The Portland Guardian and Normanby General Advertiser had a regular feature know as “Table Talk” presenting local news. The June 4, 1860 edition demonstrates some of the rivalries which already existed between towns in the Western District.
Table Talk. (1860, June 4). Portland Guardian and Normanby General Advertiser (Vic. : 1842-1876), p. 2 Edition: EVENINGS. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article65443736
The writer is bemused that the Ararat newspaper, presumably the Ararat Advertiser, could compare Ararat with the three coastal towns, Belfast, Warrnambool, and Portland. Also at the time, money was being spent on the road from Ararat to Warrnambool. The writer made it clear that while the Government described the road as the Ararat to Portland district road, Portland was in no way benefiting from the money which was being spent on the road.
Land sales were also making news. The Government was releasing land in the Merino, Tahara, and Digby raising concern that by the time the Land Sales Bill went through there would be little decent land to buy. Further on in the paper, several advertisements spruik the land opportunities including this one for acreage at Tahara
A “superior class” of female immigrants were making their way to Portland in the following week, the paper reports. The women had arrived in Melbourne aboard the Atalanta and were considered to be “of timely benefit to this town”.
The mail was late in Mount Gambier on June 2, arriving at 2.40pm. The correspondent surmises that something must have happened to the mailman because when he did arrive, his head was bandaged.
Western District Families 