Lorne Victoria Australia

Lorne people with family names starting with B.

• Babington, Marsha
• Babington Family
• Baldwin, Don (2016)
• Bannister, Gordon and Marie
• Barraclough, Peter
• Barber, Barbara
• Barber, John
• Beal Family
• Beale, Will
• Beaurepaire
• Berçot, David
• Bethetras, Jason (2016)
• Bliss, John
• Blink, Jill and Paul
• Bongetti, Arlene
• Browne
• Brown, Ian
• Brown, Jenn
• Burch, Ian

Babington, Marsha (2017)

Marsha Babington, 2017

“I reckon you can live in Lorne and never wear a dress. It’s so casual here”. That was only one of the reasons Marsha gave for loving our town. “We are blessed with our ocean setting and having a perimeter protecting us from expansion”.

Marsha came to Australia from Michigan, USA, when she heard there was a shortage of teachers in 1976. Her first appointment was to Mt Beauty, followed by Mildura then Melbourne. In 1979 she took a position at the Lorne School. She taught English and Commercial Studies for six years.

“ I lived by a lake for most of my life, so with water in my genes, Lorne looked like a good place to stop”. In 1985, she married Eddie.

Marsha has had numerous community involvements beginning with treasurer of the first Lorne Community Association, 12 years as treasurer of the Lorne CFA, five years at the Information Centre and lately helps out at the Church.

She is kept busy operating two holiday properties and walking her beloved 11 year old border collie on the beach. Asked to name her passion she said border collies and kelpies. “ In any spare time I  enjoy reading historical and biographical books and I love BBC programs. The subtlety and humour of the English appeal to me far more than American humour. Oh and I enjoy my garden.”

Eddie and Marsha have a caravan. Annually, they choose an area they haven’t been to and just head off to explore. Marsha says her favourite places overseas are UK and South California and is planning to go to Italy and Poland shortly.

CW

Baldwin, Don (2016)

Don Baldwin, 2016

Don’s career in procurement had its beginning in the family company, R.K. Morgan, after finishing school in Seymour. He worked with them for eleven years before moving to Fluor Australia, a US multinational engineering and construction company. However, the bulk of his 25 years in procurement was spent with BOC Gases in Melbourne until he retired……. to Lorne of course.

There were three highlights in Don’s career of which he spoke with passion.
The first was his involvement producing a high volume, light, easy to use
gas package with an integrated valve regulator known as INHALO and used in patient care.
The second was helping procure the materials for the inaugural helium purification plant of the Southern Hemisphere in Darwin. This involved organising the shipping in of 30,000 tonnes of equipment “delivered damage free”.
The third was working on the Westbury project in Tasmania where BOC tapped into Esso’s Bass Strait natural gas pipe line and built a mini LNG plant.

Don was introduced to Lorne by his wife of 38 years, Christine. After they were married they spent every Christmas with her parents in Smith Street until the house was sold. The Baldwins bought their own house in 2011 with retirement in mind and in 2014 moved in permanently.

Don is a member of the winning Lorne bowls pennant team and Secretary of the club.
He is also Secretary of the new Men’s Shed and a member of the Aquatic and Football Clubs. He loves the movies and admits to being a serious fan of the Game of Thrones and House of Cards series. He travelled frequently during his career but has also enjoyed cruising around New Zealand and Australia for pleasure. His plans in retirement include touring Europe, parts of Canada and Alaska.

The Baldwins have two daughters, a grandson and are learning fast about grandparent duties.

CW

Barber, Barbara (2018)

Barbara Barber, 2018

Sixty five years ago Barb, remembers walking to Kalimna Falls as a five year old, something she has only just repeated.  It was the Queen who gave the family another reason to come to the area again. They waited by the rail tracks in Geelong to see her arrive by train.

Barb grew up in the Wimmera at Donald but attended senior school as a boarder at Morongo in Geelong.  Since Lorne was her parent’s favourite spot, many weekends were enjoyed here. She had thought she would study teaching after school but instead began a business career in Melbourne. She became a director and partner of Suzan Johnston’s School of Deportment and ended up teaching anyway.

She married John and they produced two girls. When the girls reached senior school Barb took up a position as Court Officer in the Federal Court and was employed for 12 years.  As it was casual and part time, it suited her perfectly until she retired permanently to Lorne in 2017.

Barb admits she has been passionate about sport all her life and puts tennis top of the list. She still goes to Melbourne once a week to play. Golf rates highly too and since retiring she has become an active member of the Lorne Country Club. She also enjoys theatre and her garden.

A love of travel has taken the Barbers all over the world, on numerous cruises and lately on long road trips around Australia. They have driven to Perth, northwest Queensland and to Uluru to see the giant solar light installation. With a daughter in London, this year they are going to Spain and Portugal via the UK, to visit her. “We have managed to get tickets to the Chelsea Flower Show while we are there and I am also hoping to spend a day at Wimbledon.”

The Barbers regularly rented accommodation in Lorne for family holidays but 20 years ago bought land and built their house, big enough to entertain children, their two grandsons and friends. Lorne is home now. “I found Lorne’s vibrant community easy to settle in. As well as the Golf Club I’m a member of the Aquatic Club, Bowling Club, Gardening Group, attend yoga and play bridge “. They volunteer at the Lorne Sculpture Biennale too.

CW

Barber, John (2018)

John Barber, 2018

There’s a glint in John’s eye when I asked about his first memories of Lorne. It seems he spent holidays down here with his mates in the late 50s at the Pacific Hotel. I’m sure there were plenty of memories made there. John married Barb in 1976 and has two children. Lorne holidays changed to include family, first in various rented accommodation then in their own house built 20 years ago.

John was born and educated in Melbourne. He had planned to study law but instead worked with the Victorian Crown Solicitor for two years before becoming a cadet with ACI and studying accountancy part time.  Deciding he didn’t want to be an accountant he completed his cadetship and worked for four years as State Manager of ACI Fibreglass. In1972 the company sent him to the UK for 18 months, followed by six months in USA. On his return to Australia he met and married Barb.

He continued working with ACI Fibreglass until he was moved to their Packaging Division. In 1992 he changed to Smorgon Steel and was there when the firm was taken over by One Steel. He stayed for two years and retired in 2009. John has been a permanent in town since 2016.

He wasted no time becoming part of the community. John is a member of the Golf Club, Bowls Club, Aquatic Club and inaugural Treasurer of the Mens Shed. He has been a volunteer for the Lorne Sculpture Biennale. He joined the bridge group.

Travel is a passion. He and Barb have been on several cruises and tours around the world. Since retirement they have driven long road trips to Perth, Uluru and North West Queensland. He loves the garden. He has been a serious tennis player and spent five years on the Council of Kooyong Tennis Club. He’s a family man and loves to spend time with their two grandchildren.

CW

Barraclough, Peter (2017)

Peter Barraclough, 2017

I first came to Lorne in December 1971, immediately after I had completed my year 12 exams. There was no such thing as ‘schoolies week’ back then. I came to stay at the surf club, as some of my school friends had already joined the club 3 years earlier through a teacher at school. Two of these friends are still members of the club today, and one still does his voluntary patrolling after almost 50 years!

I enjoyed the camaraderie of the surf club from the moment I arrived, getting to know and stay with a diverse bunch of new friends. The total membership in those days was around 50 males, so we got to know one another very well, staying in the bunkhouse together. It was a marked contrast to today, where the club now has well over 1200 members, both male and female.

We enjoyed endless days on the beach, and endless nights at Jon Crawford’s Grand Pacific Hotel. This was the place to party throughout the seventies, with live bands and seemingly little regard for licensing laws, particularly if you were a surf club member. We were regarded by Jon as ‘house guests’ or ‘bona fide travellers’.

I joined the surf club committee in 1974 as assistant secretary, and served continuously on the committee until 1993, my last 6 years as President. My professional career has always been in construction and property. I relinquished the role of President to become Project Director of the Crown Melbourne project, an all consuming task for nearly 5 years. However, it never stopped me from spending at least 3 weeks each summer on the beach at Lorne. I managed the extensions to the clubhouse in 1984 to accommodate our new female members. I also was an early advocate for the new clubhouse that was ultimately built in 2000.

In 1980, I met my wife, Carolyn on the deck of the Lorne Hotel, where the live music had moved to after Jon Crawford sold the Pacific. We have been coming to Lorne ever since, and we built our own house in Clovelly Court in 1999. Our son Rohan grew up on the beach each summer, participated in the Nipper programme, and then as a full member of the club, where he made many friends from outside school. I have made countless friendships throughout my 45 years at Lorne, through the clubs and activities that I have been involved with. I have been a member of the Country Club, and the tennis club as it was before it merged with the golf club.

Only this season, encouraged by my old friend Big Kev van Deuren, I have joined the bowls club and Aquatic club, where I have met a fantastic new group of local people, both young and old.

I can’t imagine summer without being at Lorne. It is the best place on the planet to relax, catch up with old and new friends and family, and to enjoy everything that life has to offer.

PB

Beale, Will (2017)

Will Beale, 2017

Berçot, David (2016)

David Bercot, 2016

It’s hard to find a starting point for this story so I’ll begin in 2006 because that’s ‘when David met Kelly ‘.  David had arrived from France in 2005, immediately after the European ski season, to work our winter and improve his English. He had recently graduated with a degree in business and was also working towards higher instructor qualifications.

He enjoyed Australia so much he applied for a visa to instruct again the following year and that’s when he met Kelly Fuller, who was studying Podiatry and was a part time ski instructor.

At the end of the season Kelly took David to Lorne to show him that part of her life. The environment and surfing lifestyle appealed to him but his commitments as a ski instructor at Mt Buller and in France would keep him busy for some time yet. During his six months stays in France he worked towards and achieved his Instructors Gold Medallion.  Five years of back to back ski seasons in France and Mt Buller came to an end when Kelly graduated and they decided to settle in Australia.

In 2010 Kelly and David decided to live in Lorne and start a business of their own. Using the family business as a base and starting with a trestle and hotplate in the street; “La Crepe Maison” was born.

Business boomed as their fame spread. Their motto of keep it simple and do it well paid off. Their rich French crepes made with butter, full cream milk and free range eggs were a winner and in peak season, customers were happy to wait in line for up to 40 minutes. Now they have a food van which for the last five summers has been in the Big Four Holiday Park at Wye River for breakfast and lunch, in Lorne for dessert and available for parties and weddings.

During Spring you will find them at the Lorne Bowls Club on Saturdays and Sundays and they will be open every night through January summer holidays (1^st – 31^st January)

To find out more about La Crepe Maisons opening times follow them on , Facebook/Lornecrepes.

Off season David works part time for Parks Victoria which with his love of Nature suits him well.

The addition of a baby has made family time a new priority .

CW

Bethetras, Jason (2016)

Jason Bethetras, 2016

Whether you are a member or not, you couldn’t help but have noticed the tall, handsome, bronze barista making coffee on the deck of the Aquatic Club over summer.  Jason not only makes great  coffee but delivers it with lashings of cheer, indicative of his zest for living . The coffee cart, his latest venture is something he hopes to further develop over the next six months.

A Melbourne lad, Jason’s lifetime connection with Lorne began when the town was still a village. When he left school, he worked with the ANZ bank where he came to appreciate there was a whole wide world “out there” to be discovered. So after two years he left, bought a combi van with a plan to work his way around Australia. He got as far as Mildura picking grapes in 40 degree heat and for very little pay. When he received an invitation to a friend’s birthday back in Melbourne he gladly accepted. On returning to Melbourne a light bulb moment occured, due to his existing love of competing and training for running and triathlons he decide to take it on full-time and  “give it a crack to be the best I could be.”

He spent 12 years competing in events first at the state level, then the national level before attempting ironman contests. His cash flow came from working in hospitality including management positions which set him up for the next adventure. He sold up everything, bought two surfboards and set out on a journey to surf around Europe and Asia. That lasted until he ran out of money and returned home.

During the two years he lived in Portugal he met the woman he eventually married. Although separated now they remain strong friends. He returns to Portugal when he can to visit his extended family.

“I have worked at many jobs, mostly in hospitality but for 6 years on the Gold Coast I was an electrical fitter for a small company owned by a fellow I met overseas. I have always preferred to be with small firms for the personal contact rather than being a number.”

Jason’s day to day interests include surfing, being out doors and staying fit and healthy , music , writing and reading.

CW

Bliss, John (2016)

John Bliss, 2016

After John and Bernadette married, they continued Bernadette’s family tradition since the 1940’s, of coming to Lorne every year for summer holidays.

When John’s father in law, Phil Danaher retired, he wanted to live permanently in Lorne so in 1982, Bernadette, John and Phil bought a house together in Lorne.  As Bernadette was employed in education and had term holidays and John ran his own business, they managed to spend the majority of weekends and school holidays in Lorne.

John was born and lived for the early part of his life in Newport and attended Sacred Heart Primary School and Williamstown High School.  Unfortunately John’s father was involved in a car accident and was unable to continue working, so John left school in year 10 and then worked to support his family.  He was employed by an insurance company until his marriage to Bernadette, he then formed an office cleaning business, which ran successfully until his retirement in 2005

John and Bernadette have been married for 46 years and have two daughters, Lisa and Nikki.  Lisa and husband Peter Bracken live in Lorne.  Nikki and partner Early Darcy and their two children Karah and Kobe also live in Lorne.  Before living in Lorne, Bernadette and John lived in Keilor, then Essendon, where both children attended school. When the two children left home, they lived for a while in Travencore.

John loves playing and watching golf, follows Essendon football club and enjoys the odd flutter on horse racing.  Bernadette and John like to travel regularly, have caravanned around Australia twice, have travelled to USA, driven through the UK, Europe and Canada.  Also on their itinerary was cruising to Alaska and trips to the North and South islands of New Zealand.  In 2017 they plan to travel to Greece and Croatia.

John is a member of the Lions Club of Lorne, Lorne Golf Cub, Lorne Aquatic Club, Lorne Football Club and Lorne Men’s Shed.  Bernadette is also an active member of the Lorne Lions Club and is kept busy helping organise weekend markets and the popular Easter Art Show.

John likes to work on their garden and adores looking after their 4 year old grandson who John said, “is such a funny little man and always has them in fits of laughter”.

NK

Blink, Jill and Paul (2018)

Jill and Paul Bloink, 2018

It is amazing how many visitors to Lorne arrive with no intention of buying a house but leave with having paid a deposit on one. Fifteen years ago, Jill and Paul were staying with friends one weekend, went for a walk down the street, passed a ‘For Sale’ sign on a house and bought it . After some necessary maintenance and some cosmetic changes it has been their holiday house ever since.

Jill was born and educated in NSW. While training as a teacher in Newcastle, she met Paul on a blind date, a mutual friend had arranged. They married in 1974 and lived in Newcastle until 1991 when BHP Shipping moved them to Melbourne. They have three children and so far, one grandson.

Jill always wanted to teach and spent most of her career in Newcastle secondary schools. When the family moved to Melbourne, she took a break before taking on a job as an integration aide working with children. Many other BHP Shipping families they had known were also moved down, meaning Jill not only was able to continue friendships but membership of a special craft group she enjoys. She loves her garden in Melbourne and Lorne, helps at the local Op Shop and The Information Centre. In Melbourne Jill door knocks for the Salvos and for the Heart Foundation.

Paul was born in Port Morseby where he completed his primary education before going to boarding school in Brisbane. He had dreams of becoming a marine biologist “but in those times it was not possible to follow your heart because employment opportunities were rare; now it’s a different story”. Instead he started his career as a trainee marine engineer with BHP in Newcastle. After six years as a ship’s engineer Paul came ashore to study mechanical engineering at university. That led to him working on a wide range of projects in the shipping industry, from tug boats to large bulk carriers. In 1990 Paula and Jill spent a year in Singapore and again in 1999 where Paul was Superintendent Marine Engineer for the construction and conversion of large ships for off shore oil production.

 Paul and Jill are now spending half their lives in Lorne. Paul is an active member of the SES and has a passion for cycling and “fixing things”. He bought a 1975 Land Drover, ( Jill adds quickly …”he means a derelict”) which he is finding a much greater challenge to restore than he expected.

To me they looked pretty happy in the house they never intended to buy !

CW

Bongetti, Arlene (2016)

Arlene Bongetti, 2016

Arlene’s view from “the office” is the envy of many.  As manager of the menswear store Gazman she overlooks the main surf beach –  oh and that’s after driving the scenic route daily to Lorne from Deans Marsh where she now lives. She enhances this daily dose of nature and beauty by doing yoga which she says is a passion.

Retail has been Arlene’s career from the beginning. She grew up and was educated in Melbourne and after leaving school worked at Myer and later at David Jones. When she married Brian, they moved to Lorne to live, twenty six years ago. Two children later they moved to Aireys Inlet for eight years before settling in Deans Marsh.

Having children at Lorne P-12 made working in Lorne ideal. For eight years she was manager at Loutitt Bay Menswear until the business was sold. Since then she has been at Gazman.

Retail seems to be a family affair. Her daughter Sara is manager at Lorne Girl, son Rhys managers EB games in Colac and her youngest daughter Tamsin is a beautician.

“I’m a bit of a homebody “ Arlene admits and declares cooking as another passion. She is a vegetarian so the garden is a significant part of her life. When she first came to Lorne she played netball for the local team but now she mainly swims and enjoys the beach in summer.

It’s a good thing for business that she loves meeting the diverse range of people that pour into Lorne.

CW

Brown, Ian (2017)

2017, Ian Brown

“We love walking on the beach with our two enthusiastic border collies and have come to know  everyone with dogs who walk  there. We even know their dogs’ names.”

Ian has lived in various parts of Victoria and says he is still a country boy at heart. Ian and his wife, Anne, have been holidaying at Lorne from the time their children were young. So impressed were they by the location, they thought they would like to try living here. They rented a house originally for a year so that Anne, a Psychologist with a practice in Melbourne, was able to start working in Lorne part time. Ian, still on staff at Monash University as Director of the Medical Engineering Centre, came down to Lorne on Fridays for the weekends. Eventually they bought the house they were renting and renovated. Anne tired of commuting to Melbourne transferred her practice to Lorne, working four days a week until retiring last December.

Ian was the first biomedical student at Monash and the first to do a PhD in Medical Engineering. He met Anne whilst they were both at Monash University and in fact were married in the university religious centre. After living and working in Melbourne for many years Ian took up a post doctoral fellowship in Birmingham and then worked in London for six years. During that time Anne trained as an Analytical Psychologist.

On their return to Australia, Ian worked for the Commonwealth Department of Health as head of Medical Devices before eventually returning to work at Monash University. Ian enjoyed teaching but loved research. He says supervising students through their PhDs was a highlight of his career. He also ran a consulting company for the University that included conducting surveys of medical equipment in all Victorian and Western Australian hospitals. This experience is no doubt invaluable for his position on the Lorne Hospital Board.

Ian’s interest in the environment, and particularly in projects that affect Lorne, is useful as President of Friends of Lorne. He would love to see some young people get more involved, especially to help with the website for this organization which has been working for Lorne for 51 years. “We need young people to carry us forward to the future.”

The Browns have two children. Now with a Chinese daughter- in-law their interest in travel will include China more regularly.

They are members of the Book Club and have been involved in Lorne’s Sculpture Biennale.

CW

Brown, Jenn (2017)

2017, Jennifer Brown

Wanting to share her passion for ocean swimming and love of the beach with her children Angel and Jasper surely influenced Jenn’s involvement with the Nippers Program, which she has run for the past four years.  Introduced to Lorne by her husband Steve Atkinson in the early 90’s they holidayed with Steve’s parents until 2002 when they bought their own holiday house.  Nine years ago Jenn and Steve decided they were sick of the rat race in Melbourne, took a break for a year in Lorne and never went back!

Jenn was born and educated in Melbourne. She completed an economics degree, even went on to do honours commerce and work as an accountant in a large firm before she realised this path was not her life calling. She changed direction and took a job in marketing. She worked in various roles in sales, product development and management before landing her dream job . As a buyer in clothing she travelled regularly to the US and Europe and China.  Currently she works with Steve in their Management Consulting Business which can be run mostly from home.

The best part of winter for Jenn and Steve is spent skiing at Mt Buller where both their children train and compete in mogul ski events. Italy and Hawaii are their favourite countries to visit when they travel.

She loves Lorne, swims in the ocean regularly with friends and has taken part in local half marathons.  She was also involved in organising the Pier to Pub for over 20 years, did a stint on the Lorne Sculpture Committee and was an active parent at the school while her children attended primary school there.

With work, nippers and regularly travelling to Geelong for her children’s activities time is at a premium.

CW

Burch, Ian (2017)

2017, Ian Burch

Ian, trombonist in the South Coast Stompers Jazz Band from the 60s playing at various surf clubs over summer and at the Wild Colonial Club in Lorne, has always had an affinity with the Surf Coast.  Although when he was younger, a lot of his time was spent camping in Torquay, he has had a holiday house in Lorne for 18 years. After buying the property next door with the idea of eventually building his ideal beach house, it took years of planning. “I had too much time to think about it and feel I’ve over cooked it a bit. Kevin McLeod could have used my case on Grand Designs! Some of the dramas we had were, a digger catching fire, snow, floods and road closures”.

Ian, a Geelong born architect from what was then The Gordon, worked locally for two years before going overseas. He worked in various countries including, USA, Canada, Sweden and in the Bahamas –  thanks to winning a competition to design a house for Sammy Davis junior. Sadly, in the end Sammy decided to stay in Los Angeles but Ian enjoyed the experience and his company anyway.

After six years he returned to Melbourne. He worked with renowned architect, Graham Gunn for two years, designing residential projects and the Torquay Surf Club before going out on his own.

His work was mostly on the west coast and mainly residential including a unit development on a family block in Torquay. He is still in private practice today.

He married in the 60s and had a daughter, Jennifer, in Australia, a son, David, in Canada and “conceived twins, Michele and Melinda, in the Bahamas”. He has eight grandchildren.

With a passion for surfing, lately more body surfing until the April cold sets in, he says ‘recreational surfing’ probably describes it better. As a ‘yachtie’, Ian has sailed in a race in Malaysia, around the Croatian coast and in the Tall Ships Event from Sydney. “Once I’ve finished this house I’m open for travel thoughts. “ He enjoys gardening, sketching and painting and is looking forward to settling into his new studio.

He has been involved with the Lorne Surf Club since’ forever’, supports Qdos and its activities and “put my penny’s worth into the Pt. Grey development “.

CW

Sources

• Lorne Historical Society Collections
• Surf Coast Times, Committee for Lorne Page, Community Profile by Cynthia Wynhoven.