{"id":185150,"date":"2026-04-17T04:00:12","date_gmt":"2026-04-16T18:00:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/surfcoasttimes\/?p=185150"},"modified":"2026-04-16T10:00:03","modified_gmt":"2026-04-16T00:00:03","slug":"committee-for-lorne-news-from-lorne-historical-society","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/surfcoasttimes\/news\/committee-for-lorne-news-from-lorne-historical-society\/","title":{"rendered":"Committee for Lorne: News from Lorne Historical Society"},"content":{"rendered":"

News from Lorne Historical Society<\/strong><\/p>\n


\n<\/strong>Documenting Lorne\u2019s rich history is like completing a jig-saw puzzle. \u00a0We 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. \u00a0Here are two pieces that are more fully documented with photos and text on our website if you wish to know more.<\/p>\n

Centenary Motor Bike Trip<\/strong><\/p>\n

At the Lorne Historical Room, on Sunday 5th April 2026, we had three interesting visitors to our Building Lorne Exhibition. \u00a0They 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.<\/p>\n

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Love\u2019s paddocks were originally part of the Waverley House estate.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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We were able to tell our visitors that the photo was taken from up the hill behind\u00a0Waverley 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. \u00a0Love\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

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. \u00a0The picture taken in front of the Pacific Hotel shows Patrick and Timothy with Stephen on the right.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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The three bikies had left Adelaide on the 1 May 2026, reenacting a motorbike journey taken by Lionel Mills in 1926.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

The trio left Adelaide on 1st April 2026, motorcycling the journey undertaken by their grandfather Lionel Wills and Lionel\u2019s brother Phillip, exactly 100 years earlier. \u00a0Stephen had ascertained the route from his grandfather\u2019s photo album and an article he wrote in The Motorcycle Magazine (An Australian Scramble \u2013 Two English Motor Cyclists\u2019 First Experience of Riding in Australia) and researching where roads were in 1926.<\/p>\n

Lionel Wills, as a 24-year-old, rode a Harley Davidson and his 19-year-old brother Phillip rode a Henderson \u2013 another American bike. \u00a0They 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. \u00a0The 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.<\/p>\n

From Gun Alley to Arthur Robbins Walk<\/strong><\/p>\n

People visiting Lorne may not notice, but locals know there is a laneway between Cumberland Resort and the shops that come off Browne\u2019s Lane, called Arthur Robbins Walk.<\/p>\n

Our research found that Frank Beaurepaire dug an alleyway down one side of the Cumberland, that was nicknamed \u2018Gun Alley\u2019. \u00a0Lillian 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. \u00a0It is understood that Lillian, as Lorne\u2019s first lifesaver, wore her swimming suit under her work clothes, ready to respond in a life-saving emergency.<\/p>\n

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Lionel Wills, as a 24-year-old, rode a Harley Davidson and his 19-year-old brother Phillip rode a Henderson \u2013 another American bike.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

Gun Alley was later named Arthur Robbins Walk. \u00a0With help from Lyn Davies we learnt a bit about Arthur Robbins.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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. \u00a0Later he was transferred to Pathfinder squadron and flew 20 operations until the end of the World War II. \u00a0He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Pathfinder Force Badge.<\/p>\n

In 1948, Arthur married Eunice Richards. \u00a0He met Eunice while based in Brisbane at the boarding house run by Eunice\u2019s mother. \u00a0They then moved to Melbourne setting up a home in Strathmore, near Essendon Airport, welcoming the arrival of their only child Barry Robbins.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

They purchased land in Lorne in 1964, built a house at 52 Smith Street in 1977 and retired to Lorne in 1979. \u00a0Arthur loved bowls and was President of the Lawn Bowling Club. Arthur and Eunice gave good community support and worked as Meals on Wheels volunteers. \u00a0Arthur worshipped at St Cuthberts and worked to maintain its gardens.<\/p>\n

So isn\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n

Linton Ferguson<\/p>\n

Lorne Historical Society<\/p>\n

A word from the chairman<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Hello<\/p>\n

Did you see the headlines, \u201cLorne Pier lights turned back on to guide the astronauts home to Earth\u201d. \u00a0Well maybe not, but it\u2019s great to have our icon lit up again. \u00a0Thank you GORCAPA.<\/p>\n

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!).<\/p>\n

A space mission like this evokes many emotions and provokes many questions. \u00a0Such a journey is no joyride as we have seen with some past disastrous missions which resulted in multiple deaths. \u00a0Even as the space capsule hurtled back to earth, we were told that re-entry into the earth\u2019s atmosphere was one of the most dangerous phases of the journey. \u00a0Thankfully all went well and the astronauts returned fit and well, with stories to tell.<\/p>\n

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. \u00a0There is hope for our future!<\/p>\n

But the latest mission also raises some questions in my mind:<\/p>\n