A word from the Chairman

What a weekend it was! – Five odd thousand lycra clad cyclists descend onto town, local teams in grand finals and no power, seldom does this time of the year deliver such diversity. It all began late last Friday as every second vehicle arriving in Lone appeared to have cycles firmly attached to the roof or rear of their vehicle as they made their way to their chosen accommodation venue for the weekend.

Mountjoy Parade had come to life and Lorne was coming out of winter hibernation and being showcased to thousands of visitors that came to participate and witness the national event. Whether an avid cyclist or a young local wanting to ride the Great Ocean Road in total safety, this was their annual opportunity to experience Australia’s greatest coastal route at its absolute best. Our accommodation providers full for the first time since Easter, restaurants with strong bookings, fast food shops and supermarket bursting at the seams and then – no power!

While there are some retailers, and service providers that don’t benefit to the same degree as other local businesses, this world-class event is an anchor festival on our annual calendar, while other events have unfortunately disappeared. To see the town’s power supply be severely disrupted through the busy weekend added another financial challenge to local businesses that were fully stocked with fresh produce to cater for the thousands. All this comes with no explanation from Powercor!

I am only too mindful that we live in and environment that is prone to natural events of wind, rain and fire which can cause interruptions to our coastal supply but the cynical part of me has me questioning whether the sudden large increase in usage had any impact on the continuity of supply. We are yet to get a response from Powercor but will continue to request the reason for the fault until known – stay tuned!

The Lorne Football and Netball Club returned from last Saturday’s grand finals with a mixed outcome and the words of the famous Meatloaf song come to mind – “Two out of three ain’t bad”!

The Lorne girls created history in Colac claiming both the A and B grade premierships and while our B grade girls led from start to finish, our A grade girls had a great come from behind victory. Unfortunately, our senior football side were no match for Birregurra on Saturday but the club are so proud of the boys in their endeavors and going one better than where they finished last year.

This is your last chance to register for our September 29 (AFL Public Holiday) Committee for Lorne Community Luncheon! With newly appointed Great Ocean Road Coast Committee chair and passionate Lorne person Ken Northwood being our keynote speaker, this a great opportunity to join together. Please RSVP by Monday to confirm your attendance to [email protected].

Ian Stewart
Chairman – Committee for Lorne