A photo recently appeared on Facebook, I think taken by Linton Ferguson from the Historical Society, showing an echidna pottering about and minding its own business beneath the Stribling Reserve sign.  What a shot, Linton … what a shot!

Google offers the following as a definition:

“… to ‘potter around’ (or ‘potter about’) is an English expression meaning to spend time in a relaxed, pleasant way doing small, unimportant tasks or moving aimlessly, often in the house or garden.  It involves being gently active without hurrying or having a specific, urgent purpose.  The word likely derives from the Middle English “pote”, which meant “to poke or push”, and is likely related to the Dutch “poteren” or “peuteren”, meaning “to poke, pry, or search”.

Indeed, ‘pottering’ seems a perfect word to describe an echidna, as it is exactly what this charming little creature does!  Echidnas amble, waddle, and meander, but above all, they potter.

Seeing this serendipitous photo made me wonder whether the echidna might be a perfect choice for a Lorne emblem—an insignia, maybe even a logo, to showcase our exceptional range of native wildlife.  Indeed, outside the bustling summer months and the scattered long weekends that punctuate the year, Lorne and its residents enjoy a fair bit of relaxed ‘pottering about’ during the calmer, quieter mid-year months.

If the idea gains traction, a school competition might be held to come up with a name … to kickstart the creative juices, perhaps “Eddie” the Echidna [for Ed Babington, one of our most knowledgeable local bushmen], “Erskine” the Echidna [for our iconic Otway stream], or possibly “Dean” [in recognition of Dean Bowen, a well-loved Melbourne sculptor with a flair for creating the numerous evocative echidna bronzes that appear at Qdos or at the Sculpture Biennale … there is even one in the garden next door to mine].

Indeed, it was a Lorne school competition in the early 70s that gave our local football, netball, and cricket clubs their names and logos.  Sandra Love won a classy netball for nominating ‘The Dolphins’ as the name for the Lorne Football and Netball Club [information courtesy Murray Walding].

Several towns and cities across Australia have adopted a native animal—usually one that is endemic to their region or uniquely represents their community—as their symbol or emblem.  This is often done to boost local tourism or to promote conservation efforts.

Some examples include:

• Kuranda’s platypus, an iconic native animal, is deeply connected to the history of the town’s local Djabugay People.
• Whyalla’s giant cuttlefish ‘Spencer’, which promotes the annual cuttlefish migration in nearby Spencer Gulf.
• Canberra’s unique gang-gang cockatoos.

 

While visitors to Lorne might wonder why the sulphur-crested cockatoo isn’t on my local short list, locals will understand the reasons for its absence!

Australia also has a proud tradition of assigning animal and bird emblems to its states and territories.  New South Wales: the platypus (animal) and the kookaburra (bird); Queensland: the koala (animal); Western Australia: the numbat (animal) and black swan (bird); South Australia: the southern hairy-nosed wombat (animal); the ACT: the gang-gang cockatoo (bird); the Northern Territory: the red kangaroo; and Tasmania: the Tasmanian devil.  As for the little ball of muscle and spikes we often see in our town and nearby forests, the echidna didn’t get a guernsey!

True, the echidna has been adopted by several Australian local organisations—mainly for conservation purposes—but when the ACT conducted a public vote to choose its emblem, and the echidna, the wallaby, and the bettong were the three contenders, the echidna lost out.  The Sydney 2000 Olympics did choose Millie the Echidna as one of its three official mascots, but once the games were over, Millie faded from memory.  Perhaps it has been overlooked precisely because it is such a very private and low-key little animal … preferring to potter about in the background rather than flaunt itself about in public … but as one of the most unique animals on the face of the planet, it more than deserves a place in the sun.

Lorne could become that place—the home of the echidna.

Certainly, they are about!  I don’t think I have ever seen as many of these extraordinary animals as I have in the past year or two, quietly pottering around the base of tree stumps as they search for ants and termites, tilling the soil in our gardens, or lumbering slowly along [how I fear for them] at the side of the Great Ocean Road, the Deans Marsh Road, or along our forest tracks.  With this in mind, it behoves us to drive with ever greater awareness and to slow down when we see a shapeless little bundle of spikes roiling along at the verge.  As picking up an echidna can be tricky, I carry a stout towel in the car to help me move them to a safer spot if I see one in potential danger at the side of the road.

And… they are truly extraordinary!  As biologist Peggy Rismiller eloquently states in an article, ‘The enigma of the Echidna,’ in National Wildlife Magazine [https://tinyurl.com/37kf745j], ‘… on a continent teeming with weird mammals, the echidna is one of the weirdest.  It has a beak like a bird, spines like a hedgehog, eggs like a reptile, the pouch of a marsupial, and the lifespan of an elephant.’ 

Moreover, the echidna is the only mammal capable of digging straight down and disappearing within minutes, while the extraordinary and comedic ‘Echidna Train’ and its rather comical mating habits are beautifully described by Rismiller in the same article … it is a priceless read!

While I usually don’t start campaigns, this one might have potential.  Perhaps the Committee for Lorne [CfL] could take it up as a project during the winter months.

Just imagine how lovely it would be for a little CfL echidna badge to sit alongside the ever-increasing branding of the Surf Coast Shire and GORCAPA as the town’s adopted animal and emblem.

John Agar
Feature Writer

A word from the chairman

Hello

Autumn in Lorne has brought changes in morning light, sunny days and cooler evenings.  I know why I love this time of year!  Some spectacular sunrises have been accentuated by the smoke haze caused by the planned burns as the Forest Fire Management team go about their important and timely work.  The ocean temperature still hovers around18 degrees with our mermaids, reinvigorated by their national TV fame, enjoying their morning dip in growing numbers.

And so, we now prepare for the Easter/school holidays influx of visitors.  Fingers crossed for fine weather but there will be plenty to do.  On Good Friday, the Lorne Football and Netball Club kick off their season at Stribling Reserve.  Come along and support them at the most picturesque sports facility on the planet.  There are still a few seats available at the pre-game lunch.  If you are interested, contact Janet on 0413121574.

Our Foreshore Market is back again on Easter Saturday from 9am-3pm.  The market is an important fundraiser for our local school, and it is great to see the many artists and artisans showcasing their creations as well as the food and drink offerings.

On Sunday, after we have celebrated the Resurrection (or the Easter Bunny), there is the Aquatic Club’s regular fishing competition, but with a difference.  With no pier access (see below), our anglers will need to use their creativity and ingenuity to snaffle the prize, rather than the “soft” option of getting up at 6am and sitting on the pier for six hours, waiting for something (anything) to bite!  Maybe some biblical research will assist!  The weigh-in and traditional roast lunch will take place at the Stribling Reserve Pavilion from 12 noon.

Also on Easter Sunday, the Men’s Shed come out to play at the Swing Bridge at 10am.  With their self-constructed remote-control yachts, these sailors put on an impressive display of sailing and navigation skills.  Well worth a look!

Meanwhile down at Point Grey, things are happening.  Foundation works for the Aquatic Club are well underway with piling happening in preparation for laying the slab.  I think the builders are as keen for the first beer as we are!  Let’s hope for dry weather for the next month to get the groundwork done.  Meanwhile at the Co-op, materials are being carefully removed for re-use in the reimagined Co-op building.

One consequence of the redevelopment is that GORCAPA have announced that the pier has now been closed until late June.  This is a necessity as the restoration/refurbishment of the revetment (rock wall) is happening over the next few months.  This involves the use of heavy machinery and the movement of large rocks, so safety is a priority.  Another result is that the pier lights have been turned off.  There has been no explanation for this, but it certainly is disappointing as the lights of the pier are our “welcome home” beacon as we come back into Lorne.  And has anyone told the stingrays what’s happening!

Cheers

Lorne Ward Events Calendar

March

27                    Lorne Anzac Memorial Park Official Opening @2pm

 

April              

2                      Photographic Exhibition Opening, 5 pm at Lorne Community Connect

3                      Lorne Dolphins Football and Netball V Apollo Bay, at Stribling Reserve, juniors match from 8:45am, seniors at 2pm      

3-12                 Photographic Exhibition, at Lorne Community Connect 10 am – 5 pm

4                      Lorne Market, 9-3pm www.lornemarkets.com/