Lorne Victoria Australia
Ivy Baldry (1910 – 1982)
Ivy Baldry in front of Chemist.
Ivy was passionate about protecting Lorne and its natural charms. She was a member of many local organisations, generous in gifts to the Lorne community and a fighter for keeping Lorne for future generations. Painter, poet, business woman and conservationist were all part of the person of Ivy Muriel Baldry. Ivy passed away in July 1982 peacefully at the Lorne Hospital.
Daughter of W.T. Fletcher who owned Ozone milk bar and also the Quamby Guest House
(now Sandridge Motel). He also ran the first bus service to Lorne, which was later sold to Trans Otway.
Ivy Baldry loved Lorne she was passionate about her village as she called it. She was a member of the followings organisations: Country Women’s Association; Lorne Foreshore; Lorne Planning & Preservation League; Red Cross.
Ivy also made donations to the Lorne hospital and gifts to the Lorne School. She also gave the old grocery store, across the road from the Commonwealth Bank, to the Hospital Auxiliary and was used for many years as the Op Shop. She would never sell the site to any one, except the government at the time, as she wanted and fought hard for the land and the foreshore to be kept as parkland for the public. There is still a large Golden Elm Tree still standing on the old site the Baldry’s planted in the 1950s.
She also pressed hard for the Government to buy Erskine House and keep the grounds and old buildings, she also had many involvements about stopping high rise development being built on the site, where the old skating rink and fun parlour used to be, now the northern car park and swimming pool area.
Ivy’s love for Lorne was evident in her many poems she wrote about Lorne and also paintings and her beliefs as a Conservationist and Businesswomen. Following demolision of buildings on the ocean side of Mountjoy Parade, a walk down to the foreshore carpark is name the “Ivy Baldry Walk” at about 65 Mountjoy Parade.
Ivy Baldry Walk
Baldry’s old shop. (Photo Joan Wheal)
