Portland, New South Wales facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Portland New South Wales
Portland Location in New South Wales
Population	2,424 (2016 census)
Postcode(s)	2847
Elevation	925 m (3,035 ft)
Location	26 km (16 mi) NW of Lithgow 48 km (30 mi) ENE of Bathurst, New South Wales 30 km (19 mi) S of Capertee
LGA(s)	City of Lithgow
State electorate(s)	Bathurst
Federal Division(s)	Calare
Localities around Portland: Cullen Bullen Portland Blackmans Flat Sunny Corner Mount Lambie

Portland is a town in the Central Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia. In 2016, about 2,424 people lived there. The town got its name from Australia's very first cement factory.

Where is Portland Located?

Portland is a gateway to the Central West region. It sits between several towns like Oberon, Mudgee, Bathurst, and Lithgow. It is also close to the famous Blue Mountains.

You can easily reach Portland from major roads. These include the Great Western Highway and the Castlereagh Highway. The town center has shops, parks, and places for sports.

A Look at Portland's History

Before Europeans arrived, the Wiradjuri people lived in the Portland area. The first European to explore here was James Blackman in 1820. Some places, like Blackman's Flat, are named after his family.

Portland is special because it was a mining town. It was also home to Australia's first cement factory. In 1863, Thomas Murray built his first lime kiln here. This was a big step for the area.

The railway came to Portland in 1882. The first train station opened in 1887. It was first called Cullen Siding. In the early 1890s, the first cement-making kilns west of the Blue Mountains were built in Portland.

In 1894, the village was officially named Portland. This name came from the cement-making process. The big cement works opened in 1902. Portland was then declared a town in 1906. Many old buildings in Portland were built by the cement company for its workers. These buildings are still standing today.

Historic Places in Portland

Portland has some important heritage-listed sites. These are places that are protected because of their history.

• Carlton Road: Raffan's Mill and Brick Bottle Kilns
• Williwa Street: Portland Cement Works Precinct

The Famous Cement Works

The Commonwealth Portland Cement Works around 1950.

From 1902, the "Commonwealth Portland Cement Company" made cement. This cement helped build big cities like Sydney, Melbourne, and Canberra. The cement made here was called "Portland cement". It was known for its high quality. The company used limestone from nearby quarries.

The town of Portland grew around this factory. The company helped the town a lot. They built things for their employees. These included a bath house, a casino, an ice skating rink, and an Olympic swimming pool. They even built homes for workers. The cement kilns made enough energy to power nearby houses!

The factories needed to move materials like limestone and coal. So, special railways were built for this purpose.

Portland's Climate and Weather

Portland is high up, about 925 meters above sea level. This makes it one of the highest towns in Australia. It has a temperate climate, meaning it has four clear seasons. Winters are cool with snow, and summers are warm.

The Crystal Theatre

The Crystal Theatre was first built as a theatre and public hall. Sadly, the original building burned down in 1925. Today, new movies are shown there once a month. Volunteers look after the hall, and the community can use it for events.

Signs of Yesteryear Project

In 2001, a signwriter named Ron Bidwell had a great idea. He and other signwriters, called "Letterheads," decided to bring old signs back to life. They painted vintage advertisements from 1895 to 1945 on local shop walls.

This project was called "Painting Portland." Thirty-four signwriters came to Portland. They worked with locals to restore and repaint old ads. You can see colorful signs for things like Goanna Salve, Kinkara Tea, Bushell's Tea, and Arnott's Biscuits.

For the last 20 years, the "Portland Wallnuts" still meet every October. They celebrate their past work and keep the tradition of traditional signwriting alive. More than 200 signwriters from all over the world have helped. They have painted over 280 signs, keeping the "Signs of Yesteryear" alive!

Sports and Clubs

Portland has many places for sports and activities:

• Portland Golf Club
• Portland Bowling Club
• Portland Olympic Pool
• Portland Colts Rugby League Club
• The Showground
• Gindaay Youth Centre
• Portland District Motor Sports Club

Schools in the Area

Here are some schools in and around Portland:

• Portland Central School
• St Josephs School Portland
• Cullen Bullen Public School
• Meadow Flat Public School

Outdoor Fun and Nature

Portland is surrounded by beautiful nature. There are national parks, forests, and farming areas. Many spots are great for outdoor activities.

Right next to town is a large area called the Town Common. It has a creek and open eucalypt forest. You can see many native wildflowers and trees like Red Stringybark. It's a popular spot for picnics, mountain biking, and bushwalking. There's also a dam with lots of birds and wildlife. You might spot Yellow Tailed Black Cockatoos, Crimson Rosellas, King Parrots, and Eastern Grey Kangaroos.

The forests nearby are popular for 4WD vehicles and dirt bikes. You can go bush camping in places like Sunny Corner and Ben Bullen State Forests.

Portland is also a fun place for geocaching. This is like a treasure hunt using GPS. It's also good for rogaining and orienteering, which are outdoor navigation sports. The town is close to several national parks, including Wollemi National Park and Gardens of Stone National Park.

You can find wild foods in Portland depending on the season. In spring, wild apples and stone fruits bloom. Summer is great for ripe blackberries (though they are a weed) and other fruits. In autumn, apples, pears, and quince are ready. The forests are also full of mushrooms. Some safe ones to eat are Lactarius deliciosus and Boletes.

If you like fishing, you can find trout in local streams. Thompson's Creek Dam is a well-known spot. It's a short walk from the carpark through Falnash State Forest.

Getting Around Portland

A railway station opened in Portland in 1887. It was first called "Cullen Siding" and then renamed Portland in 1889. The station moved to a new spot in 1911. Passenger train services stopped in 1985.

Today, Lithgow Buslines runs services from Lithgow to Portland. They also travel between Lithgow and Bathurst, stopping in Portland. NSW TrainLink also has coach services that go from Lithgow to Gulgong, passing through Portland.

See also

In Spanish: Portland (Nueva Gales del Sur) para niños