Cruise delivers for Bellarine

PORTARLINGTON was abuzz with excitement on Tuesday morning with the arrival of the Norwegian Jewel cruise ship.

Carrying 2,000 passengers and crew, droves disembarked onto the Portarlington Safe Harbour for prearranged tours across the Bellarine Peninsula whilst others shuttled into Geelong and wandered around the township.

Volunteers from Tourism Greater Geelong and The Bellarine (TGGTB) were there to meet and greet the passengers from all over the world and welcome them to the region.

Lakshmi Cashmore from TGGTB said she’d spent the day down at the port working alongside volunteers and the experience had been an amazing one.

“I’ve met Italians, people from Germany, Japanese tourist and a couple from Uruguay. There’s people from all over Europe and Asia which is amazing. It’s a different opportunity for Portarlington one that they’ve never had before.

“There’s people walking down the main street and looking in all the shops, having lunch in the major hotel and people looking around the pier. There’s also shuttle buses heading into Geelong.”

Ms Cashmore said there were tours covering wineries across the Bellarine with groups also heading to Narana Aboriginal Cultural Centre, the You Yangs, Geelong Botanic Gardens and the National Wool Museum.

“The cruise ship arrived at 7am and departs at 6pm so everyone has to be on the last tender, which leaves at 5.30pm.”