IT was a huge turnout on the first day of the annual Portland SUFM Kids’ Program on Tuesday.

THE Portland Croquet Club will host their biggest tournament of the year today with players from across Victoria and South Australia coming to compete.

THE Bush Nippers Education Program returned to Narrawong for its third kick off this week.

THE results may not have gone their way, but Portland’s junior cricketers have shown plenty of promise during their country week tournaments over the past few days.

RENOWNED local musician and film director Richard Frankland has been tipped for a resurgence in popularity, with a new album on the way and a performance booked for this year’s WOMAD festival.

PORTLAND’S women’s basketballers in the Country Basketball League are raring to go ahead of their home matchup with Warrnambool this evening.

THE best of Portland and surrounds will be on offer this weekend with a series of special events sure to delight both locals and visitors.

THE Southern 500 Speedway will be returning to action tomorrow, with their headline races being the Anton Domburg Memorial Caravan Race and the Standard Saloon King of the Ring, in what is one of their most popular annual events.

THERE must be something special about holidaying at the Narrawong Island Holiday Park, because many of the campers there have been returning to the same spot for decades.

AARON Lindsey has this season put his hand up once again to coach at the junior level, taking the helm of Portland Coasters’ under-12 boys’ team, and he told the Observer it’s the continuation of a near life-long involvement with basketball in many different capacities.