{"id":119277,"date":"2023-10-13T01:13:06","date_gmt":"2023-10-12T14:13:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/surfcoasttimes\/?p=119277"},"modified":"2023-10-12T16:17:41","modified_gmt":"2023-10-12T05:17:41","slug":"committee-for-lorne-power-or-lack-of-it-is-there-a-solution","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/surfcoasttimes\/news\/committee-for-lorne-power-or-lack-of-it-is-there-a-solution\/","title":{"rendered":"Committee for Lorne: Power \u2014 or lack of it \u2014 is there a solution?"},"content":{"rendered":"

The power is out, again … but in which half of the town \u2014 the north half or the half to the south of the bridge?\u00a0 Indeed, the split in Lorne\u2019s power supply has been a long-running topic of interest, its answers deeply in the town\u2019s history.<\/span><\/p>\n

Lorne’s first electric power generator belonged to the local Lorne photographer, Albert Jarratt.\u00a0 He used it to supply power to his darkroom behind the current [pun intended] fish and chip shop at 48 Mountjoy Parade.\u00a0 Later, at the request of the Port of Lorne, he ran a line to power a marker light at the end of the pier to aid visiting ketches and steamers.\u00a0 When he began to supply a few houses and streetlights as well, the Winchelsea Shire decided to purchase his system on behalf of the town, later replacing it with a generator station built on the site where the Lorne Information Centre now stands.\u00a0 Its <\/span>two engines \u2014 a 52 horsepower 35kw generator and a 27 horsepower 25kw generator [with an additional 20kw generator as a standby]<\/span> \u2014 used crude oil and <\/span>powered Lorne for the next 15 years<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

This machinery provided ‘part-time’ direct supply current \u2014 <\/span>don’t touch that wire<\/span><\/i> \u2014 and only came on at ~4:00 pm…. except on ironing days when it fired up at 2:00 pm.\u00a0 Then, before bed, the local engineer would check ‘the load’, forecast when it would likely decline, and finally gauge how much fuel to leave for each engine.\u00a0 The engines would then independently grind to a halt between 1:00 am and 2:00 am when their fuel ran out.<\/span><\/p>\n

Shire records show that Lorne’s power supply was discussed in detail at a Shire meeting on 14 March 1935 … in those days, Lorne was an outreach of the Winchelsea Shire and not the Surfcoast Shire as it is now.\u00a0 At that meeting, the council engineers stated they “were preparing estimates of the cost of installing a<\/span> hydro-electric development on the St Georges River near the Margaret<\/span> Falls”.\u00a0 As an author\u2019s aside, thank goodness <\/span>that<\/span> never eventuated.\u00a0 Later, the Allen Dam was built near the same site.<\/span><\/p>\n

Thankfully, <\/span>a government-run public entity, the State Electricity Commission [SEC] … <\/span>shades of Chairman Dan’s recent retro-thought bubble<\/span><\/i>… had been progressively taking over the provision of state-wide power from local councils in regional Victoria since 1919.\u00a0 By 1936, it was Lorne’s turn and as an outcome of the same council meeting, the Shire agreed that the SEC should link Lorne to the grid.\u00a0 <\/span>In<\/span> the last full year of the Shire of Winchelsea’s responsibility for Lorne’s power, records show that Lorne had 133 electricity customers in a population of 350, charged one shilling for each \u2018unit\u2019 of energy for lighting and nine pence per unit of power, and yielded a total annual power revenue of \u00a31,568.\u00a0 The SEC assessed the proposal to be cost-effective and agreed.<\/span><\/p>\n

The main decision concerned where the power should come from … Colac via an extension of the Birregurra feeder or Belmont via Princes Highway and Anglesea?\u00a0 After the second alternative was adopted, a line ~65 km long was built to Lorne through Anglesea.\u00a0 Until then, Anglesea had been without power of any kind.\u00a0 Its local residents were delighted.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Joining Belmont to Anglesea, Aireys Inlet, and Eastern View presented little difficulty, but bridging the Grassy Creek valley and crossing Big Hill were more difficult.\u00a0 A special ‘four-wheel drive pole erecting machine’ was used, arousing great local interest.<\/span><\/p>\n

To the SEC\u2019s credit, only three poles were erected along the Lorne foreshore in an effort to minimise view intrusion, while impressively, no trees were cut down in the town.\u00a0 Lorne was soon one of the best-lit towns in the southwest, boasting forty-eight 60-watt and nine 100-watt streetlamps.\u00a0 The total cost of the project was \u00a320,236.<\/span><\/p>\n

The system worked well during the 1939\u20141945 war years when power requirements were low but ramped up quickly during the expansion years of the late 50s and 60s.\u00a0 In addition, as salt spray from a series of easterlies affected the insulators, outages became increasingly frequent.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

By the late 60s, demand began to exceed line capacity and a new line was approved.\u00a0 Rather than following the older course from Belmont via the cutting on Big Hill, a newly built line tracked in from Colac using stronger, higher steel supports and wires with far greater capacity.\u00a0 Leaving Barwon Downs, it coursed up the western slopes of the Otway range, then tracked roughly parallel to Mt Sabine Road before finally turning down along the Erskine Falls Road to Lorne.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It is unclear why it was then decided to divide the town\u2019s supply system into two, with the Belmont supply route continuing to power North Lorne while the town, the Polwarth Road\/Richardson Boulevard sector, and the homes on Teddys were switched over to the new line.\u00a0 Whatever the underlying reasons for their decision at the time, the dual delivery system remains to this day.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Perhaps the question I posed in the title \u201c<\/span>Lorne Power \u2014 or lack of it \u2014 is there a solution?\u201d may not actually warrant a solution.\u00a0 In a geographically isolated town like Lorne, there may be occasions when it <\/span>might<\/span> be advantageous <\/span>not<\/span> to have all power eggs in one basket.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In the 1983 Ash Wednesday conflagration <\/span>in Victoria alone, 47 people died, 150,000 hectares were burnt, 1620 houses and more than 1,500 other buildings were destroyed, and an estimated 32,400 livestock were lost.\u00a0 And, pertinent to this article, <\/span>the Belmont to Lorne power lines were incinerated on Big Hill and beyond.\u00a0 As a result, the power split may have proved a saving grace for the town, given that much of its power remained \u2018on\u2019 via its Colac supply.<\/span><\/p>\n

At least now, when the power in Lorne goes out \u2014 again \u2014 and people ask, \u201c… is the outage north or the south of the bridge?\u201d, we may better understand the background for this strange Lorne anomaly.\u00a0 Needless to say, I will continue to keep my torch batteries charged, some candles in places where I can find them, and a fridge that doesn\u2019t groan too heavily with perishable foods.<\/span><\/p>\n

John Agar\u00a0\u00a0<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

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A word from the Chairman<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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Hello<\/span><\/p>\n

Well it\u2019s happened again this year!\u00a0 We just get past the Grand Final and it seems Christmas is upon us!\u00a0 Suddenly (or so it seems) Christmas trees and decorations are popping up in shop windows (in Melbourne anyway) and the juggle of organising the Christmas catch-up calendar is starting.\u00a0 While not wishing to deny retailers a bumper season, can we stop to think before buying unnecessary, unwanted or extravagant gifts.\u00a0 While we all want to spoil our children, grandchildren and other loved ones and friends, we know there are many needy people in our fractured and unfair world.\u00a0 Perhaps we could consider a donation to a worthy local or international cause in lieu of a gift.\u00a0 And remember donations are tax deductible so you get a benefit for your generosity!\u00a0 Just in case you were wondering, and to save you looking it up, the big day is 10 weeks next Monday!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Our very own John Agar, a regular guest-writer on this page, has recently published a book he has written.\u00a0 The book titled \u201cSecond Sons\u201d is a historical fiction based on the life of Somerled, a 12<\/span>th<\/span> century warlord of the Western Isles of Scotland, who was John\u2019s 25<\/span>th<\/span> generation grandfather!\u00a0 Somerled united the Gaelic clans of Scotland with the Viking interlopers to form the Lordship of the Isles.\u00a0 The book, initially written for John\u2019s teenage grandchildren, is suitable for young adults upwards and has been described as a \u201cbloody good read\u201d by some distinguished readers.\u00a0 It is available for purchase at Amazon Books or Kindle.<\/span><\/p>\n

Last week Pete Spring, Penny Hawe and I presented to Surf Coast Council on our progress to date with our \u201cAccommodating Lorne\u2019s Future\u201d project.\u00a0 While the councillors and executive are supportive of the work we are doing, it is apparent that we will have to drive this project.\u00a0 There are a number of aspects on which we will continue discussion with the Shire, including the State government\u2019s recent housing statement, the impact of proposed planning changes, proposed new rules regarding granny flats, and the availability of Commonwealth Games funding to be directed towards affordable housing.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

An event for your calendar\/diary is our next Committee for Lorne lunch to be held at Stribling Pavilion on Friday November 3<\/span>rd<\/span> (just before the Melbourne Cup long weekend).\u00a0 In keeping with the time of year, our guest speaker will be one of Australia\u2019s up-and-coming young trainers and entertaining racing commentators, Henry Dwyer. Henry runs stables in Ballarat and St Leonards, has had several Group winners and has a few handy chances running around over Cup Week. We are very fortunate to have Henry as our guest. Come and hear about the inner workings of the Sport of Kings!\u00a0 Carly Stafford, Principal at Lorne P-12 College will also be providing an update on activities at the school, including details of the nearly completed two storey building you can view from Grove Road.\u00a0 We will also be providing updates on the current activities of the CfL.\u00a0 More details on how to book will follow and we look forward to seeing you there.<\/span><\/p>\n

Cheers<\/span><\/p>\n

John Higgins Chairman<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Lorne Ward Events Calendar – <\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

October<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n