‘Open for business’: Lorne ready to embrace summer rush

FOLLOWING a tumultuous fortnight of extreme weather, Lorne and the Great Ocean Road has reopened and is ready to welcome visitors with open arms.

The small coastal hamlet and its neighbouring townships have taken a big hit after facing record-breaking rainfall and flash flooding last Thursday.

A downpour of more than 150mm of rain in just six hours caused severe structural damage and flooding through Lorne, Wye River and Cumberland River.

Only days earlier, the area, along with the rest of the state, battled extreme temperatures and a total fire ban that created challenges for the small businesses that rely on summer tourism.

With the weather now clear and the clean-up effort well underway, tourists are being encouraged to head down and throw their support behind the impacted local traders.

Lorne Beach has reopened to the public, as has most of the local walking trails and caravan parks.

Local business owner Leon Walker said the town had seen a big downturn across accommodation, retail, cafes and restaurants over the week.

“I’m walking down the street this week and there’s car parks available, which is very unusual for us this time of year,” he said.

“From a local business perspective, we’ve all been doing it tough, and we just want everyone to know that we are open for business.

“Our local businesses have lost a lot of trade this past week. Trade that we can’t get back from this usual January rush.

“This weekend it’s going to be a warm one and we encourage people to get down now or whenever they can in the future.”

Locals and tourists should continue to stay informed via the Vic Emergency app or website for any weather updates.