Portland By Cable Tram & coach

OVERVIEW

Enjoy an overview of Portland by riding a cable tram through town and then boarding a motor coach for a carefree drive through the beautiful surrounding countryside. After departing from the pier, you will begin a delightful ride through Portland in a replica of the cable trams that once ran in Melbourne starting in the mid-1880s. As the tram winds through town, you will view many of the notable landmarks, including the Powerhouse Car Museum and a maritime museum with exhibits that trace Portland’s whaling industry. Continuing on, you will pass a botanical garden that was established in 1857 and a World War II memorial with a lookout tower. The cable tram presents an excellent overview of Portland and attractions that you may wish to explore later on your own. You will also see the highlights on the outskirts of town after boarding a motor coach. The surrounding landscape is wonderfully rolling and the unspoiled coast is particularly scenic. Wallabies are often spotted in the coastal scrub, so be sure to look for these herbivores that resemble medium-sized kangaroos. Most of the neighboring wind farms are also along the coast, and the electricity they generate supplies the national grid. Some of the wind turbines rise above Cape Nelson, where you will stop at the bluestone lighthouse, which dates to 1884. For the best view of the coast, climb to the top of the lighthouse before returning to the pier.

HIGHLIGHTS

• See Portland from a heritage cable tram like the ones Aussies rode in over a century ago.
• Travel by coach out to scenic bushlands where wallabies roam and turbines spin in the coastal winds.
• Visit the landmark lighthouse at the tip of Cape Nelson, remarkably well preserved given its position.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.