Help bring business back to Port

PORTARLINGTON traders have hailed a series of free rock and roll concerts held on their foreshore as a huge success, with the initiative attracting more visitors and business to the seaside town.

The Portarlington Business Development Association was behind Rock @ the Rotunda, after it received a $10,000 grant from Business Victoria to help “Revive and Recover the Northern Bellarine”.

Hundreds of people turned out to hear Pleasure Drive, a band that relives the cool rock classics from the 60s and beyond, over seven weekends.

Portarlington Business Development Association president John Rae said the results were fabulous for local traders, who all reported a significant increase in sales.

“This was due to the free concerts as people stayed for the total concert, then shopped again, which was the strategy set up by the PBDA,” Mr Rae said.

He said the traders had all requested the initiative be repeated again this November, December and January, so they were now on the hunt for another grant.

“Thanks to everyone who generously gave time and money to enable this to be a huge success.”

Mr Rae said the rock and roll concerts were just one initiative the PBDA came up with as part of its “Support Port Program”, to bring business back to the town following the pandemic, and that local residents were keen to get involved.

He and PBDA treasurer Ashley Andrew created the program aimed to increase visitors to Portarlington and hold them for a period of time, rather than just a day’s visit.

“We were contacted by Zoran who is in a band with Les and Peter called Pleasure Drive,” Mr Rae said.

“He asked what could they do to assist the Portarlington community.

“Phil Cameron, president of the Community Information Booth, made it available at no cost and his team assisted each weekend, while Richard Underwood from the mussel festival provided us with shelter that would protect the band at no cost, and Joe from Daniel Donuts, plus Terry from The Portarlington Bakehouse, provided coffee and food for the band at no cost.

“Then of course is the band, Les, Peter and Zoran, who performed over the seven weeks at a much reduced rate.”

Lainey Rae produced the weekly advertising flyers and the traders placed them on their windows and Rick at the post office ran enlarged flyer copies each week.

“The final free concerts were on Easter Saturday and Easter Sunday and we were able to invite 10 rock n roll dancers to the weekend and they were sensational as they danced and encouraged locals to join in,” he said.

“Thanks also to Port Phillip Ferries for the return trip tickets given out as prizes to various dancing couples.”

Mr Rae said Portarlington was a fabulous place to live, and if you did not live there, it was also a fabulous place to visit.