Lorne - VIC

Lorne is one of the larger towns along the Great Ocean Road. It has a permanent population of about 1200 which grows considerably in number during holiday periods and long weekends. It is just under 140 kilometres from Melbourne. The town is located on Louttit Bay where the Erskine River flows into the ocean. It was named after the Marquess of Lorne from Argyleshire in Scotland

The bay on which Lorne is situated is named after Captain Louttit, who sought shelter there in 1841 while supervising the retrieval of cargo from a nearby shipwreck. The town was surveyed in 1846 and the first European settler William Lindsay, a timber-cutter, began felling the area in 1849.

By 1922 the Great Ocean Road was extended to Lorne, making the town much more accessible. The first passenger road service to Geelong was established in 1924 and guesthouses began to appear after 1930. The local fishing industry expanded significantly in the 1930s and 1940s. The Ash Wednesday bushfires swept through the area in 1983, destroying 76 houses.

The town now has a modern centre with a variety of retail outlets. It offers a range of accommodation including hotels, motels, guest houses and caravan parks. I road to the hinterland climbs the hills to the north west of the town providing access to water falls, walking tracks and bust camping opportunities.