Busy summer a welcomed boost for Lorne traders

AS the Surf Coast Shire enters a crucial holiday period, the region is met with some good news following a difficult year for tourism.

The summer period has always been important for traders along the Surf Coast – attracting almost three times its population during these months.

Each year the Surf Coast economy is powered by tourism which produces $1.3 billion annually and more than 13,000 jobs according to Great Ocean Road Regional Tourism.

Former councillor for Lorne and current Country Club president Clive Goldsworthy said the mood is very upbeat in the coastal town despite previous GORRT reports estimating visitor spend would be down more than 38 per cent.

“Since December we have seen large increase in day trippers,” Mr Goldsworthy said.

“Most accommodation is at full occupancy until February and Country Club bookings for tennis and golf is up 50 per cent more than last year.

“Things like Live Wire Park are having consecutive record days.”

In October GORRT released The Great Sleepover campaign to help bring people back to the region following the easing of tough Covid-19 restrictions.

Since the relaxation of state-wide restrictions and the beginning of warmer weather, tourism has returned to the coast with the expectation it will continue to get busier over the next two months.

Mr Goldsworthy said the problem now is the distinct shortage of staff due to international and seasonal workers being unable to reside in the area.

“If you surveyed businesses down here, pretty much everyone would be looking for staff so it is the one negative that still remains,” he said.

Paul Upham, owner of the Lorne Hotel says he is feeling the strain as he heads into peak season while understaffed.

“We usually employ between 20-25 international workers,” he said.

“A couple of restaurants that we have in the hotel have not been able to open for lunch so financially it has had an impact.”

Mr Upham has been trying to fill the remaining jobs with locals however he believes the biggest challenge is still to come.

“We get a lot of young people just out of school about to head off to uni or back down on holidays helping us out but when they go back and we are still busy that is when we will run into trouble,” he said.

“I think until they let people into the country for immigration and seasonal work, I don’t see a short-term fix.”

Despite the shortage, Mr Upham says the return of visitors to Lorne and the Surf Coast has been “really positive”.

With more than 20 businesses still looking for staff, Mr Goldsworthy said the return of tourism and business to the area is still giving locals plenty of reason to smile.

“We have a long way to go to pay back the financial hardship over last nine months but it is certainly giving people a lot of hope,” he said.