gather information on the whaling, sealing & the first beginnings of Portland. You will see the life size skeleton of a Sperm whale, and the Portland Lifeboat used in the rescue of the Admella Shipwreck. You will understand the shipwreck and Discovery coast line and more. The Powerhouse Museum is a Car Museum full of memorabilia of the common automobile and this Museum once used to house the electricity for Portland, hence the name. The WWII Memorial Museum, located in Portland’s old Water tower, inside you will go up 5 flights of stairs filled with the history of war and Portland’s involvement and then at the top you will see a spectacular 360 degree view of Portland and surrounds. The Cable Tram Museum has model trains and trams and the beginnings of the Cable tram.
Walk around the Fawthrop Lagoon or visit the Flora and Fauna Park. Portland’s pride is the home of the Fawthrop Lagoon. A 2km walk around the Lagoon where a beautiful bird sanctuary exists, a tidal lagoon which once was Portland’s water supply. The Fauna Park locate on Bridgewater rd allows you to see emu’s, kangaroos and koalas up close and you can have a BBQ or picnic and slide down The BIG slide.
Whale Sighting, marine life & bird watching. Is common nearly all year round for Portland. From May through to September the Southern Right Whale visits our waters usually with their calves. These whale are usually seen quite close off the cliffs of Portland, Cape Nelson And cape Bridgewater, as well as at Nun’s beach and even in our Harbour. The Blue whale usually migrates through this area from November through to April-May. These whales are seen up to 15km away from Cape Nelson and Cape Bridgewater. Other whales seen are the Sperm Whale, The orca (Killer) whale and humpbacks. Other marine life that are seen in and near Portland are the family of seals that live near the boat ramp, occasionally a fairy penguin will be seen at nun’s beach and in Portland Bay on regular occasions the dolphins visit when the schools of fish swim in. Our gannets come over to the Land at Cape Grant to have their young through the summer months, we have Maremer dogs their to watch over and protect them. Normally they live out on St Lawerence Rock or migrate further west. Along the way to Nelson and within the Cobobonee forest you may come across a wedge tail eagle or emus
Visit some fantastic wineries and the lavender farm in the Henty Wine Region.
See www.hentywineregion.com.au
Walk through the beautiful Portland Botanical Gardens - One of the first public gardens to be established in Victoria and feature a bluestone Curator's Cottage, croquet lawns and 1300 dahlias planted each year. (add image off botanical gardens)

For further information, see www.portlandholidays.com.au or www.greatoceanrd.org.au