Committee for Lorne: A word from the Chairman

With Australia Day 2019 now behind us and all the publicity, both good and bad, starting to subside I love to reflect on the recipients of the Australia Day awards around our country. This year with special interest to see one of our own being awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for service to the community through emergency response organisations.

After almost 50 years as a CFA member, and the past 23 as Captain of the Wye River Fire Brigade, Roy Moriarty was awarded the OAM in the annual Australia Day awards and so deservingly so.

Those that know Roy well know that he does so much for his community over and above the specific recognition of the Australia Day honours for his service to emergency response.

I read with interest how one of the highlights of Roy’s career with the Wye River CFA cantered around the community’s willingness to embrace various measures the group had introduced, including an evacuation plan in the early 80’s – one of the first of its kind. Roy was also at the forefront of the development of a township protection plan in the 90’s, a major asset protection plan in the late 90’s and much more.

Congratulations Roy, so very well deserved! Australia Day celebrations were varied across Lorne through the weekend from
a completion of a golf tournament, live Lorne music, tennis tournaments, fishing competitions, foreshore markets and long lunches but it was from two of these activities that I look to share. I was fortunate enough to attend the presentation of the Lorne Summer Classic, a January golf tournament orchestrated by a group of our non-permanent residents that has become somewhat of an institution.

This year’s event saw a tie in the open men’s event and what was to follow was an extraordinary presentation event. Event
organisers Marion and Barry Church, who do such a brilliant job, had planned well for the presentation of the “winners’ jacket” in producing a pair of scissors and proceeding to cut the jacket in half and present the left side to Geoff Thomas and the right side to Russell Jones. “Baz and Maz” ensured the gathering that the jacket would be back in one piece for next year.

Great to see Lorne locals Jenny Miller, Lynda Stewart and Chris Wood take out the other major awards in overpowering their Melbourne counterparts. It was quite noticeable that Anglers Commodore Keith Miller, was in attendance but I wasn’t sure whether it was just to support and congratulate his wife or trying to recruit golfers in preparation for the challenge between the Aquatic Club and the Country Club in a week’s time.

The sounds of music through the town over the weekend continued the great summer vibe and I was saddened to hear that future events may be in jeopardy because of the noise factor – surely not! With 11pm curfews in place, these great well attended events are so Lorne and after all, it is a summer of celebration.

Ian Stewart
Chairman – Committee for Lorne