Committee for Lorne: Lorne Historical Society Website – Quiz

August 22, 2025 BY

Lorne Historical Society Website – Quiz

The LHS has a stated aim to store, compile and publish historical records relating to the history of the Lorne district.  The website www.lornehistoricalsociety.org.au is a good place to look if you would like to learn a little about Lorne’s rich history.  Using the internet, you may search from anywhere in the world and see an old photo or an intriguing story.  The LHS has a collection of photos, documents and books.  We hope to use the website to share great images and stories that may satisfy your curiosity.

The website has a Timeline which features Lorne’s history in chronological order.  Like all the information on the website, it is a growing record of our history.  I edit the website that started in 2015 with about 25 pages and has now grown to over 140 pages.  Should you visit the website and notice errors or some misinformation, please contact me and suggest how it could be improved.  You may know a historic story you think should be remembered.  Please share your memories.  If you have a photo and an associated story, the website may be a good place to document this information for our community now and into the future.  Here are some quiz questions that can be answered by searching the LHS website.

Question 1: The Hinemoa ran aground near Point Grey at Lorne on 21st January 1908. What is believed to be the cause of the grounding?

Question 2: Which hotel was the first built at Lorne, was it the Grand Pacific or the Lorne Hotel?

Question 3: The Grand Pacific hotel was built in 1879 by Henry Gwynne.  Why was his daughter called “Sailor Gwynne”?

Question 4: Just north of the Cumberland Resort, there is a lane called Browne’s Lane.  What store was on Mountjoy Parade near Browne’s Lane?

Question 5: From 1880’s to about 1920’s, horse drawn coaches brought many holidaymakers to Lorne.  Both Cobb & Co and Mountjoy coaches brought tourists over the Otway ranges from Deans Marsh to Lorne.  Why were Mountjoy coaches at a competitive advantage to Cobb & Co?

Question 6: Lorne’s Erskine River waterfalls are world famous and now very easy to visit. This was not always the case.  It was an arduous walk organised as a day’s outing from Lorne’s guesthouses, with refreshments provided for their guests at the destination.  Who in modern history are credited with discovering and naming Erskine Falls?

Question 7: Lorne has been a popular tourist destination for many people. Guesthouses blossomed in Lorne from about 1870’s to 1970’s.  What Canberra politicians had holidays in Lorne guesthouses?

Question 8: In the 1840’s, before Lorne was established and named, who was looking for coal in the Otway Ranges and instead found useful stands of timber which he later harvested?

Question 9: As you travel from Lorne to Deans Marsh over the Otway Ranges you would have gone past the Benwerrin coal mine.  What accident happened to the train transporting coal to Deans Marsh railway station in the early 1900’s?

Question 10: In the early days, Lorne Football club played football on The Flat.  Why might the umpire go for a swim?

Linton Ferguson

Vice President

Lorne Historical Society

([email protected])

A word from the chairman

Hello
As we start to experience a “touch of spring“ in the air and some signs of new growth, it is time to turn our minds to outdoor activities and shaking off our winter hibernation (for those who didn’t just run away from it!). Whether it be planning a new garden or vegetable patch, preparing the barbeque for summer action, or burning off some of those winter kilos, Lorne is at its best at this time of year. An easy start to your “spring into shape” campaign is to join the Lorne Bowls Club Community Cup competition commencing September 3 and running over three weeks. The event is open to all abilities. Contact the Bowls Club for further details.
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I recently read an article in one of the weekend travel magazines that caught my attention. It was about swimming in London, and no I am not talking about swimming in the River Thames, far worse than that! In a summer where it has been hotter in London than in Greece, and at times hotter than Dubai, the poms ( t’s ok I am one of them) and visitors will do almost anything to cool off, including ”wild water swimming” in muddy ponds inhabited by eels, fish, ducks and angry geese at Hampstead Heath (10 kilometres from central London). And if that doesn’t put you off, you have to book online in summer and pay $A10 for a one hour session! How lucky are we to have our own natural, free, 24-hour, swimming pool, Louttit Bay (with stunning sunrises thrown in for free).
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If you are making plans for September, you need to be aware of some upcoming events. Of course, there are football finals. Fortunately this year we have a reasonable representation of local (Victorian) teams in the AFL finals. While we welcome the expansion of the national competition, there is certainly more excitement when Victorian teams are battling for the Cup. How good would it be to see a Geelong v Collingwood Grand Final, or maybe Hawthorn sneaking in there.
Our Dolphins are still very much in the hunt for the Seniors Football premiership, sitting second on the ladder with one game to go, and the Reserves are sitting clear on top of their ladder. We look forward to some consolidating wins against Simpson at Stribling Reserve on Saturday.
September is also shaping up as a busy month at the Aquatic Club:
• On Sunday 7 September, Winter Fishing Competition Number 4 will be held and all are welcome to enter.
• On Saturday 27 September, Grand Final Day, the Aquatic Club has a big day planned with hot dogs, happy hours and a sausage sizzle. Come along and join in the fun.
• On Sunday 28 September, Major Fishing Competition Number 6 will be held and all are welcome to enter.
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And finally, a thought that I found yesterday on a drink coaster (where else!) whilst enjoying a glass of Guinness,
“As you slide down the bannister of life, may the splinters never point in the wrong direction”.

Cheers

Lorne Ward Events Calendar

August

23 – Lorne Dolphins Football and Netball V Simpson, at Stribling Reserve, juniors match from 8:45am, seniors at 2pm

25 – Cheese-Making Course, Learn to make ricotta, paneer & mozzarella at Deans Cottage. 6pm – 7pm $35 per person. Register: [email protected]

September

3 – Round One Lorne Bowls Club Community Cup

7 – LAAC Winter Comp No 4. lines down after 6am, weigh in at the Lorne Aquatic and Angling Club at 12.30pm. Free roast lunch for competitors, $10 non-fishing members.

10 – Round Two Lorne Bowls Club Community Cup

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

 

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