Portarlington Pier

The pier walkway is sheltered and features aboriginal sea life artwork on the glass. Houses and a hill can be seen in the background.

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Explore

Portarlington Pier

Portarlington Harbour is home to a mussel fishing industry and Port Phillip Ferries. It is popular with anglers and a destination offering an enjoyable day by the bay. 

Nestled on the edge of a coastal village, Portarlington Harbour is a busy working harbour with commercial and recreational boat traffic, the home of Port Phillip Ferries and a popular destination offering an enjoyable day by the bay.  

The Harbour offers boating visitors short term berths and swing moorings (for vessels up to 14 metres) for a maximum of 5 days within a 14 day period. These are free and available on a first come, first served basis.  

Anglers fish from the Portarlington Pier, swimmers take a dip in the surrounding beaches and visitors from near and far enjoy sweeping views of Corio Bay and the Melbourne skyline. The Portarlington township and foreshore facilities, including a barbecue, picnic area and playground are nearby.  

Things To Do

 
Fishing boats at Portarlington.

Boating in Portarlington Harbour

Portarlington Harbour provides a range of berthing and mooring options. There are different zones which allow users to enjoy the harbour and keep everyone safe around a newly redeveloped pier.

Walking in Portarlington Harbour

Take a walk and explore Portarlington pier and harbour. There is plenty to see any day of the year, whether you explore the beach, the pier or the breakwater, lookout for artwork, wildlife or watch the sunset.

Port Phillip Ferries

Port Phillip Ferries offer a regular commuter service between Melbourne’s Docklands, Geelong and Portarlington. Visit the Port Phillip Ferries page for ticket prices and timetables.
A father and son fish in the surf at Belfast Coastal Reserve

Fishing in Portarlington Harbour

Portarlington Harbour provides a great base for fishing both for the novice and more experienced. A variety of species are seasonaly-caght including snapper, salmon and squid.

Portarlington Harbour

Keep an eye out for:

Dolphins
Fish
Seals

Tours and adventure experiences in parks

One of the best ways you can get into nature is with a Licensed Tour Operator.

There are more than 400 Licensed Tour Operators across Victoria who are ready and waiting to help you experience and connect with Victoria’s spectacular parks and waterways.

Discover more than 60 different types of nature-based experiences including hiking, mountain biking, boating, four-wheel driving, indigenous culture tours, birdwatching, surfing, diving and so much more. 

Licensed Tour Operators know all the best places to go and will plan and prepare your visit to ensure you are safe and can enjoy your nature-based adventure to the fullest.

Find a Licensed Tour Operator

How to get there

Portarlington Pier

Portarlington Harbour can be accessed by boat or by vehicle. Port Phillip Ferries runs a service between Melbourne and Geelong and private vessels can moor and berth, subject to availability and conditions. 
Portarlington Harbour

Related Sites

Need to know

Portarlington Pier

Safety

To ensure your visit to Portarlington is enjoyable and safe, please consider the following: 

  • Portarlington Harbour is a busy working harbour with commercial and recreational boat traffic. For your safety, swimming, snorkelling, scuba diving and spear fishing are not allowed within the harbour outside the designated swimming zone. Jumping and diving off the pier and structures is also prohibited. There are shallow areas and often unexpected, submerged objects. 
  • There is a designated swimming only zone within the harbour marked by signs, in water buoys and a swimming barrier. There is another open ocean swimming only zone west of Portarlington Pier. 
  • Pedestrians are requested to walk within the high-visibility pedestrian lines that are marked on the pier for safety. Access to Portarlington Pier is shared by pedestrians and vehicles. 
  • Dogs must be kept on lead at all times and clean up after your dog. 
  • Marine pests are highly invasive animals and plants usually from other parts of the world that have become established in Victoria. Marine pests cause significant damage to the health of Victoria’s marine ecosystems. Port Phillip is home to many marine pests not found elsewhere in Victoria and vessels can act as a mode of transport for marine pests. To find out how you can help stop the spread of marine pests, please see the Check, Clean, Dry video.  

 

Boating within the Harbour

Port Philip Ferries have right of way over all other vessels while navigating the harbour entrance. Refer to the Port Manager Directions No. 1.0/2018 for the Local Port of Port Phillip - Portarlington Harbour.

There is a clearly marked swimming only area at the foreshore within the Harbour, vessels are not permitted to enter this area. Additionally, the west of the Harbour is a no boating zone, and vessels should adhere to signage.

Please view our Boating in Portarlington Harbour and Moorings and Berths pages for more information about mooring within Portarlington Harbour.  

 

Notices to Mariners

Notices to Mariners (NTMs) are an official notification issued to mariners providing advice on aids to navigation (AtoNs), safety issues, dangers or hazards to navigation within chartered waters of which authorities have knowledge. 

How we keep it special

We aim to ensure that our valued parks, and the natural assets and cultural heritage they hold, can be enjoyed now and by future generations. Take a look at how we manage water.  
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