Lorne is around 130 kilometres south west of Melbourne on the Great Ocean Road

and situated on the protected Louttit bay overlooking Bass Strait.

The town was called Louttit Bay after Captain Louttit, who transported timber on a small ketch “Apollo”

and knew the coastline well. It was only renamed “Lorne” after the Marquis of Lorne, in 1870.

The rich rainforest of the Otways begins in

the valleys behind Lorne that are flush with

tree ferns, sparkling brooks and waterfalls.

Lorne's Point Grey protects the town more

than any other on this coast, from the

prevailing south westerly weather.

Like many of the great towns around the

world, Lorne faces the rising sun. The Aireys

Inlet lighthouse frames the north-easterly

view. The sheltered two kilometre long beach

is safer than most beaches on the coast and is

surrounded by lawn, gum trees and picnic and

barbecue areas. It is watched over by a surf

life saving club and the many cafes, bars and

restaurants along busy Mountjoy Parade.

Lorne is close enough to Melbourne to be one

of the most popular holiday destinations on

the coast. At last count there were two

hotels, six motels and over 170 B&Bs,

cottages, flats and units. A pier and small

boat ramp at the end of the point run out

into Louttit Bay and a fish shop supplies good

fresh fish.

There is a short and hilly but charming golf course, a cinema, a hospital and a well staffed tourist

information centre. There are many things to explore in the hills behind town including Teddy’s

Lookout, a sculpture park and gallery in a bush amphitheatre, and a superb array of short and long

waterfall walks.

History

The Surf Coast has a long Koori history with various Wathaurong tribe clans living in the area for tens of

thousands of years. Prior to European settlement, the area was occupied by the Kolakngat Aborigines.

White settlement began in the mid-1800s and soon overwhelmed the indigenous population. Commercial

and agricultural pursuits helped establish settlements along the coast, including Lorne, and inland.

The first European settler was William Lindsay, a timber-cutter who began felling the area in 1849. The

first telegraph arrived in 1859. Subdivision began in 1869 and in 1871 the town was named after the

Marquis of Lorne from Argyleshire in Scotland on the occasion of his marriage to one of Queen Victoria's

daughters.

Rudyard Kipling

In 1891 the area was visited by Rudyard Kipling who was inspired to write the poem

Flowers, which included the line:"Buy my hot-wood clematis, Buy a frond of fern,

Gathered where the Erskine leaps Down the road to Lorne." Kipling was one of the

most popular writers in English, in both prose and verse, in the late 19th and early

20th centuries. Joseph Rudyard Kipling (30 December 1865 – 18 January 1936) was a

British author and poet, born in India, and best known today for his children's

books.

The Great Ocean Road connection

The great Ocean Road is one of the world`s great scenic

coastal roads. In 1922 the Great Ocean Road was extended

to Lorne, making the town much more accessible. The first

passenger service to Geelong was established in 1924 and

guesthouses began to appear after 1930.

The Great Ocean Road which stretches along the South

Eastern coast of Australia between the Victorian cities of

Torquay, Lorne, Apollo Bay and Warrnambool is the world's

biggest war memorial. It was built between World War I and World War II by returned servicemen in

honour of their fallen comrades. The road took 16 years to build and it was all done by hand using picks,

shovels and dynamite.