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Portland

Casterton

Nelson

About Portland

Portland is the largest city in Glenelg Shire, which is the largest municipality in the Great Ocean Road region with a total area of 6,212 km2. The city has a population of 10,900 (2018) and was the site of Victoria’s first permanent settlement. It is the only deep sea port between Adelaide and Melbourne supporting export industries, production and manufacturing. Forestry and Wind Farm projects, along with agriculture further diversify the Glenelg Shire economy. A thriving fishing industry remains as a legacy to the original colonial settlers with the cruise ship industry growing in recent years. Tourism is a growing industry sector with visitors attracted to the superb wildlife viewing opportunities (including whale watching), stunning coastline, national parks and historic and  cultural sites.

In 2019 the Budj Bim cultural landscape, home to the Gunditjmara traditional owners, gained UNESCO world heritage status, recognising the significance of the aboriginal history, particularly around aquaculture in the area. The Gunditjmara engineered and constructed channels, traps and ponds to farm eels and other fish, with evidence of this early aquaculture dated at 6700 year old. Alongside the ancient engineering are the remains of stone village sites where Gunditjmara families would live with their traditional beliefs and cultures.

About the Portland Brand

Portland gives visitors the opportunity to face the challenges of Victoria’s ocean frontier with big fishing, big surf and interactions with big nature; leaving visitors with a sense of adventure, excitement and wonder. 

We’re for the bold adventurers and wild spirits. Those who aren’t scared to go to the end of the earth, because they want to experience nature at its most awe inspiring. Those who live big. 

We’re a place where legends are made. 

Strategic Priorities

• Build a strong collaborative approach to marketing and promotion of a consistent Portland brand narrative

• Collaboration between all visitor economy stakeholders, businesses and the community

• Planning and supporting infrastructure for appropriate transport, amenities and product to grow Portland’s visitor economy

• Support the development of products, services, experiences and activities to cater to new markets and encourage longer stays

• Enhance the visitor experiences and improve the quality of our visitor servicing

About Casterton

Casterton is the most North Westerly town in the Great Ocean Road region and is an importantly regional hub servicing a large area of farms.  It is close to Hamilton and the South Australian border, making it a popular stop on route to and from Mount Gambier and the Coonawarra and Limestone Coast region of South Australia.  Casterton is the birthplace of the Kelpie, Australia’s working dog, and celebrates this with the Casterton Kelpie Muster held each June, the Australian National Kelpie Centre – an interactive exhibition sharing the space of Casterton’s accredited Visitor Information Centre, and a sculpture trail of Kelpie themed artworks around the township. 

Strategic Priorities

 
• Develop Leadership, Collaborations and Strategic Partnerships

• Destination Development

• Destination Marketing

• Visitor Servicing

About Nelson

Nelson is located in the South West of the Great Ocean Region, on the Glenelg River and near the South Australian border. Famed for idyllic fishing conditions, it is a popular pilgrimage for those wanting to hook an elusive Mulloway.  A small community positioned within the Lower Glenelg National Park and near the Discovery Bay Coastal Park, Nelson is popular with nature lovers, walkers traversing the Great South West Walk, kayakers on the Glenelg River Canoe Trail, birdwatchers, divers and snorkellers exploring nearby Piccaninnie Ponds and sinkholes in the Limestone Coast region (in SA). 

About the Nelson Brand

For those inspired by close encounters with nature, Nelson offers an untamed corner of south-west Victoria where visitors can cruise through their days enjoying an incomparable array of rare, untainted coastal adventures, (on land, sea, river, gorge, cave) and leave feeling tranquil, recharged and intimately connected to a place and its people. 

Strategic Priorities

• Destination Marketing

• Foster a connected and supportive community

• Product and visitor services development to grow length of stay and repeat visitation

• Development of support infrastructure and amenities to maximise access to Nelson’s Natural attraction

• Population attraction