Built in 1858 at the Port and Harbour Master's yard in Williamstown Victoria, the Portland Lifeboat was overseen by Harbour Master Charles Ferguson. It is understood to have been constructed from the same moulds used to build the Port Fairy Lifeboat, designed by William White, in 1857. Both boats are similar to the lifeboats designed in England by James Peake and adopted by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) in the UK. The Portland Lifeboat's 9.14 m (30 ft) long hull is double diagonally planked in New Zealand kauri, and many of the planks run from gunwale to gunwale in one piece under the inner keel section. Eucalyptus and oregon were used elsewhere and the local blacksmith made the iron work. The fastenings are copper. There are two flotation or buoyancy tanks at either end, with prominent whaleback style decking. Under the thwarts is a deck with scuppers so that the craft is both buoyant and self draining whenever large waves are taken aboard in rough conditions. The lifeboat was oar-powered with a sailing rig. The original rig was a lug mainsail, but this was replaced with a lug and headsail rig taken from a fishing boat in 1903. The lifeboat was manned by volunteer crews, mostly local fishermen from Portland. They maintained this service until 1915 when the boat was replaced with a new motorised craft. The lifeboat's most outstanding service was to the steamer ADMELLA in 1859 when the ship grounded on a reef off Cape Banks in South Australia, 150 km to the west of Portland. Survivors clung to the rigging in heavy seas for over a week and 89 people lost their lives in the shipwreck. Taken to the scene by the steamer LADY BIRD, the Portland Lifeboat was unable to assist until eight days after the ADMELLA's grounding when the seas abated enough for the lifeboat to manoeuvre close to the ship and rescue the last 19 survivors. Since its retirement in 1915 the lifeboat has been a memorial to those who manned it and those it rescued. For a long period it was on display in the Portland Gardens, first in the open and then under a canopy. In 2008 it was on display inside the Portland Maritime Discovery Centre, still in original condition complete with the rig from 1915. It is one of the oldest vessels of its type in Australia, and the world.Portland LifeboatPhotograph showing the Portland Lifeboatphotography, portland lifeboat, admella

Hardcover book - photo of Portland Court House on frount cover, with view of part of harbour and lighthouse. 'Portland Victoria' 'In orange print 'Jocelyn Burt' - white print. Back cover - photo of fishermens Breakwater, boats and vehicles. Book contains photographs of Portland and Distrct in 1975.

Coloured photo postcard, white border. View over baths and harbour at Portland, looking south east. Third Portland Baths, Ocean Pier, Railway Pier, fishing boats, Fishermen's Breakwater, Battery Point. 'THE BATHS AND HARBOUR, PORTLAND', white print lower edge of photo. No stamp or postmark on reverseBack: Hand written message, blue biro

Souvenir stubby holder, black neoprene, composite wrap around image. Lighthouos, couta boat, tram, courthouse, Nuns Beach, Old Post Office, Bentinck St - full colourFront: 'PORTLAND DISCOVERY COAST VICTORIA' Back: INSIDE BASE- MAKER DETAILS, BASE: WHITE STICKER 'SH PORTLAND BARCODE $9.95souvenir of portland, portland harbour, whalers bluff, domestic item, stubby holder, contemporary collecting

Clear cellophane packet containing 2 souvenir coasters - black neoprene, full colour composite views, one has lighthouse, couta boat, tram courthouse, old Post Office, Bentinck St, the other has Portland harbour, lighthouse, seals. Both have 'PORTLAND VICTORIA' printded on frontsouvenir of portland, portland harbour, portland cbd

A collection of 47 negatives of photographs of Portland taken by Zillah Maschmedt. Most were taken in 1934 during the centenary celebrations for Portland. Zillah was a school teacher in Mount Gambier.NEGATIVE FOR BLACK AND WHITE PHOTOGRAPH. Boat playing part of 'Thistle' at centenary of Henty's landing anchored off Railway Pier. Photo taken from shore. Bunting on ship's rigging and along pier.zillah maschmedt, 1934, centenary celebrations, henty, portland harbour

Coloured photograph showing a government official and pilot of tour boat, on deck. Carrie Templeton (Portland Maritime Discovery Centre) on wharf, Nelson.

Port of Portland Authority Archivesport of portland archives, tug boat, trewalla

Port of Portland Authorityport of portland archives, tug boat, trewalla

Black and white photo. View of couta boat fishing fleet at anchor inside Portland HarbourBack: '56' in pencilcouta boats, fishing, vessel, marine industry, harbour

NEGATIVE FOR BLACK AND WHITE PHOTOGRAPH. View of Portland Harbour from Henty Beach. Fishermens Breakwater on right, Ocean Pier, Railway pier on left, fishing boats at anchor, surveying pegs on beach in foregroundzillah maschmedt, portland harbour

Arthur Dusting was part of the Portland Lifeboat crew. His father John had also been part of the crew and had assisted in the rescue of survivors from the wreck of the Admella.Certificate, printed in green ink, includes imagery of rescue, boatman in life vest and use of rocket equipment. Presented to Arthur Dusting (Grand father of the donor) as a mark of appreciation of his services of 15 years as a boatman with the departmental life boat service at Portland.arthur dusting, portland lifeboat, lifeboat crew, maritime, portland harbour

Black and white photo of part of vessel berthed at Portland. Crowds of people on board, more on the wharf.portland harbour, sea vessel, boat, wharf

Black and white photo. Couta boat, 'Wanderer', white hull, mainsail up, rounding Fishermen's Breakwater to enter harbour at Portland.Back: Round purple stamp: 'PRINTED BY M.E. ANDREWS, PORTLAND' 'Fishing Smack "Wanderer" returning with good haul of fish. Wanderer owned by W. Dusting' - Handwritten, black pen.

A post card depicting a painting of East Harbour AlexandriaOn back in pencil: "Alexandria 6/12/14 Dear Clarence, We arrived here Saturday morning and are anchored in this harbour. We are going off in the morning (8th) after being on the boat exactly seven weeks. It would surprise you to see the big town and large buildings in this part of the world. There are all nations here Turks, Greeks, Arabs Egyptians & French It is funny to hear the chatter when they try to sell anything. Well I will have to stop here. I will write again, Arthur" post card, alexandria