PORTARLINGTON Portarlington is a small coastal town on the Bellarine Peninsula. Not being too far from Geelong has proven to be a bayside popular retreat. In a bygone era Portarlington was a very popular tourist hide out for Melbournians. Portarlington is also a very pretty town and proud community. Heritage is clearly important. The English explorer, Mathew Flinders landed from his ship, the Cumberland, at Portarlington with an expedition and spent several days exploring the Bay coastline to Point Cook. They were impressed by the fine pasture and soil in the Bellarine Hills. The township of Portarlington was formally surveyed around 1850 and was at that time named Drayton. It was renamed Portarlington in 1851, in honour of the English peer, Sir Henry Bennet, 1st Earl of Arlington, Portarlington also has a large number of Maltese, Croatian, Italian and Islander immigrants. The Portarlington Museum is the Old Mill building and heritage display. Portarlington has two hotels are both heritage listed. The Grand Hotel is a fabulous old building. Be sure to spend some quality time at this great pub. The Portarlington War Memorial overlooks the Corio Bay. The Anglican Church is a heritage building the Catholic and United are modern. Portarlington is a great town. To get the best out of the place be sure to have a stopover visit.