Originally called Louttit Bay, after a
sea captain who transported wood from the area. The town was
renamed Lorne after the Marquis of Lorne who married the
daughter of Queen Victoria in 1870.
William Lindsay, a timber-cutter who
began logging the area, first settled Lorne. In 1853, J Herd
built a large cattle station that was eventually sold to the
Mountjoy brothers.
The Mountjoy's built a
house that stood were the Erskine House Guesthouse now
stands, they gave up on the cattle run in late 1860s
ventured into other business' in the area.
Photo: Lorne's beach fronted shopping strip is lined
with cafe's, restaurants, bars and accommodation
The annual Pier to Pub swimming
classic is one of the largest swimming events in the
country, attracting thousands of competitors.
The town expanded rapidly with a school, hotel, hall and
library being built from 1870 to 1890. Camping and tourism
gained popularity with improved access to the town with the
opening of Great Ocean Road in 1924.
Early industries in the area included fishing and logging but
both only had a short popularity. Tourism grew and grew after
WW2 and large hotels and guesthouse were built in the town to
accommodate the growing tourist trade the beautiful Cumberland
Hotel was demolished in the early 1980s, in a wave of protest
from locals, to make way for a large resort.
LORNE
