100 YEARS OLD

Southland Times, Issue 22478, 14 November 1934, Page 7

100 YEARS OLD

PORTLAND BAY FIRST SETTLEMENT IN VICTORIA CENTENARY PAGEANT (United Press Assn—Telegraph Copyright.) (Rec. 5.5 p.m.) Melbourne, Nov. 13. Although the ceremonies relating to the centenary have been in progress for several weeks in Melbourne, a series of events which began to-day in Portland, a small coastal town about 200 miles west of Melbourne, mark the real Centenary of the dawn of Victoria’s history. These celebrations will continue till November 19, when the Duke of Gloucester will make a special visit in the Sussex to take part in some of the elaborate pageantry upon the preparation of which the townsfolk of Portland have been engaged for many months past. The history of Portland Bay goes back to 1800 when it was discovered by Lieutenant Grant, of the Lady Nelson, and duly charted. In 1802 another famous navigator, Matthew Flinders, passed by but did not enter. Only a few days before, however, a Frenchman anchored in the bay and named it Trouville, but he did not hoist the Tricolour; Portland thus missed being a French settlement. For some years before sealers and whalers had used the bay as a headquarters, but they were never regarded as settlers. The actual story of the settlement began back in England, in the ancient village of West Tarring, in Sussex—the name strangely enough of the warship which has brought the King’s son to Victoria to the Centenary celebrations. In West Tarring lived the Henty family, who were destined to go down in hirtory as the virtual founders of the State of Victoria. Thomas Henty was a breeder of Merino sheep from the famous stud of George 111. The Hentys were among the first to respond to the call of the colonies, and in 1829 they arrived in Australia for the purpose of taking up land. After many unsuccessful attempts to obtain land to their liking they eventually landed at Portland to settle, after having previously inspected and approved the surrounding country as suitable for grazing. Thus, with four heifers, four working bullocks, five pigs, two turkeys, some fowls, and dogs, a plough, a fishing boat, a frame house and tents, Portland, which they named after the Duke of Portland, came into being as Victoria’s first settlement on November 19 1834. A portion of the pageant which will be presented to the Duke of Gloucester when he attends at Portland will depict the landing of the Hentys. Scenes of 100 years ago will be re-enacted and spectators Will dwell for a brief space among the pages of a living history. For months past all available accommodation in Portland has been booked for the period of the celebrations, and the peaceful little town on its picturesque bay is crowded as it has never been before.