Committee For Lorne: A word from the Chairman – October 4, 2018

A special weekend has passed with the culmination of two of Australia’s biggest sporting events of the calendar year, the AFL and the NRL Grand Finals. With over 100,000 and 70,000 fans respectively at the events, it would be hard to pick the major highlight. For me, it did not come from the on field action.

In the wake of the unfortunate dismantling of the Collingwood premiership banner pre-game by an extraordinary wind gust, Nathan Buckley diverted from his pressure driven pre-game preparation to go out of his way to comfort a distraught female senior cheer squad leader – absolute class act!

Then on Sunday, to witness Melbourne Storm convincingly go down to the Sydney Roosters and witness senior Storm players express emotions and good wishes to former team mate Cooper Cronk was reinforcement to me why both these clubs are enjoying success and by the way, I am not an avid Collingwood or NRL supporter. It’s these “little things” that make such a big difference.

It only seems like yesterday that the Shire of Winchelsea was dissolved as the Surf Coast Shire emerged, while parts were consolidated into other Municipal structures. As Lorne “found its feet” and built new relationships, so would our Community journey evolve with strong Community involvement through until 2003/2004, but then all went quiet. No local Council representation, many local community groups not looking to work as one and when we look back, it was like a lost generation.

And the first half of the next decade saw all that begin to change across many different levels. It has not all has been smooth sailing, but that’s OK, as I am yet to hear anyone disagree that we are not in a better space today than we were back then. There will be some from “outside” and probably some from “within” that are not 100% happy with the way our town is represented and that’s OK too, as only one thing is certain and that is “no one is precluded from rolling up their sleeves and being involved”.

There is so much going on in Lorne and so much great work being done by so many different people but there are some who don’t agree, and that’s OK as long as they are also “putting in”. This town is a Community that gets things done, looks after its own and supports its majorities while being respectful of those who are actively involved but who don’t always share the common view. Where my patience runs short is where there is criticism without action, words without verbs and a belief that “sit back and it will be done”.

The Lorne Country Club, is currently a great working example, where their tennis and golf members are both actively involved in improving their own facilities with working bees and development of a strategic plan to address dwindling financial resources and assets in disrepair. It comes at a cost and quite often criticism can erode the work of the strong and committed -but in this case not. Those committed members are applying themselves diligently to the tasks at hand, in the face of lack of support and criticism and achieving great things. Well done to all of them and keep up the good work!

Ian Stewart
Chairman – Committee for Lorne