Portarlington Mussel Tours
Boutique & intimate tour that introduces you to the art of mussel farming.
Portarlington is known as the Mussel Capital of Victoria and for good reason. Not only does this picturesque town harvest 60 per cent of Australia’s mussels, the quality is exceptional thanks to the cool depths of Port Philip Bay. The mussels cultivated by Lance Wiffen and his Sea Bounty team have been hailed as “exquisite” by leading chefs including Attica’s, Ben Shewry and Noma’s, Rene Redzepi.
Our luxury small group mussel tours ( max. of 12) give you a front row seat to the mussel farming process from the comfort of our fully refurbished 40-year-old Huon Pine vessel. Get to know the mussel masters in an informal setting and see how the mussels are lovingly cultivated. Enjoy cooking demonstration and tasting mussels and other curated Bellarine produce. All complemented by premium local wines, beers, ciders & spirits.
Gather your family, friends or colleagues for a sensational day of sea air, scenery and succulent shellfish as we take you on an exhilarating journey from spat to plate.
An experience to savour
Meet the Mussel Master
When Lance Wiffen is on the water, he knows there is no place he’d rather be. The fourth generation Bellarine farmer takes pride in harvesting top quality mussels using modern, environmentally sustainable techniques.
After starting out as a dairy farmer, Lance first took to the water in the mid-80s to pursue scallop fishing. When the industry was shut down, he turned to mussels and never looked back. Since then, Sea Bounty has earned a reputation for producing mussels of the highest quality that are distributed to discerning clients across Australia and the world.
Lance’s son, Shane, and wife, Lizzie, share his love of mussels and work alongside him and the dedicated Sea Bounty team. From the spat hatchery in Queenscliff to their sizeable mussel plot in Port Philip Bay, the Sea Bounty family is known for delivering top quality Australian produce that benefits the bay.
Corporate retreat, staff celebration or foodie friends.
Why not opt for something a little different? We can offer custom private mussel tours for groups outside of our scheduled dates. Create a boutique getaway & stay at the Portarlington Grand Hotel that has just undergone a multimillion dollar makeover. From the water to the wineries, there’s plenty to do in picturesque Portarlington.
“I felt my spirits rise…”
“When we went out on the bay with Lance, I felt my spirits rise. In the past, Lance Wiffen would have been seen as a hero and celebrated as a farmer growing such a clean, nutrient-rich and sustainable source of protein for his community. Instead, he toils away in the bay, hardly aware of the quality of the product he so lovingly farms.”
Ben Shewry, Head Chef, Attica
Ready to make some mussel memories?
Your boating adventure awaits. Secure your spot on an upcoming mussel tour and get ready to chat, relax and savour some shellfish.
