Committee for Lorne: A word from the Chairman

May – the fifth month of the year on the calendar and the third of seven months to have a length of 31 days, a time of year when many locals head to different parts for a well-earned break.

I was fortunate enough to have two days over on Melbourne’s sand belt at the newly created Peninsula-Kingswood Golf and Country Club. With 11 other Lorne gentlemen, we were superbly looked after by former Lorne boy and now CEO of the brand new and most impressive golf and corporate venue.

The Wilson family have a long attachment to Lorne with Heath’s late father Ken being a former manager at the Lorne Country Club and with their family running “Willo’s” Devonshire Teas at Vera Lynn just past the Grand Pacific Hotel. It’s great to see families that grow up in town, move onto bigger things and climb the corporate ladder but always remember and value the times and friendships that were formed in Lorne.

After one of the driest April months on record, May couldn’t resist in letting us know that rain is never far away. On day two of the new month, the heavens opened and most of Lorne was drenched with just under two inches in a very short space of
time. During darkness it’s always difficult to assess the volumes and speed at which a storm delivers, but it never takes too long upon first light, for the eyes to let the story unfold.

Road ways were covered in debris as crushed rock and foreign materials were washed across all parts of Lorne, but, “how could this be” you may ask. Over the recent years we have all made contributions to new storm water schemes but in weather events like last week the results have been the same as with the old system. I think it’s fair to say that the old and the new have a common missing characteristic – maintenance (especially in heavily timbered areas like Lorne).

We have our next Committee for Lorne community lunch scheduled for Friday the 7th of June (prior to the Queens Birthday
long weekend) from 12 noon at the View at the Lorne Hotel. The June event will be a significant landmark in the strengthening of community and agency cooperation in Lorne as we embark on the first stages of action to review the Lorne Strategy Plan 2003.

At this stage, our official guests are Mayor Rose Hodge, CEO Keith Baillie and General Manager of Culture and Community, Chris Pike. You will have the chance to listen to our guests as we continue to build on the strong relationships that have been forming over the past seven years as we look to work together for the benefit of our region.

This is certain to be one of our most popular lunch events so please reserve your spot with an RSVP to [email protected] to avoid missing out.

Ian Stewart
Chairman – Committee for Lorne