Committee For Lorne: Community Profile - May 17, 2018

“My grandson is getting married in the UK but I’m 96 and I have decided I am too old for my daughter to take me on such a long trip”. Be that as it may, there was plenty about Audrey that wasn’t too old. Her keen sense of humour, an attitude and disposition that would give millennials a run for their money and an incredible memory for starters.

Audrey was born and attended school in Nhill (Victoria), where during the war, an Air Force camp was established. Whilst working at the post office as a telephonist she became friends with Jock, one of the airmen. Soon after he was posted to New Guinea for 14 months but on his return he proposed and in 1947, they married. Jock came from Warrnambool and Audrey was quick to say with a wicked smile, “Of course I only married him to get out of the heat and go to the seaside.”

Jock was a foreman of a large building company. He built the house in Warrnambool they lived in for 25 years until they moved to Melbourne, to provide their two children with better education opportunities. They lived there for 13 years.

A passion? “My passion is laziness” she said but quizzed further, the list from her long life included extensive travel around the world, gardening, reading, knitting and weekly trips to Melbourne to volunteer with the Red Cross. She has only recently retired from Lorne’s Op Shop but is still involved with the Uniting Church. She doesn’t drive any more – not because she can’t but because she feels it is safer for others if she doesn’t. She loves to return to Warrnambool to visit family and friends.

Jock had spent regular family holidays in Lorne as a youngster. So when their daughter phoned from Lorne, having been here for a conference, to say she had seen the perfect property for them to retire on, their life was about to change. It had a shed that would be perfect for her father, no house but plenty of blackberries! So in 1984, Jock built a house on the block in just three months and they moved in.

Audrey says that she couldn’t enjoy the quality of life she has without the constant care and great support of her daughter Janet and Janet’s partner, Jeff.