Combining tourist material with the town's nautical history, the Portland Maritime Discovery and Visitor Information Centre is a prime stop for all out-of-towners. Exhibits within the complex explore both ocean mysteries and the culture of the people who first established Portland's port. Within the museum, visitors can sit within the skeletal remains of a sperm whale and view a paper mache model of the two-ton great white shark caught offshore in 1982. The Portland Lifeboat, the oldest intact vessel in Australia, is also on display at the discovery center, along with information on the more than 18 local shipwrecks, many of which can be seen in person on snorkeling and scuba diving trips operated by local businesses.
Visitors who would rather go sailing across the Great Australian Bight than diving into it can hop on a 45-minute seal watching tour. Seals by Sea Tours takes passengers on a voyage around nearby Cape Bridgewater, where a colony of more than 650 Australian fur seals have taken up residence among the calcified sand dunes. The rafts also venture into the area's Watery Cave, where they promise guests unique photograph-worthy interaction with the seals. On the journey, guests might also be treated to sightings of other local wildlife, including dolphins, penguins, albatrosses, Elephant Seals or a variety of whales. Newly accredited as an eco-certified tourism business, environmentally-minded tourists can request to take their trip on an eco-friendly vessel.
There's plenty of outdoor activity to be had in and around Portland with its number of marked bushwalking trails and two nearby state parks. Within Cape Nelson State Park, visitors can partake in the Sea Cliff Nature Walk to view the impressive coastline or hop on a section of the Great South West Walk to explore the inland terrain. Within the park, nature enthusiasts might catch a glimpse of unique Australian wildlife, such as a kangaroo, a wallaby or an echidna. The park's main attraction is the Cape Nelson Lighthouse Reserve, which offers tours daily with views of the coast and bay where visitors might glimpse whales feeding or dolphins and seals playing. The reserve also features a small café serving light meals and two cottages available for overnight stays.
