Portland
Portland is one of South West Victoria’s most important commercial and industrial hubs. Its deep sea port is a major export point for grain, wool, timber, livestock and metals produced across regional Victoria. Portland is also an important fishing port.
Portland is in the Glenelg Shire area.
On this page:
Location information
Climate
In summer (January), Portland's average minimum temperature is 13.1 degrees, and the average maximum is 21.9. In winter (July) average temperatures range from a minimum of 6.5 to a maximum of 13.6. The town's average annual rainfall is 830.0mm.
Population
9820 (Source: ABS Census 2006).
Cultural diversity
Around 14 percent of people living in Portland were born outside Australia.
Migrants have settled in Portland from:
- England (2.3%)
- New Zealand (1.0%)
- Netherlands (0.7%)
- Scotland (0.6%)
- Germany (0.3%)
Around seven percent of people living in Portland speak a language other than English at home.
Languages spoken in Portland include:
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Finding a job
Key industries and employers
The top five industries by employment in Portland are:
| Industry | Basic non-ferrous metal manufacturing | Hospitals | School education | Structural metal product manufacturing | Supermarket & grocery stores |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| % | 7.9 | 5.2 | 5.1 | 4.7 | 4.1 |
Local skill shortages
There is no specific information available on skills shortages in Portland. Information on skills shortages in the Barwon South West region is available on the South West Victoria map page.
Job search links
To see jobs currently available in Portland, visit:
Lifestyle information
Housing and accommodation
In the year to April 2008, the median price of houses sold in Portland was $215,000.
In December 2007, the median rent for a two-bedroom flat in Portland was $150 per week, and the median rent for a three-bedroom house was $210 per week.
For information about local hotels, motels and caravan parks, visit the Glenelg Shire's accommodation directory.
To find a local real estate agent, visit the REIV agent directory, type 'Portland' into the search box, select 'suburb' and then press 'search'.
Healthcare
Portland District Health is the main health service in Portland. For information about healthcare providers in the Portland area, please visit the Victorian Better Health Channel's health services directory.
More information on Victoria's healthcare system can be found in the Health & Medical section.
Schools
For information on schools in Portland, visit the Schools Online website and search for ‘Portland’. More information on Victoria's education system can be found in the Education & Childcare section.
Travel
Distance and travel time
Portland is 362km south west of Melbourne. You can travel from Portland to Melbourne by:
- car (4 hours 15 minutes)
- train & coach (4 hours 45 minutes)
- air (1 hour 30 minutes)
Nearby towns are:
- Warrnambool (100km)
- Hamilton (86km)
Public transport
Buses operate around Portland, and between the town and surrounding areas. For specific routes and timetables, please visit the regional bus information on VicLink and select from the drop down list.
Places of worship
For information about where you can practice your faith, please visit your religion's Australian website. To find it, visit Google, type in the name of your religion, and select 'pages from Australia'.
Sport and recreation
For more information about sport and recreation in Portland, please visit the Glenelg Shire website.
Portland attractions
- Take a walk around the Historic Buildings trail
- Watch the fishing feet come in
- Swim, surf or walk along some of the region's pristine beaches
- Visit the Maritime Discovery Centre
- Heywood Wood, Wine and Roses Festival (February)
- Portland Bay Festival (November)
Migration tools
Last updated: 22 January 2009
State Government of Victoria