Portland
Lying between Lithgow and Bathurst is the historic mining town of Portland - “the town that built Sydney”. It was once a vibrant little town built up around the Portland cement works.
Portland, apparently named after the Isle of Portland, near Dorset on the south coast of England was gazetted as a village on 3rd march 1894. It was not declared a town until 1906.
In 1883 the railway arrived, with the station known as Cullen Siding until 1889.
The town has struggled to regain its former economic strength since the cement works closed. Mt Piper Power Station and the coal mines located nearby are the industrial focus of the town. People coming to enjoy a country lifestyle close to Sydney are producing an increasing number of new businesses.
Set in a rural atmosphere of sheep and cattle farms which are are breaking up into smaller holdings you now also see goats, alpacas, horses, olives, chestnuts and grapevines making inroads.
You will also find a growing 'Artistic' community in and around the township.
In 1893 Thomas Murray selected a portion of land on what was later to become the site of Portland and established the first lime kiln. The Cullen Bullen Lime & Cement Company commenced operations and the first cement making kilns west of the mountains were built in the late 1880's.
The two bottle kilns are still to be seen - they are located on the far side of the Cement Works from the town - on the northern edge.
The Portland Cement Works opened in 1902. Cement produced was shipped to Sydney (hence 'the town that built Sydney') and around Australia until the works were closed in 1991. It is estimated that almost 18 million tonnes of limestone were quarried.
The Lithgow
Town and around Website
