Heritage Citation Report – Portland Foreshore

Heritage Citation Report

Name Portland Foreshore

Address Lee Breakwater Road, Portland

Place Type Recreation / Civic

Citation Date 14 June 2016

Heritage listings Victorian Heritage Inventory (VHI) Portland Pier Railway Station (H7221-0195), VHI Cliff Street Tunnel (H7221-0279), Heritage Overlay (HO) HO129 Phoenix Canariensis, HO128 Norfolk Island Pine, Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Register (VAHR) Portland Foreshore 1 (VAHR 7221-0860), Portland Foreshore 2 (VAHR 7221-0870)

Recommended heritage protection Glenelg Shire Planning Scheme (PS) Heritage Overlay (HO)

Figure 1 : Portland Foreshore, view to the north from Cliff Street

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Figure 2 : Portland Foreshore, view north

Figure 3 : Proposed HO extent

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History and historical context

Indigenous background

As noted by other researchers, information which relates to the Aboriginal occupation of the Portland area is derived from publications and other surviving forms of documentation which were compiled by early non- Aboriginal settlers, missionaries and government officials who went to the region during the mid to late nineteenth century (Barwick 1984). The following information was compiled from a number of written sources based on language research and ethno-historic observations. It should be noted that the information provided here does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Gunditj Mirring people regarding their tribal affiliations and boundaries.

Aboriginal occupation of the Portland region has been dated to at least 11,000 years ago, with use of the coastal regions demonstrated by the presence of recorded shell middens and artefact scatters (Freslov 1992; Kellaway and Rhodes 2002). Climatic change over the past several thousand years, however, has impacted the coastline of Victoria, and the date ranges may not reflect the full timeline of use (Kellaway and Rhodes 2002). According to Freslov (1992), the last 1,000 years of Aboriginal occupation became more focused on coastal and inland regions, with stable settlements established. This enabled ‘an increasingly specialised use of coastal marine and terrestrial resources’ (Freslov 1992; Kellaway and Rhodes 2002).

Prior to the non-Aboriginal arrival and settlement of Victoria, the Portland region was occupied by the Dhauwurd Wurrung (Gundidjmara) people. The Dhauwurd Wurrung (Gundidjmara) language group extended west from Warrnambool (Hopkins River), north to Mount Napier and just south of Hamilton, to just south of Casterton, and along the Glenelg River south to the coast (Clark 1990, p 54). According to Clark (1990, p 54), there were 59 different Dhauwurd Wurrung (Gundidjmara) clans. The Dhauwurd Wurrung (Gundidjmara) language was comprised of eight dialects, on a continuum (Clark 1990, p 23). Population estimates for the Dhauwurd Wurrung (Gundidjmara) range from 3,500 to 7,000 people at the time of non-Aboriginal settlement (Kellaway and Rhodes 2002).

Clans comprised the basic 'land owning' group in Aboriginal society (Clark 1990: 8; Stanner 1965). In Victoria, clans were generally patrilineal descent groups with territories defined by ritual and economic responsibilities, however, the Dhauwurd Wurrung (Gundidjmara) were of matrilineal descent (Clark 1990, p 28). Clark (1990, p 55) has listed the [Ng]Ure gundidj clan for the Portland area. The Dhauwurd Wurrung (Gundidjmara) had two moieties, the Grugidj (white cockatoo) and the Gabadj (black cockatoo); however, it is unknown which clan belonged to what moiety (Clark 1990, p 28). Clan chiefs were known as Wung’it (Clark 1990, p 28). The Dhauwurd Wurrung (Gundidjmara) language group shared 48 per cent common vocabulary with the nearby Djab wurrung, 37 per cent with the Gulidjan, and 30 per cent with the Wembawemba (Clark 1990, p 28).

It is thought that the Aboriginal people of western Victoria were in contact with whalers and sealers from the early nineteenth century (at least 1810, according to Clark (1990, p 33)). The arrival of non-Aboriginal fishermen and traders brought violence and disease, although due to their seasonal occupation, contact was not continuous (Clark 1990, p 32; Kellaway and Rhodes 2002). However, Aboriginal lifestyles were soon subject to a different set of constraints: the arrival of the Hentys affected Aboriginal land tenure arrangements (Clark 1990, p 33). Initially, Aboriginal people practised burning-off to drive away the intruders. Robinson, however, noted that the few surviving members of the Portland Dhauwurd Wurrung (Gundidjmara) clans had joined with the Gard gundidj clan of Mount Clay. By 1841, it was said that the Gard gundidj had banned Aboriginal people from going into Portland (Clark 1990, p 33).

The Hentys claimed to have an excellent relationship with the local Aboriginal people, however, reports of violence within the region exist (Clark 1990, p 33). In addition, members of the Dhauwurd Wurrung fought a guerrilla-style war against the settlers from the Stony Rises landform between Port Fairy and Mount Rouse (Clark 1990, p 33). By 1842, Aboriginal people had driven off 4,000 sheep, killed four Europeans and wounded two more (Clark 1990, p 34). Attacks were focused on land that had been host to traditional meeting places and scared sites near Mount Napier, Lake Condah and Port Fairy (Clark 1990, p 34). The attacks later became termed the Eumeralla War. By 1846, the Aboriginal resistance was broken.

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There are also records of whalers attacking and massacring clans of Aboriginal people. A site now known as the Convincing Ground – approximately 10 km north west of the Portland Foreshore, at Allestree – was the location of a massacre. Whalers murdered almost the entire Kilcarer gundidj clan, in a dispute over the butchering of a beached whale carcass, potentially in 1833-1834 (Heritage Victoria 2006; Kellaway and Rhodes 2002).

The [Ng]Ure gundidj were said to have been reduced to one man, Wor.rup.mo.un.deen/Wor-up-mo-un-deen and his five year old son by 1841. According to Clark (1990, p 80):

‘This clan united with the Borne conedeet, Kilcarer conedeet, and Cart conedeet at Mt Clay, when dispossessed of their land in the mid-1830s. Robinson noted in his 1841 journal that Aborigines had not been seen in the township of Portland for some years; they never visited the town because the Cart conedeet would not allow any person to go near the place.’

Two Aboriginal Places – Portland Foreshore 1 (VAHR 7221-0860), Portland Foreshore 2 (VAHR 7221-0870) – have been recorded at the Portland Foreshore and comprise physical remnants of previous Aboriginal use of the landscape. The Foreshore area would have provided an ideal camping/resource procurement zone for Aboriginal people prior to the non-Aboriginal occupation of Portland.

Early non-Aboriginal settlement

The non-Aboriginal use of Portland Bay extends back into the early nineteenth century, where the bay was named by Lieutenant James Grant, RN, (Captain of the Lady Nelson) in the year 1800, after the Duke of Portland (Kellaway and Rhodes 2002; Turton 1968; Wiltshire 1984). The bay was said to be ‘large enough to anchor all the navies of the world in perfect safety’, however, sealers and whalers were the first non-Aboriginal to operate in the Portland Bay area during the late nineteenth century (Wiltshire 1984). Sealers hunted Australian and New Zealand fur seals for their pelts, which they then traded. Sealers were recorded as working in Bass Strait from 1891-1892, with ships from England, France, and the United States purported to have used the area. Portland Bay was also suggested to have been used to shelter smaller vessels (Kellaway and Rhodes 2002). After seal numbers rapidly declined due to over-predation, international sealers abandoned the area, which allowed ‘colonial gangs’ to continue sealing (Kellaway and Rhodes 2002). Evidence of sealing at Portland dates back to 1822, with a sealer’s grave on Lady Julia Percy Island dated to the same year (Kellaway and Rhodes 2002).

As discussed in the previous section, whalers were present in Portland Bay from the 1820s when ‘shore-based whaling was the most profitable means of exploiting the great marine mammals, especially the Southern Right whales, which wintered each year in the bays of south-western Victoria’ (Kellaway and Rhodes 2002). Blubber from whales was boiled down on the beaches, with bone collected for use in women’s fashion accessories, such as corsets (Kellaway and Rhodes 2002). Trading vessels would then collect the oil and bone each season. Over 700 tons of oil were shipped in 1836 (Kellaway and Rhodes 2002). William Dutton was the first to establish a shore-based whaling station at Portland in 1833, at Double Corner (Kellaway and Rhodes 2002). By 1836, almost 100 whalers were operating from Portland and Port Fairy, with over seven whaling stations present at Portland by 1838 (Kellaway and Rhodes 2002). Whaling stations employed a variety of workers year round, despite the seasonal nature of the industry. Aboriginal people may also have been used as whale spotters at the Convincing Ground, where smoke signals would be sent after a whale was sighted (Kellaway and Rhodes 2002).

The Hentys, famous for being some of the first pastoralists in the Glenelg Shire, were also involved in the early whaling business (Kellaway and Rhodes 2002). Edward Henty arrived in Portland in 1834 – landing at the Portland Foreshore – with the goal of undertaking a range of activities, including whaling and farming (Heritage Victoria 2006; National Trust nd-a; Tucker, Falvey and Hyett 2010). The Hentys were the first family to permanently settle Victoria, and were ‘for their number and quality: a father and seven educated sons experienced in farming and trading, occupations of prime importance to a new colony, and importers of unusually substantial capital in money, skilled workers and thoroughbred stock’ (Bennett cited in Kellaway and Rhodes 2002).

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The Hentys established a whaling station on the Convincing Ground, which became the site of an Aboriginal massacre (discussed earlier) (Kellaway and Rhodes 2002). A ‘trypot’ (a large cauldron used to render oil from whale blubber) was located at the Convincing Ground, but is now located at the Portland Foreshore (Figure 4) (Kellaway and Rhodes 2002). Edward Henty left whaling by 1838, leaving his brother, Stephen, to run the business. Edward Henty (1810-1878) was a member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly from 1856-1861 and was recognised as Portland’s first permanent non-Aboriginal settler (Kellaway and Rhodes 2002). Whaling was eventually abandoned by the end of 1860s – with the last whale caught by Dutton in 1868 (Kellaway and Rhodes 2002).

Figure 4 : Trypot, relocated to Portland Foreshore

Maritime development and trade

The town of Portland’s origins lie in its port history. Captain Foster Fyans first suggested to Sir George Gipps (Governor of New South Wales) in 1839 that a town should be laid out at ‘The Bay’. Eighteen months after Fyans’ suggestion was heard, the proposed township was surveyed and mapped by Surveyor Charles James Tyers. The first government sale of land within the township took place in October 1840 (Wiltshire 1984). Fyans later became the first police magistrate of Portland (Tucker et al. 2010).

The port itself had a later start, with a tannery established by Walter Birmingham in 1842, sited on the beach at the location of the original Port of Portland Authority’s headquarter buildings. The main products transported from the port comprised whale produce, skins and wattle bark. This was eventually followed by wool, with dairy products, beef and potatoes also transported (Kellaway and Rhodes 2002). It wasn’t until 1846 that the first jetty was constructed, although it was described as a ‘very shaky structure’, and extended into 10 feet of water (Kellaway and Rhodes 2002; Learmonth 1960; Wiltshire 1984). Prior to this, cargo had to be loaded into lighters, and taken to anchored vessels located further out (Learmonth 1960). The first jetty was demolished in 1891, and was sometimes referred to as Henty’s Pier, although it was constructed by the Government (Learmonth 1960; Turton 1968).

According to Wiltshire (1984), another jetty was built in 1854-1855 (described as the ‘railway pier’), and was only demolished in 1970 (Figure 6) (Learmonth 1960; Turton 1968). The jetty was reported to have railway track laid in 1876 (Turton 1968). The second jetty had several sidings, which served as a group of customs buildings, with the pier railway line connected to the station yard through a sharp curve. A second railway track that served the goods shed connected to this, with locomotives forbidden access to the pier (Figure 6) (Turton 1968).

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Horses were used for shunting over the pier (Turton 1968). The final wooden jetty at Portland was erected in 1899-1901 and was the longest in the southern hemisphere at the time – measuring some 1,600 yards (1.46 km) in length, when extended in 1912 (Learmonth 1960; Wiltshire 1984). The new pier also contained a railway track, which was later removed (Turton 1968).

A boat harbour was constructed at the port in 1878-1880. The Government employed the renowned Sir John Coode in 1879 to draw up plans for Portland’s future breakwaters (Coode was brought to Melbourne to assist in Port Melbourne harbour design) (Learmonth 1960; National Trust nd-b). Coode’s suggestions included a three stage approach, which was deemed ‘beyond the means of any Government’ (Learmonth 1960). Coode provided additional advice in 1887: to open the closed work on the existing breakwater, so that sand could be removed from the area. From the end of the open piled section, the breakwater could then be further extended (200 feet north, then 400 feet north-west). These works were undertaken, and the site eventually became the Fisherman’s Wharf Breakwater, located to the east of the Portland Foreshore. Work for this was completed in June 1891 (Kellaway and Rhodes 2002; Learmonth 1960).

The Guardian first mentioned a local Portland railway in 1852, but it wasn’t until 1854 that the Geelong, Ballarat and Portland Railway Co was registered (Learmonth 1960; Turton 1968). Learmonth (1960) stated that the company was not popular with Portland residents. By 1856, a tramway was considered to be of more use to Portland than a railway, and so Parliament provided £20,000 for the construction of the Portland Tramway. Work on a nine mile section of the tramway began in 1857. Various difficulties plagued the early construction of the tramway, and by 1865 the project was abandoned (Learmonth 1960). Other private companies also attempted to construct a tramway, but they met with little success (Learmonth 1960; Turton 1968).

The modern railway (designed to connect to the Hamilton and Geelong lines) commenced preparation in 1874, when the Portland-Hamilton section was surveyed by GC Darbyshire, with the terminus at Portland North (Learmonth 1960). The first sod on the track was turned by Governor Sir George Bowen, and the railway used elements of the original unfinished tramway – embankments, tracks and cuttings (Kellaway and Rhodes 2002). Edward Henty drove the first engine into Portland on 30 October 1876, just six months after Bowen’s gesture, but the line wasn’t opened until 1878 (Learmonth 1960). The opening was celebrated by a ‘monster ball’, banquet, sports, procession, and gifts, and the driving of a train from Melbourne via Geelong and Ballarat (Learmonth 1960).

Portland Station (known at the time as Portland Pier) was opened in May 1883, and was described by The Guardian as a ‘miserable structure’ (Kellaway and Rhodes 2002; Learmonth 1960). However, the station was a ‘hub of passenger transport… (and) played a prominent role social life of the town’ (Kellaway and Rhodes 2002). A railway storage shed (or goods shed, measuring some 90 by 30 feet) was constructed at the Portland Foreshore in 1890 (Kellaway and Rhodes 2002). Rather than stimulate trade to Portland, however, the newly opened railway removed trade from the port through transporting goods overland (Moloney, Hayes and Hayes nd). The railway infrastructure at the port was gradually removed from the late 1960s, with the Port Authority taking over the railway complex, and the goods shed becoming an aquarium, known as the ‘Fish Farm’ (Kellaway and Rhodes 2002). The goods shed was the last remaining element of the former pier railway, however, was slated for demolition (Kellaway and Rhodes 2002). Various social groups, such as the Veterans Car Club, the National Trust, and Historical Societies, expressed an interest in obtaining custodianship of the shed (Moloney et al. nd).

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Figure 5 : Portland’s Foreshore, panorama photograph, courtesy of Glenelg Shire Cultural Collection (prior to 1890)

Figure 6 : (Left) Map of Portland railway infrastructure (after Turton 1968), (Right) Map of Portland railway lines (Turton 1968)

Despite the immense potential for the port, little overall development of the area took place during the mid to late nineteenth century, or the early twentieth century. The Portland Harbour Trust was established in 1950, under the auspices of three Commissioners (Kellaway and Rhodes 2002; Wiltshire 1984). The harbour was constructed from 1950-1960 at a cost of almost $12 million. The harbour was opened on 19 November 1960, and continued to be upgraded into the 1970s, by which time it had a capital spend of over $20 million (Kellaway and Rhodes 2002). The port had been designed to reflect the maritime needs of the region; a principally rural area, and shipped oats and wool (Turton 1968). However, it also catered for other industries, such as those related to ‘wool, petroleum, grain, timber and the manufacture of fertilisers’ (Australian Bureau of Statistics 1973; Kellaway and Rhodes 2002).

Recreational use

The development of the railway line might have reduced the use of Portland’s port; however, it provided new opportunities for tourism. The beach at Portland had long attracted swimmers and beachgoers, with Portland’s first beach boxes built in the 1920s. A tourist brochure from 1937, Picturesque Portland, indicated that 50 bathing boxes were present on Henty Beach and Dutton Beach (south and north of Ocean Pier respectively). By 1940, there were reportedly 70 boxes. The boxes were removed from the Foreshore by the 1980s.

Reports from the 1930s indicate that ‘a small procession made its way to the beach at 7.30 am for the purpose of having healthful exercise and practice in swimming’ each morning (Eldridge 1993). By November 1933, the

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surf lifesaving club became known as the Portland Surf Bathers and Life Saving Club, with a clubhouse built in 1936 on Henty Beach (the Town Beach) (Eldridge 1993). The club leased the land in 1939 (Eldridge 1993). An annual carnival and lifesaving displays were held by the club, encouraging attendance at the Foreshore, from 1937-1943 (Eldridge 1993).

From the mid-nineteenth century, families were known to visit Portland as a holiday destination (Kellaway and Rhodes 2002). The first public baths were built in 1858, at the end of Henty Street, and were disintegrating by the mid-twentieth century (Learmonth 1960; Tucker et al. 2010). The original bath design was found to be inadequate, and after 20 years of weathering, new baths were built in 1880 below Gawler Street (Learmonth 1960). Due to siltage from Fisherman’s Breakwater, these baths soon became dry, and so a third set of baths were constructed in 1890 (Figure 7) (Learmonth 1960). Sea-bathing was common, although the genders were separated through different time schedules, indicated by the coloured flags flown above the baths (Kellaway and Rhodes 2002).

Figure 7 : The hot and cold sea baths from 1890-1960 (the third set of sea baths) (Newton 1973)

Philip (1880) described Portland in the late nineteenth century as ‘a pretty though rather quaint-looking town, containing 3,000 inhabitants, built on the shores of one of the loveliest bays in the world, and extending in a crescent-like form from one high headland to another…The cliff scenery in the immediate vicinity of the town is bold and very striking’.

Once the railway opened, Portland became ‘a focus of annual railway excursions to the region. Trains would bring holidaymakers from Casterton, Hamilton, Port Fairy and districts on the annual Easter, Boxing Day etc. picnic days’ (Kellaway and Rhodes 2002). Special touring trains, such as the ‘Better Farming’ train, were also in operation. The end of World War One was also celebrated at Portland’s railway yards and goods shed, where the townspeople participated in a torchlight procession (Kellaway and Rhodes 2002).

During the 1940s, Henty Beach was described as ‘grassed to high tide, safe for the smallest child’ with ‘playground equipment on beach front’. Fishing was also available, with fishing trips on offer (Kellaway and Rhodes 2002).

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Figure 8 : Portland Foreshore, c1950s (unknown source)

Relevant Historical Australian Themes 2. Peopling Australia 2.1 Living as Australia’s earliest inhabitants 2.4 Migrating 2.4.2 Migrating to seek opportunity 2.5 Promoting settlement 2.6 Fighting for land 2.6.2 Displacing Indigenous people 3. Developing Local, Regional and National Economies 3.1 Exploring the coastline 3.4 Utilising natural resources 3.4.2 Fishing and whaling 3.8 Moving goods and people 3.8.1 Shipping to and from Australian ports 3.8.6 Building and maintaining railways 3.11 Altering the environment 3.11.2 Reclaiming land

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3.23 Catering for tourists 4. Building Settlements, Towns and Cities 4.2 Supplying urban services (power, transport, fire prevention, roads, water, light and sewerage) 4.5 Making settlements to serve rural Australia 4.6 Remembering significant phases in the development of settlements, towns and cities 7. Governing 7.8 Establishing regional and local identity 8. Developing Australia’s Cultural Life 8.1 Organising recreation 8.1.4 Enjoying the natural environment 8.2 Going to the beach 8.3 Going on holiday 8.5 Forming associations 8.5.1 Preserving traditions and group memories 8.5.4 Pursuing common leisure interests

Description

Physical description

The Portland Foreshore is located south of the Lee Breakwater, along the coastline (east of Bentinck Street and north of Cliff Street), south to Trawler Wharf Road. It is a designed landscape that has evolved organically over time. A number of monuments are present within the Foreshore reserve, commemorating various events and people, such as the Henty landing. The following describes the Foreshore in sections from north to south.

Lee Breakwater to Julia Street

This section of the Foreshore includes areas of reclaimed land (near the Portland Maritime Discovery Centre) and the bitumen-covered Lee Breakwater Road. The Foreshore near the Maritime Discovery Centre is grassed, with a bitumen carpark and road. A bluestone retaining wall is located to the west of Lee Breakwater Road, with a grassed area and tram tracks on the tiered upper level. A small timber and corrugated iron hut, painted in cream and green with a red pitched roof is located up a series of stairs, near modern tram tracks. Exotic tree species have been planted along the grassed areas, and include varieties of Allocasuarinas, Eucalpyts and Melaleucas.

Julia Street to Bligh Street

This section of the Foreshore straddles Lee Breakwater Road, and has a bluestone retaining wall located on the eastern edge, near a carpark (Figure 9). Metal eyelet hooks are visible in the bluestone wall. The retaining wall on the western side of Lee Breakwater Road recedes near Julia Street, allowing the tram tracks to cross Lee Breakwater Road. The modern tram tracks curve to the southern point of the bluestone wall, and run adjacent to the water. A small wooden jetty/pier and carpark are associated with the Portland Yacht Club. The Yacht Club building is constructed from yellow/cream brick, with a sloped Dutch gable roof, in corrugated iron. Brand new toilets of a circular design with art work depicting the names of vessels for assisted migration are located adjacent to the tram tracks, in the Yacht Club carpark. A twentieth century brick and Colorbond building is located opposite the Yacht Club. Large sliding steel windows are present at the front of the structure.

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To the south of the Yacht Club building, and between Lee Breakwater Road and the water, are two playgrounds. A memorial is located opposite the northern playground, on the western side of Lee Breakwater Road, accessible via a series of concrete stairs. The Foreshore area narrows to the south of the second play area, with the area to the south-west of Lee Breakwater Road comprising a cutting into a stone cliff. The tram tracks are still visible here, to the north-east of Lee Breakwater Road. A white and blue painted corrugated iron Navy facility is also present, adjacent to the tram tracks, with another playground area, public toilet (in brick) and barbeque area to the south. Exotic tree species have been planted along the grassed areas, and include varieties of Allocasuarinas, Eucalpyts, Melaleucas and Canary Island Palms. A Canary Island Palm and Norfolk Island Pine are listed on the Heritage Overlay.

Figure 9 : Bluestone wall at carpark, opposite Julia Street, view to the north

Bligh Street to Trawler Wharf Road

This section of the Foreshore straddles Lee Breakwater Road, with the modern tram tracks and a skate park located on the grassed area, adjacent to the water. The area to the south of Lee Breakwater Road comprises a cutting into a stone cliff, overgrown by grass in some places. Exotic tree species have been planted along the grassed areas, and include varieties of Allocasuarinas, Eucalpyts and Melaleucas.

Archaeological potential

Two items of archaeological potential are listed on the Victorian Heritage Inventory (VHI) within the Portland Foreshore:  Portland Pier Railway Station, Portland (VHI H7221-0195)  Cliff Street Tunnel, Portland (VHI H7221-0279)

The Portland Pier Railway Station saddles Lee Breakwater Road, at the former station location (Figure 6). It is thought that the site may have archaeological remnants of the early railway.

The Cliff Street Tunnel was designed and built by John Barrow (one of the first port engineers to inspect the harbour) in 1858 (Figure 10) (Victorian Heritage Database 2016). The tunnel was constructed as a wastewater

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tunnel from the former Portland Gaol to the foreshore. The tunnel measures approximately 104 m in length, with approximately 10 m of the tunnel within the Portland Foreshore. It is considered to be of local significance to the Portland community.

Figure 10 : Cliff Street Tunnel exit into the Portland Foreshore, view to the south

Physical condition

Good

Usage/Former usage

Railway

Maritime infrastructure

Recreation

Memorial

Recommended management

Maintain generally as existing

Comparative analysis

HO5 Esplanade Foreshore Heritage Precinct, Esplanade, Williamstown, Hobsons Bay City

The Esplanade Foreshore Heritage Precinct listing comprises the foreshore land adjacent to the Esplanade (from Thompson Street to Bayview Street, Williamstown). The Esplanade Foreshore Heritage Precinct demonstrates the 140 years of Williamstown’s recreational use, and contained the earliest public bathing facilities in the western suburbs of Melbourne. The landscaping and structures illustrate the popularity and importance of the ‘Back Beach’ from the 1890s to the 1930s. The foreshore has aesthetic significance for its

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surviving buildings and landscaping, which show the Edwardian and Interwar origins. The following buildings are considered significant: the former Williamstown Dressing Pavilion, former Band Rotunda, shelter shed, Williamstown Life Saving and Swimming Club and pool and the remnant Edwardian and Interwar landscaping including cypresses, lava rock beds planted with Mirror Bush and bluestone rubble wall.

HO161 Tooradin Foreshore Reserve, South Gippsland Highway, Tooradin, Casey City

The Tooradin Foreshore Reserve was established between the 1930s and 1960s, and includes the entrance gateways, jetty and shelter, seawall and associated mature trees. The Tooradin Foreshore Reserve illustrates the Tooradin community’s dedication to growing tourism as an industry for the area, through the improvements made to the foreshore. It also contains strong associations with the community for its long-term recreational use, and has aesthetic significance for its picturesque environment, which adds to the amenity, character and identity of Tooradin.

National Trust 71755, Mallacoota Coastal and Inlet Foreshore, Mallacoota, East Gippsland Shire

Mallacoota Coastal and Inlet Foreshore is significant for its use by Indigenous, colonial and contemporary communities. The foreshore precinct is considered to be significant due to its ‘ecological integrity, aesthetic and historical importance and accessibility for residents and visitors to the area’ (National Trust 2007). The following statement of significance was developed for the foreshore:

‘The Mallacoota Coastal and Inlet Foreshore's scientific values are significant, as they comprise vital ecological habitats for birds protected under International Agreements, and are ecologically contiguous with the Croajingolong National Park World Biosphere Reserve (declared in 1977 by UNESCO). The Mallacoota Coastal and Inlet Foreshore landscape is aesthetically significant as a natural and diverse landscape. It forms and provides access to one of very few expansive estuarine landscapes in Victoria that is both accessible and substantially undeveloped. These aspects of the region provide tourist attractions, with lookouts at Bastion Point, Mortimer's Paddock, Captain Stevenson's Point, Tip Beach and at various points along the coast. Also of aesthetic and scientific value are the wilderness views, unique geomorphology and dynamic estuarine processes. The social and historical values include on-going recreational use in the area. Bastion Point and other parts of the landscape are of social and spiritual significance to Indigenous people. Non-Indigenous communities also have social and spiritual attachment to the tranquil charm, beauty and unspoilt serenity of the landscape and many burial services have taken place in various spots. The various bushland areas and coastlines are the active interface between the township and the surrounding National Park. A network of walking tracks and long beaches enables the public to access all these areas’ (National Trust 2007).

Summary

The comparative analysis indicates that Foreshore areas are often important for their historical, aesthetic and social significance, due to their long-term use and association with local communities. In addition, their picturesque environments are of aesthetic value to local communities.

Statement of significance

What is significant?

Significant elements of the Portland Foreshore include:  The landscape and gardens, including trees  The monuments, and portable items of historical heritage eg trypot  Harbour facilities and piers  Bluestone retaining walls

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 Potential archaeological deposits associated with the former railway and the Cliff Street Tunnel  Buildings and structures associated with ongoing use of the Foreshore  Importance of the site for its past use as a recreational venue for local people, and visitors

How is it significant?

The Portland Foreshore is of historical significance (HERCON criterion A), has the potential to yield information (HERCON criterion C), demonstrates the principal characteristics of a place (HERCON criterion D), is of aesthetic significance (HERCON criterion E), social significance (HERCON criterion G), and associative significance (HERCON criterion H) to the Glenelg Shire.

Why is it significant?

The Portland Foreshore is of historical significance as it represents the pattern of the Shire’s history through its use by Aboriginal people, early settlers and contemporary cultures. While Aboriginal groups are reported in the literature to have left Portland township by the mid-nineteenth century, physical evidence of their occupation of the Foreshore is present in two Aboriginal Places registered on the VAHR. The Foreshore would have been an important resource zone for Aboriginal people, with ready access available to marine foodstuffs and supplies, with dates in the surrounding region indicating Aboriginal occupation stretching back to at least 11,000 years ago.

As Portland was the first permanent non-Aboriginal settlement in Victoria, the Foreshore represents the history of the settlement and development of Portland, for the following reasons:  The landing point for the Hentys, the first permanent settlers in Victoria  An important recreation area for Portland, with three sea baths being constructed during the nineteenth century, and association with the surf lifesaving and bathers club  The location for a railway station and goods storage area (with the railways having a turbulent start in Portland)  Associated with the development of the Port of Portland, with the first jetties and piers accessed from the Foreshore  The ongoing development of the Foreshore to meet the needs of an evolving township

The Portland Foreshore also has the potential to yield information about the history of Portland through its archaeological sites: the Portland Pier Railway Station (VHI H7221-0195) and Cliff Street Tunnel (VHI H7221- 0279).

The Portland Foreshore demonstrates the principal characteristics of a class of places, as it contains common elements associated with a Foreshore reserve: beach frontage, piers, landscaping, public amenities and recreational facilities.

The Portland Foreshore is of aesthetic significance due to the commanding views of the harbour, town, and Foreshore itself. The landscaped gardens are also of significance, due to their layout, plant specimens (including the Canary Island Palms), and structural elements, such as the bluestone walls, and memorials.

The Portland Foreshore is of social significance for the local community due to its public availability and long- term recreational use by Portland residents and tourists. Places such as the former goods shed were also of significance to a variety of local groups, such as the Veterans Car Club, the National Trust, and Historical Societies, due to its importance in the evolution of the Portland railway.

Social – Aboriginal statement if provided

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The Portland Foreshore is of associative significance for its association with the Henty family, who landed at the Foreshore. They were the first non-Aboriginal people to settle Portland, and became prominent members of the community. The family were also associated with the early whaling industry.

Recommended Controls (2016) External Paint Controls No Internal Alteration Controls No Tree Controls Yes Fences & Outbuildings Yes Prohibited Uses May Be Permitted No Incorporated Plan No Aboriginal Heritage Place Yes

References

Australian Bureau of Statistics 1973 Victorian Year Book.

Barwick, D.E. 1984 Mapping the past: an atlas of Victorian clans 1835-1904. Aboriginal History 8(2):100-131.

Clark, I.D. 1990 Aboriginal languages and clans: an historical Atlas of western and central Victoria, 1800-1900. Melbourne: Monash Publications in Geography No. 37.

Eldridge, B.J. 1993 Three Beaches: Henty beach-1931 to 1954, Narrawong beach-1955 to 1961, Bridgewater beach-1964 onwards. Portland: Portland S.L.S.C.

Freslov, J. 1992 Prehistoric and historic resources on the Victorian coast. Report to the Land Conservation Council.

Heritage Victoria 2006 Victorian Heritage Register Citation: Convincing Ground, Ferguson Road, Allestree. Report to Aboriginal Affairs Victoria.

Kellaway, C. and D. Rhodes 2002 Glenelg Shire Heritage Study: An Environmental History Part One. Report to Heritage Victoria and the Glenelg Shire.

Learmonth, N.F. 1960 The Story of a Port, Portland Victoria. Melbourne: The Portland Harbour Trust.

Moloney, D., J. Hayes and J. Hayes nd National Trust of Victoria Classification Report: Former Railway Goods Shed.

National Trust 2007 Mallacoota Coastal & Inlet Foreshore National Trust Citation. Retrieved from http://vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/places/71755.

National Trust nd-a Former Railway Goods Shed - Portland Foreshore Citation Report. Report to National Trust.

National Trust nd-b Classification Report: Fishermen's Breakwater. Report to the National Trust of Australia, Victoria.

Newton, T.P. 1973 Portland: A brief history. Portland: Newton, T. P.

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Philip, J.A. 1880 A Trip to Portland, the Watering Place of the West. Melbourne: Arnall and Jackson Printers and Stationers.

Stanner, W.E.H. 1965 Aboriginal Territorial Organisation: Estate, Range, Domain and Regime. Oceania 36(1):1- 26.

Tucker, C., L. Falvey and J. Hyett 2010 Archaeological Assessment: Portland Foreshore. A report to Glenelg Shire Council.

Turton, K.W. 1968 The Portland Railway. Melbourne: ARHS.

Victorian Heritage Database 2016 Cliff Street Tunnel, Portland. Retrieved from http://vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/places/6696#sthash.zamHWuOz.dpuf.

Wiltshire, J.G. 1984 Official Souvenir Program: Portland's 150th Anniversary. Portland.

Newspapers

Portland Guardian, Portland, Victoria 1876-1953.

This information is provided for guidance only and does not supersede official documents, particularly the planning scheme. Planning controls should be verified by checking the relevant municipal planning scheme.

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