News from Lorne Historical Society

Documenting Lorne’s rich history is like completing a jig-saw puzzle.  We have photos and pieces of stories and after some research and contribution from our community and friends, we start to see a whole picture with an interesting story.  Here are two pieces that are more fully documented with photos and text on our website if you wish to know more.

Centenary Motor Bike Trip

At the Lorne Historical Room, on Sunday 5th April 2026, we had three interesting visitors to our Building Lorne Exhibition.  They were wearing motorbike leathers and had come to ask if we could identify where the photo of Lorne, taken exactly 100 years ago on the 5 April 1926, was located.

 

We were able to tell our visitors that the photo was taken from up the hill behind Waverley House, with Love’s paddocks in the foreground and a panorama of Lorne showing some 1926 buildings including Erskine House, Lorne Hotel and the Pacific Hotel.  Love’s paddocks were originally part of the Waverley House estate, that included the land up behind Waverley House and the flat area to the west, now being the caravan park and supermarket.

The three bikies had left Adelaide on the 1 May 2026, reenacting a motorbike journey taken by Lionel Mills in 1926, the grandfather of Stephen and cousin, Timothy Wills, with friend Patrick Keane.  The picture taken in front of the Pacific Hotel shows Patrick and Timothy with Stephen on the right.

They report that they are making a more comfortable journey than their grandfather on a Harley Davidson Pan American and a Royal Enfield Himalayan with lots of coffee and food stops commensurate with their more senior years.

 

The trio left Adelaide on 1st April 2026, motorcycling the journey undertaken by their grandfather Lionel Wills and Lionel’s brother Phillip, exactly 100 years earlier.  Stephen had ascertained the route from his grandfather’s photo album and an article he wrote in The Motorcycle Magazine (An Australian Scramble – Two English Motor Cyclists’ First Experience of Riding in Australia) and researching where roads were in 1926.

Lionel Wills, as a 24-year-old, rode a Harley Davidson and his 19-year-old brother Phillip rode a Henderson – another American bike.  They took 3 full days to ride from Adelaide to Camperdown in Victoria due to poor roads, no roads, mechanical breakdowns, accidents, and running out of petrol.  The photograph shows Lionel Wills with collar and tie and leather coat, between Mrs Manifold and Mr Manifold in 1926, at Wiridgil Homestead, near Camperdown and Colac.

From Gun Alley to Arthur Robbins Walk

People visiting Lorne may not notice, but locals know there is a laneway between Cumberland Resort and the shops that come off Browne’s Lane, called Arthur Robbins Walk.

Our research found that Frank Beaurepaire dug an alleyway down one side of the Cumberland, that was nicknamed ‘Gun Alley’.  Lillian Beaurepaire, who was working at Carinya at the time, could run down the alleyway to the beach to save another life, having heard the ring of the lifesaving bell on the beach.  It is understood that Lillian, as Lorne’s first lifesaver, wore her swimming suit under her work clothes, ready to respond in a life-saving emergency.

 

Gun Alley was later named Arthur Robbins Walk.  With help from Lyn Davies we learnt a bit about Arthur Robbins.

He was born in 1921 at Mullimby, northern NSW, attended Repentance Creek Primary School and Lismore High School before leaving school at 15 to work on the family farm.

He was keen to fly and enlisted in the RAAF in 1942, served in the UK in RAF bomber command as a Lancaster Bomber pilot and completed 32 operations.  Later he was transferred to Pathfinder squadron and flew 20 operations until the end of the World War II.  He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Pathfinder Force Badge.

In 1948, Arthur married Eunice Richards.  He met Eunice while based in Brisbane at the boarding house run by Eunice’s mother.  They then moved to Melbourne setting up a home in Strathmore, near Essendon Airport, welcoming the arrival of their only child Barry Robbins.

Arthur, Eunice and Barry then moved to Ombersley in 1956, a soldier settlement block, and worked hard to create a viable property and give service to the CFA, Durack School Committee and the Durack Church.

They purchased land in Lorne in 1964, built a house at 52 Smith Street in 1977 and retired to Lorne in 1979.  Arthur loved bowls and was President of the Lawn Bowling Club. Arthur and Eunice gave good community support and worked as Meals on Wheels volunteers.  Arthur worshipped at St Cuthberts and worked to maintain its gardens.

So isn’t it great that Arthur Robbins had a path named in his honour, which connects Smith Street to Mountjoy Parade for bowls or along Smith Street to St Cuthberts Church.

Linton Ferguson

Lorne Historical Society

A word from the chairman

Hello

Did you see the headlines, “Lorne Pier lights turned back on to guide the astronauts home to Earth”.  Well maybe not, but it’s great to have our icon lit up again.  Thank you GORCAPA.

What a special moment it was to see spaceship Artemis II touch down safely in the Pacific Ocean, after circling the moon on a journey that took 9 days and covered 1.1million kilometres (obviously no fuel shortages at NASA!).

A space mission like this evokes many emotions and provokes many questions.  Such a journey is no joyride as we have seen with some past disastrous missions which resulted in multiple deaths.  Even as the space capsule hurtled back to earth, we were told that re-entry into the earth’s atmosphere was one of the most dangerous phases of the journey.  Thankfully all went well and the astronauts returned fit and well, with stories to tell.

How wonderful it was to see and hear the joy, humility and gratitude of the astronauts when so much of our media is filled with stories of aggression, hatred and destruction.  There is hope for our future!

But the latest mission also raises some questions in my mind:

• Why did it take 53 years to get back to the moon? (The last Apollo mission was in 1972).
• Why does the moon have a “dark side”. If it revolves around the Earth and the Earth around the Sun, would it not at some point experience the Sun’s rays?  And what happens when we have a solar eclipse?  Is that not the moon blocking the Sun’s light?
• Why didn’t they drop in to see whether Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin’s flag was still there (and possibly replace it)?
• How did they put a man on the moon in 1969 before computers as we know them were invented? I think I was graduating from slide rule to calculator and about to experience the joys of Cobol programming!  To put it in perspective, your iPhone has 100,000 times the processing power of the computer that landed man on the moon 57 years ago!  How amazing (and unbelievable) was the commitment, ingenuity and bravery of those involved in that mission?
• What’s next? Will we wait another 53 years for the next instalment?

*****

As we wake each day to reports of conflict and uncertainty in our world, we are blessed to have the sky, the sea and the bush on our doorstep, and we are grateful for and embrace the “bubble” that is Lorne.  The images shared of stunning sunrises, moonlit nights and ever-changing seas add to our shared appreciation of where we live.

*****

Now it is time for me to say goodbye for a short time as Janet and I are heading to Europe (avoiding the Middle East (at great expense!) for a few weeks.  I leave this column in the safe hands of my deputy, Pete Spring.

Arrivederci

Lorne Ward Events Calendar

April

18 Lorne Dolphins Football and Netball V Colac Imperials, at Stribling Reserve, juniors match from 8:45am, seniors at 2pm

22-23 Grounded Food and Farming Festival, speakers, workshops, demonstrations plus local food, drink and live music. At Yan Yan Gurt West, Deans Marsh https://groundedaustralia.com.au/

May

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

2 Great Ocean & Otway Classic Ride www.greatoceanotwayclassic.com.au

16-17 Great Ocean Road Running Festival, Running, music, wellness, adventure.

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