Happy New Year! With the door now firmly shut on 2018, it\u2019s a great time to be looking to reflect on the past 12 months, draw on one\u2019s experiences, plan and if possible, have an even greater year in 2019. How is your year looking? What have you planned and what are your goals as the first few days of 2019 are prime time to amp up your focus, kick start your passion and stand for excellence? The decisions we\u2019ll make in the first month of 2019 will completely set the stage for the entire year and for you all I hope they\u2019re all good ones!<\/p>\n
What a busy past week we\u2019ve had here in Lorne with all arterial roads into town slowing to a walk and the influx of visitors
\nas strong as any of recent years. Whether it be those that are arriving to use Lorne as their base for their summer vacation,
\nthe day-trippers enjoying a good spell of weather over the past week, the 15,000-plus thousand descending onto the Falls Festival or the increased numbers of our international visitors we have been \u201cbursting at the seams\u201d and experiencing that unique Lorne summer vibe.<\/p>\n
Well into my third decade working in Mountjoy Parade I have experienced a noticeable trend in many of our visitors and their behavior patterns, from their arrival to departure from Lorne and my theory is simple. How many times have we
\nseen visitors arrive to Lorne after a busy, sometimes stressful, build up to Christmas and look to air those frustrations on fellow road users, disrespectfully treat business operators, employees and local volunteers in retail, service and trade industries that in 99.9 per cent of cases are doing all they can to welcome and look after the very needs of our visitors.<\/p>\n
For a town that has just over 1000 permanent residents it is absolutely amazing to see how within a week we are, all of a sudden, servicing some twenty thousand (more when you consider Falls), with a kind greeting and a welcoming smile.<\/p>\n
My theory unfolds as our visitors begin to embrace the Lorne \u201cway of life\u201d these frustrations start to erode and relationships
\nwith those who service those needs begin to build to the level of respect they deserve.<\/p>\n
I love it when \u201croad rage\u201d turns to \u201croad courtesy\u201d with simple actions of allowing a little extra room for Mountjoy Parade
\npedestrians to navigate the back to back traffic, allowing that extra vehicle right of access to the choked roundabout or
\nslowing and allowing the exit of a parked car on our busy main street. All these little unexpected actions, that I share with a
\nnumber of other locals, are certainly well rewarded when you see the smile and thankful wave and smile that go a long in
\nconverting the \u201cMelbourne way\u201d to what is Lorne!<\/p>\n
Have a great 2019 and love and respect Lorne like all we locals do!<\/p>\n