Committee for Lorne: A word from the Chairman

Another big weekend has come and gone in Lorne as the midpoint of 2019 looms larger than life. From the expansive blue skies of Saturday and Sunday to the drenching rain that waved our visitors good bye on Monday, it was a busy weekend on many fronts. There were foreshore markets, local sport, fishing competitions, community workshops and lunches and even a World Championship event. It all started last Friday with a Community Workshop hosted by the Committee for Lorne in partnership with the Surf Coast Shire and the Great Ocean Road Coast Committee with representatives coming together to endeavor to try and define the next stage of work in “Accommodating Lorne’s Future”. It was an excellent session facilitated by the Surf Coast Shire’s, Shannon Samuel and an expansive cross section of passionate members of the Lorne community.

That same day the Committee for Lorne hosted its second Community Luncheon for 2019 and with just over 80 in attendance, it was one of our most successful of recent times. We were privileged to have Surf Coast mayor Rose Hodge, CEO Keith Bailey and Chris Pike, manager of culture and community, in attendance as our guest speakers. All three addressed and updated us on issues relevant to their roles but there was underlying theme of community and agency co-operation in Lorne.

It is a theme that the Committee for Lorne (CfL) has been working on so hard since coming into existence in 2012 and the results and the relationships continue to build. Our mayor has been a regular visitor to Lorne, the direct discussions and sharing of information from our CEO continuing the theme of consultation and collaboration and the vison and drive of our manager of culture and community are being praised and respected by the people of Lorne.

On Saturday at Lorne Community House the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) continued their work on assessing, with community input, the options for a coastal walking (and/or cycling trail) between Fairhaven and Skenes Creek.

The study is focusing on the 60 kilometres of coastline connecting the two existing trails of the Surf Coast Walk and the Great Ocean Walk. For further information, head to engage.vic.gov/trail-study.

Regional Roads Victoria are currently undergoing a major project in Lorne from Hird Street in the south to the Bay Street roundabout. The four-month project will see under-road storm water culverts replaced, new drainage pits installed and driveway culverts replaced. Roadside drainage will be renewed and the road surface will be smoothed with asphalt patching and topped with an asphalt overlay. On Sunday, Ric Addison became a local champion and a World Champion all in the same day. In the morning he conquered the field to take the Lorne Angling and Aquatic Club (LAAC) fishing competition and then in the afternoon shared equal first place in the inaugural World Sausage Roll Championship when he shared the award with Emily Miller, daughter of event organiser and Commodore Keith Miller. Congratulations to all involved!