GORCAPA Glimmers … Dare We Hope?

On September 1st, 2025, GORCAPA released its ‘final and updated’ version of the Point Grey Urban Design Framework [UDF]. Dare we hope that GORCAPA has finally listened—at least partially—to the community clamour of Lorne? Dare we hope that our viewpoints may be finally sinking in? Dare we hope that GORCAPA:

Will hold to the concessions it appears to have made to public pressure and feedback?
Will continue to move and accommodate community sentiments?

These latter include an unworkably small 10-seat capacity for a “café option”… who would consider the commercial viability of such a paltry lease? … and a mere token acknowledgement of Lorne’s timber, fishing, and early tourist history. Static glass cases of artefacts and memorabilia just don’t cut the mustard in modern historical displays when far more imaginative technological options exist, like those proposed by the Lorne Historical Society.

Most importantly of all … dare we trust them? Trust in GORCAPA has been steadily eroded —if indeed it was ever established. Since the Authority’s inception on December 1st, 2020, it has had an unrelenting habit of saying one thing but doing another, of speaking with a forked tongue [as the Cherokee Indians said of President Andrew Jackson], or doing nothing at all. While many locals justifiably remain distrustful and suspicious, the Authority’s most recent ‘pat-on-the-back’, ‘we-have-listened-to-you’ final UDF announcement is refreshing. Dare we hope that this time they might mean it?

That said, the announcement made on Lorne’s Facebook page read as follows:

“The revitalisation of Point Grey is full steam ahead! The final Urban Design Framework (UDF) for the precinct’s redevelopment is now released, and we’re excited to share it. It reflects what we heard from the community and will revitalise this iconic spot. Think:

Better access
A new food & drink spot
More open space
Facilities for fishers & locals
A cultural garden with Eastern Maar Aboriginal Corporation

The final UDF is available at http://bit.ly/3HIwEVT“

GORCAPA’s website continues its self-congratulatory tone with:

“Your voices were heard! In May and June 2025, more than 500 community members shared their thoughts with us through surveys, submissions, meetings, and online discussions. We connected with you through:

An online survey – 493 people completed our survey.
Written submissions – 15 detailed submissions from individuals and local groups.
Face-to-face meetings – 10 information sessions and drop-in opportunities in Lorne.
Online forums – 2 virtual forums for those unable to attend in person.
Ongoing conversations – regular discussions with local groups, committees, and Traditional Owners.

What you told us matters most. Your message was clear: any redevelopment must respect Point Grey’s unique character, protect what makes it special, and provide practical facilities for both locals and visitors. Your top priorities included:

Honouring our history – Celebrate Eastern Maar cultural connections alongside Lorne’s fishing and timber heritage.
Keeping it local – Support modest, coastal-style buildings using recycled materials where possible.
Practical access – Ensure good boat and fishing access with flexible parking that does not overdevelop the site.
Spaces for everyone – Create shaded areas, seating, BBQs, and gathering spots for year-round enjoyment.

We responded to your feedback with the final UDF, including these significant changes:

Consolidated from three buildings to two for a smaller footprint.
Moved public toilets into the food venue for better integration.
Added outdoor space for the Lorne Aquatic and Angling Club.
Brought back the boat wash and fish cleaning station you requested.
A re-imagined public open space area near the pier, which can be used for parking or community events.”

The final UDF is available at: https://tinyurl.com/f3b2d54s . As Alexander Pope said in his Essay on Man [1773] … ‘hope springs eternal’.

Cynicism aside, the published sketches [oddly grainy as if it was snowing heavily at the time of drawing] offer hope that low-key facsimiles of both the new Lorne Aquatic and Angling Club and the re-imagined Co-Op building are now uppermost in the Authority’s mind.

Tick One: The design for the Aquatic Club, as best as can be seen, seems a close fit to our current building.

Tick Two: The Co-Op building now appears to have a shape and roof line similar to the current building—indeed, it may even be a little lower—and providing that re-usable materials from the old building are incorporated into the new design wherever possible, this will make good on a GORCAPA promise that whispers of the original structure will continue to be heard. Although some still hold out hope for renovation rather than replacement, this seems unlikely. To maintain faith with GORCAPA, replacement is a compromise I believe the community should accept.

Thankfully, the boat wash and fish-cleaning facility are back on the plan. Though they may not be in the LAAC’s preferred spot, a compromise site is better than having no facility at all. Boat launching, however, remains via beach access and the rock channel … an outcome seemingly agreeable to the LAAC.

Car-parking has been increased—a boon for older LAAC members—while providing better access for the regular local and visiting pier fishermen. Toilet facilities will be located within the re-designed Co-Op building—a much better option than the current block that sits atop a midden site and rightly offends the Eastern Maar. The old site will be re-imagined as an Aboriginal garden—a better indigenous outcome—while public services will sensibly be co-located at the car-park level … but a word of warning: GORCAPA must crucially commit to providing daily cleaning.

The two major remaining issues are [1] the size and purpose of the public café in the Co-Op site and [2] the space, content, and context of the historical display. A static cabinet-based display to showcase Lorne’s history is a very 20^th-century approach, and the opportunity to use digital technology to tell Lorne’s story …

The Gondwana origins of the Otway forests
The early Aboriginal heritage of the Gadubanud
The early white settlement by the Mountjoy brothers
The timber, maritime, and early tourism boom of Louttit Bay
The guest house and parasol era
The couta industry of the mid-20th century
The multi-generational roots of our timber and fisher families
The building of the Great Ocean Road
The achievements of our ’60s surfing greats, Wayne and Gail
The 21^st-century accommodation and hospitality boom

… is too great a chance to miss.

Our community has been at loggerheads with GORCAPA [and its predecessor, GORCC] for too long. Maybe, just maybe, the moment to put grievances aside and move on has arrived.

Dare we hope they will keep faith with us? Hope springs eternal.

John Agar

Feature Writer

A word from the chairman

Hello

It’s always good to come home, especially to Lorne. After a few weeks in our sister town, Port Douglas (aka Far North Lorne), we have returned to appreciate more the special things that life in Lorne offers, stunning sunrises, beautiful moonscapes and the most beautiful beach anywhere, just to mention a few. Sure, the water’s a bit cooler (25 degrees in PD) but that doesn’t worry our intrepid mermaids (13 degrees is fine, and actually a bit warm for this time of year!). Besides, with their new beanies and a bit of chatter they don’t feel a thing!

There are many similarities between Port Douglas (PD) and Lorne, reliance on tourism income, geographical remoteness and dependence on temporary workers, to name a few. The variety of accents you hear there is amazing, and it becomes a bit of a guessing game to determine their origin. That is except at Paddy’s (Irish) Bar where there is the unmistakable dialect from that little green island. It’s amazing how they all gravitate there (or maybe they give them a crash-course in how to speak Irish!). There are also some notable differences between Lorne and PD. Because PD does not have the boundary restrictions imposed on Lorne due to bushfire and conservation requirements, it has been able to expand its housing stock with new developments at prices that are affordable for workers and families. This has been assisted by the decline of the cane industry and the opening-up of new land for development. Also, PD now has an ABS estimated population of about 6,200, at least four-times that of Lorne, which together with year-round tourism supports a vibrant hospitality and accommodation industry (including at least 10 top-quality restaurants).

In Lorne we are blessed to have good quality hospitality and accommodation operators, our own medical centre, hospital, aged care and P-12 school. Not bad for a little town of 1,300 people!

******

We congratulate Christine Ferguson on her appointment as CEO of GORCAPA, after acting in the role for the last six months. Christine takes on a big responsibility in running the Authority which will shortly manage 170,000 hectares of land including 355 kilometres of coastline. While Lorne is only a small part of this, we look forward to continuing to work with Christine and her team, and specifically to bring the vision for Point Grey to fruition.

*****

There is much excitement at the Dolphin pod as we head into the third week of finals with five teams still in contention. In netball, our D Grade, 15 and under, and 13 and under teams are into their preliminary finals, while in football the Seniors are through to the preliminary final. The Reserves are into the Grand Final, after a nail-biting finish to secure the win by 2 points with an after-the-siren goal. All preliminary finals will be played on Saturday in Colac. Please get there to support our players if you can.

Good luck to all our teams and their support crews, an amazing effort to get to where you have. Let’s go one more!

Cheers

Lorne Ward Events Calendar

September

17 – Round Three Lorne Bowls Club Community Cup

19-20 – Waking to Wonder Art Exhibtion, by Lorne P-12 College at Lorne Community Connect. 9am – 12pm free entry

28 – Lorne Aquatic & Angling Club – Major Fishing Competition No 5, Weight cut off at 12.30pm, Free roast lunch for competitors, $10 non-fishing members.

October

15-19 – UCI 2025 Gran Fondo World Championship

19 Amy’s Great Ocean Road Gran Fondo, cycling event on the Great Ocean Road www.amysgranfondo.org.au