Portarlington – Parish of Bellarine
Thomas pondered the red sky slowly ghosting the normally distinct You Yangs in the distance. The glowing Mallee dust had been pushed this way before but the outline of the ranges was fast disappearing. On a clear day, the ridge of Mount Macedon could be seen across Corio Bay, not today. The haze was pushing in from the North country, slowly working its way to the coastal abodes.
Perhaps a visit to Queenscliff to escape the approaching earthy plume on one of the Cobb & Co wagons to catch some breeze off the winds of Bass Strait is a thought worth considering. Queenscliff is only 14 miles and it is certainly a fine ride through farmlands, grazing and forest country. The service at 11:05 AM would suit just fine, by then the passenger steamer ‘Despatch’ would have arrived from Melbourne carrying the box of apples Thomas had been waiting for, and thanks to his cousin Annie, would soon be sitting on his front porch.
Thomas’ nervous thumb flicked the pages of the Sentinel. Today’s edition featured a story and a new technology being introduced at the World Fair in France – A telegraphic transfer of photos! Thomas struggled with this idea… Images from across the seas being sent to post office services from distant and unseen locations. The mind does boggle indeed.
How Many Apples ?
Truly a riddle for the ages and well riddled enough to allow the reader time to contemplate whilst sitting on his verandah overlooking Corio Bay on a balmy Saturday in late November 1914.
“Some say Adam 8 and Eve 2-a total of 10 apples. But if Eve 8 and Adam 82, certainly the total is 90: Scientific men, however, who demonstrates that the Antediluvians were a race of giants, reason something like this: Adam 81 and Eve 82-total, 163. Wrong again. What is clearer than that if Eve 81 and Adam
812, the total is 893? But if Eve 811st and Adam 812, they would have eaten 1623. But, on the other hand, if Eve 814 Adam, and Adam 814 Eve, they together consumed 1628. But if Eve 814 Adam, and Adam 81242 oblige Eve, they consumed 82,056 apples. However, admitting that Eve 814 Adam, and Adam, if he 81281242 keep Eve company, which would make 81,282,056. The truth of the matter is, however, none of these. Eve when she 81812 many. Adam, to relieve her distress at the mistake she had made, 812. Therefore, Adam, if he 81814240fy Eve’s depressed spirits. Hence both ate 81,896,052 apples..”…..
Featured front page of the Queenscliff Sentinel, Drysdale, Portarlington, Sorrento Advertiser November 21 1914.
*Originally published in the Michigan Argus, October 20, 1876
Early Portarlington history
A holiday resort for more than 100 years the Portarlington region was previously home to The Wathaurong People. There have been various archaeological finds over the years which have discovered hunting tools and shells throughout the Portarlington area. Escaped convict William Buckley lived around the area with the Wathaurong people for 32 years from 1803. It was not until 1835 that the next European visitor arrived in the area when John Batman established a camp at Indented Head.
Many Melburnians took the one-hour trip on steamers from Williamstown in the early nineteenth century. The township of Portarlington was formally surveyed around 1850 and was at that time named Drayton. It was renamed Portarlington in 1851. Housing lots were sold in Portarlington from 1851, about eight years after Anne Drysdale settled at nearby Drysdale on her pastoral run.