A word from the Chairman

Last Thursday, we hosted our bimonthly Committee for Lorne (CfL) meeting where an Affordable Housing Report was tabled and spoken to by Graham Brawn. The report highlighted the enormity of the work that had been completed to date by many people and organisations over an extended period of time and it was now decision time.

The CfL voted unanimously to endorse the next phase of producing the “Accommodating Lorne’s Future – Proposal” as a priority project. The intent is to collate, coordinate and capitalise on all the recent great work that has been completed in achieving our goal of Accommodating Lorne’s future. The project document will look to outline our statements of need and produce statements and suggestions of how to meet these needs.

Being led by Graham Brawn, the project timeline for delivery is between now and the end of the financial year 2018. We are all extremely grateful for the ongoing commitment that Graham has given this project and look forward to sharing the outcomes and actions moving forward.

The social calendars in town are filling fast and there are two great events approaching on the coming Melbourne Cup long weekend.

On November 3, the Lorne Lions Club is hosting the Doug and Mary Stirling Cup Presentation Dinner honouring 2017 winners Jan and Peter Spring. This gala evening is being held at the Cumberland Lorne from 6.30pm and to reserve you seat contact Margaret Cartledge on 0408 599 336.

The Lorne Country Club is again holding the “Gold Record Show”. Last year, this was a great night of live music – and this year it has been “tweaked” a little to allow for fewer people and a better dinner service. The night is November 4, the cost is $60per person for dinner (6pm) and show (8pm) and you are welcome to make a table of 10 or join others. The live band will play classic gold hits from Elton John, Rod Stewart, Paul Simon, Cat Stevens as well as your requests. Contact Dale Ridgeway 0407 591 948 to confirm your intention before it’s too late.

When talking about Melbourne Cup long weekend you realise only too well that the end of 2017 is fast approaching and with it comes change. For some it will be little and others huge and for me I am in the latter category. For the past 13 years, I have commuted between Geelong and Lorne on the Great Ocean Road on a daily basis, Monday to Friday, excepting school and public holidays and only last week a mate of mine asked how kilometres I had done.

After calculation and to put the answer to the question into perspective the last vehicle I had, which I owned for the duration of that commuting time, completed just over 320,000 kilometres and since then, my current vehicle has clocked up 30,000km. With the earth’s circumference at 40,705 kilometres that means I have driven round the world 8.7 times! I am sooo looking forward to 2018 and beyond!

In closing, it is with sadness that I report the passing of long term resident Ed Armistead. Over so many years, Ed had put so much into our community across multiple organisations and our wishes are with his family.

Ian Stewart
Chairman – Committee for Lorne