VICTORIA’S 100TH YEAR

Taranaki Daily News, 14 November 1934, Page 5

VICTORIA’S 100TH YEAR

REAL CENTENARY BEGINS PORTLAND CELEBRATIONS FIRST. TINY SETTLEMENT DUKE TO VISIT THE TOWN By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright Melbourne, Nov. 13. Although the ceremonies relating to the centenary have been in progress for several weeks at Melbourne, a series of events which began to-day at Portland, a small coastal town about 200 miles west of Melbourne, marks th© 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 Lieut 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 Trouvilte, 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 story of the settlement began, in England in the ancient village of West Tarring, 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 history 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 came to 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 this- week will depict the landing of the Hentys. Scenes of 100 years ago will be reenacted and spectators, will dwell for a brief space among the. pages, of a Hying history; For months past all available accommodation at Portland has been booked for the period of the celebrations and the peaceful Httle town on its picturesque bay- is crowded as it has never been before.