Portsea Who's Who
Public Profile
Michelle Baxter
welcome to Blessings by Design Art Studio
I'm the owner, founder, and lead teacher of Blessings by Design Art Studio , a creative space where children and families come to explore art, build confidence, and have fun making something they're proud of.
My background is in working with children. I have worked in special education for over 20 years ,and taught art classes for the past 15 years and in the last few years I worked as an Outside School Hours Care Coordinator, leading programs for children from preschool to Year 6. I loved every part of it — building relationships with families, designing engaging activities, and creating an environment where every child felt safe, valued, and excited to be there.
That experience shaped everything I bring to the studio today.
Blessings by Design
I'm not interested in being the biggest art studio — I'm focused on being the best for the families who walk through our door.
That means small class sizes, thoughtful lesson planning, quality materials, and genuine connection.
When you join a class with me, I'll know your child's name, their favourite colour, what they love to draw, and what makes them light up. I'll celebrate their wins and gently encourage them through the tricky bits. Art isn't just about the finished piece — it's about confidence, focus, problem-solving, and joy.
I'd love to welcome your family into our creative community.
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Distinguished and Famous people from Portsea
🌊 Harold Holt
Prime Minister Harold Holt disappeared while swimming at Cheviot Beach near Portsea on 17 December 1967. His body was not recovered, and the unsuccessful search became a national event. Police reporting found no indication that the disappearance was anything other than accidental, describing rough seas, strong winds and difficult currents. Later speculation has often overshadowed that evidence. The documented story is already striking enough: an experienced swimmer familiar with the beach entered dangerous water and did not return. National Archives records preserve the search, witness accounts and the political arrangements that followed the sudden loss of a serving prime minister.
🎖️ John Monash
John Monash’s military experience included the coastal defences at Point Nepean, near Portsea. Attached to the Melbourne Garrison Artillery, he rose to command Fort Nepean by 1897. The fort guarded the entrance to Port Phillip through an interconnected system of gun positions and supporting facilities. That service preceded the First World War command for which he is best remembered, providing years of practical military responsibility before the European battlefields. His association gives the peninsula’s fortifications a personal dimension: they were training and working places for officers and soldiers whose later careers would extend far beyond the bay entrance.
