ALWAYS LIVE Victorian Vibes Brings Free Live Music to Lorne

Lorne is set to come alive with free pop-up performances when ALWAYS LIVE Victorian Vibes arrives on Saturday 2 May.

Part of the statewide ALWAYS LIVE program, Victorian Vibes is all about bringing great live music into public spaces and creating memorable moments in regional communities.

Free, accessible and a little unexpected, the event invites audiences to explore the town, moving between performances while enjoying Lorne’s cafés, restaurants and local businesses.

Performances will pop up across central Lorne locations from lunchtime, featuring a mix of exciting established and emerging Australian artists.

Confirmed Performance Times and Locations

• 1:00pm – 1:35pm | Mountjoy Parade (out the front of the Cumberland)
• 2:40pm – 3:30pm | Mantra lawn
• 4:30pm – 5:15pm | Lorne foreshore / Surf Life Saving Club precinct

The complete artist lineup will be announced a few days before Saturday 2nd May.

For Lorne locals and visitors alike, it’s a chance to make a day of it.  Gather some friends, settle in by the coast and enjoy free live music in the heart of town!

The Always Live event coincides with the local home games of the Lorne Dolphins Football and Netball Club, bringing even more atmosphere to what a quiet weekend in Lorne would normally be.

Whether you’re a local resident or traveling down, Lorne will be buzzing, and in between music sets, we encourage everyone to come support the local businesses, exploring all of Lorne’s food, drink and retail businesses and local sports.

Why not stay a night or two, taking advantage of some autumn accommodation specials and really embrace the beauty of Lorne in May!

Register for your free ticket at alwayslive.com.au

 

Love Lorne Welcomes New Committee to Champion Local Tourism

The Lorne Business and Tourism Association, known as Love Lorne, has announced a new committee bringing together local business leaders and community representatives with a shared focus on supporting Lorne’s future.

Matthew Humphries has been appointed Chair, joined by Vice Chairs Janet Boland and Katie Walker.  The committee includes Eddy Erftemeyer, Caroline Hirzel Bryant, Mary Ann Humphries, along with Treasurer David Worth and Secretary Anne McCormack.

Former president and Surf Coast Shire Council councillor Leon Walker will continue to support the committee, alongside broader representation from hospitality, retail, accommodation and local attractions.

The committee aims to strengthen collaboration among local businesses by facilitating networking opportunities, promoting the Love Lorne brand, and working closely with partners such as Surf Coast Shire and Great Ocean Road Tourism.  Advocacy and representation will also be a key focus, particularly in areas such as sustainable tourism, off-season events, and the provision of affordable accommodation for workers.

Love Lorne continues to back initiatives designed to boost visitation year-round, including the Always Live program, which draws visitors to the region during quieter periods while supporting the local economy.

 

Great Ocean Road Running Festival

Attention is also turning to the upcoming Great Ocean Road Running Festival on May 16–17, a globally recognised event that highlights the scenic beauty of the Great Ocean Road and attracts participants from across Australia and beyond.

As a volunteer-run organisation, the LBTA relies on the enthusiasm and commitment of local businesses.  Operators in Lorne and surrounding areas are encouraged to get involved and contribute to the ongoing success of the region.

For more information, visit www.lovelorne.com.au

 

A word from the chairman

THE DOUG AND MARY STIRLING CUP

A quote that emphasizes the fleeting nature of time is “Time moves slowly, but passes quickly.”  So it appears with the awarding of the Doug and Mary Stirling Cup.  It does not seem so long ago that we were calling for nominations, in the new process, that saw the Cup being awarded  to Clive and Lesley Goldsworthy.  The new process being that for the first time the nominations were invited from the Lorne Community.  A selection panel then read through the several excellent nominations and made a recommendation to the Committee for Lorne for final decision.

It was crucial that the nomination process was confidential.  The people making the nomination were asked not to inform the nominee.  This was a wise process and from what we know, followed.  As was the case, outstanding people were nominated and disappointment avoided because of the secrecy.  It is also important to remember that a nominee has the right to refuse the honour thus reinforcing the need for confidentiality.

The Doug and Mary Stirling Cup is a community award to honour outstanding service to and leadership in the Lorne Community.  The nominations should be made by those who know the nominee well and are therefore able to provide supporting evidence of the value of the contributions from first-hand evidence, with that evidence being specific to the Award. You may choose any or several of the following areas to write about:  Education, Culture and the Arts, Environment, Health, Sport and Business.

The following are the past recipients:

2013     Doug and Mary Stirling

2015     Henry Love

2017     Jan and Peter Spring

2019     Carly Enticott

2022     Lorraine Griffiths

2024     Clive and Lesley Goldsworthy

How to make a nomination?

• The simplest way is to go to the Committee for Lorne website and download the form. After completing the form submit it on the same site.
• There are hard copies of the form at the Lorne Post Office, Visitors Information Centre or the Lorne P-12 College. You will also be provided with an envelope to return the form to any of the three outlets.

The nomination forms must be completed and submitted by Tuesday the 30^th of June 2026.  You may be contacted by the selection panel for additional supporting evidence before the recommendation is made to the Committee for Lorne.

The Cup will be presented at a luncheon held at Stribling Reserve Pavilion on Friday the 29^th of October.  The Committee is delighted to be involved in the determination of the recipient and the hosting of the event.  Your involvement in this, the first and vital stage, is paramount.

Lorne Bowls Club Stribling Memorial and Charity Day

In January 2026, the Lorne Bowls Club conducted its important social bowling day that is held to recognise the pivotal role that Hector Stribling played in establishing the Club in the early 1950s.  The day is also used to raise funds for a Lorne not-for-profit organisation. Past recipients have been the Lorne Kindergarten, the Fire Brigade and the Early Childhood Centre.  This year $1,500 was raised for the Lorne SES.  The funds come from monies donated by members of the Stribling family and from a raffle held on the day.  Thanks must go to Stewart, David and Anthony Stribling and Steve Sprague.

Southern Ocean Villas, Port Campbell, In-the-Skies Restaurant and the Lorne Pharmacy donated the prizes for the raffle.  There could not have been a better time to recognise the wonderful volunteers of the SES.

Gary Allen

Lorne Ward Events Calendar

May

2 Lorne Dolphins Football and Netball V Otway Districts, at Stribling Reserve, juniors match from 8:45am, seniors at 2pm

2 Great Ocean & Otway Classic Ride www.greatoceanotwayclassic.com.au

16-17 Great Ocean Road Running Festival, Running, music, wellness, adventure.

23 Lorne Dolphins Football and Netball V Alvie, at Stribling Reserve, juniors match from 8:45am, seniors at 2pm