Worker adoption to keep Lorne open

LORNE Business and Tourism Association’s new Adopt A Worker initiative has received a positive response, with opportunities opening for hospitality worker accommodation.

However, about 130 workers will be needed to meet peak-season demand in the popular Surf Coast town, with many more rooms, vans, bungalows and beds needed for businesses to get back to seven-day trading.

Knowing that Melbourne’s lockdown would end and thousands would flock to Lorne as soon as restrictions lifted, the local association has been working on new ideas to attract workers and make sure they had somewhere to stay.

Lorne’s ‘Adopt A Worker’ initiative is asking the community to help provide accommodation for workers over the busy summer period, enabling businesses to open and the town to continue to welcome tourists.

The callout to the community explained that “our hospitality and accommodation businesses continue to experience significant labour shortages dues to the void created by a very limited number of international students, backpackers and itinerant workers unable to travel and move freely between states”.

The LBTA has been working the Committee of Lorne and the Surf Coast Shire to identify accommodation opportunities including gaining permission to have vans or tents on properties for up to 120 days for certified workers.

Lorne Business and Tourism Association’s Paul Upham said the Adopt A Worker program had received several initial responses, which was a good start, and had uncovered other opportunities with shared-stay accommodation.

“We will see where we end up and whatever we can find will be fantastic to build on for future years,” Mr Upham said.

He said from a community perspective, it was also about encouraging relationships with workers, who were vital for Lorne.

“We’ve had a couple of Argentinians staying at our house on and off for three years; they feel like they are part of the family.”

However, after making it through the busiest long weekend for many months, Mr Upham said the biggest issue in the short-term was trying to manage the shortage of staff and not wearing out the
existing staff.

He said businesses would open with smaller capacities over the weekends but then have to close during the week because they had to make sure not to put too much pressure on workers and had no staff in reserve.

“People who come to town mid-week will have minimal opportunity to get a coffee.”

LBTA will also encourage young people from 16 to 18 in Lorne for holidays to consider working a few hours, so they can gain experience and be ready to move into a hospitality job when they were at university or having a gap year.

Visit the LoveLorne website to find out more about adopting a worker or work opportunities in Lorne.