Lorne Guesthouses

At the beginning, sawmill workers who lived rough, often in tents, came into town for their night off on Saturdays. They wanted a good meal and somewhere to stay overnight. The families in town, the Stewarts, Clissolds, etc, had many children as well as taking these workers in, and so began to add more bedrooms. Some built bungalows in their grounds. The owners were often good cooks, so some places became famous for their meals like Kalimna. It had up to 60 guests and staff.

Most guesthouses had a passage up the middle with bedrooms off it and bathrooms and toilets shared at the back. No one minded this arrangement. They played croquet and tennis, had dress-up parties, and took long walks to fern gullies and falls. Barbecues and billie tea were highlights. Many romances and marriages developed in these places. “making whoopee” it was called. There were many competitions between the guesthouses. This lasted until the 1960s and then came the  rise of the self-contained motels. Gradually the guesthouses were lost as visitors began to prefer modern accommodation with ensuite bathrooms.

Guesthouses by Robert Coy

Lorne had three hotels and many guesthouses in its heyday. The hotels were The Lorne, The Quamby a private hotel, and The Pacific.
The guesthouses included:

Sources:

  • Lorne a Living History by Doug Stirling
  • Talk given at Lorne Historical Society meeting by Doug Stirling, October 2023.
  • Notes from Sandra McComb, January 2025
  • Lorne Historical Society collection, Lorne News
  • Remembering Old Lorne Guest-Houses and Hotels by Malcolm Graham and Lindsay Braden, 2002

Argyll House

Argyll House was located where the Lorne Squash Courts were located, then Qdos, then Phoenix Appartments, at 60 Mountjoy Parade Lorne. In 1943, British citizens were evacuated from Malaya during World War II, billeted at Argyll House, and the children attended Lorne School. Argyll Guesthouse Writing on rear of photo People evacuated from Malaya in...
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Ben My Chree

Ben My Chree The guesthouse was located at 1 Roadknight Street, with proprietors George Holland, George and Agnes Floyer. Now used as a private holiday home. The name “Ben my Chree” means “girl of my heart”in the Manx language, a Gaelic dialect spoken on the Isle of Man.   Auction Notice Sources: Google AI accessed...
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Bonnie Doon

Located at 15 Clissold Street, corner of Polworth Road and Clissold Street, with original proprietors Albert and Isabella Sanger (née Belle Stirling). Mr Sanger built Bonnie Doon and later sold it to Fred Alsop, who was the owner in 1938. The buildings were demolished in the early 1960s and the land subdivided into home units....
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Carinya

c1919, View of Post Office, Caryina in the background Carinya Guesthouse c1940 Carinya 1950’s 1938 Carinya Dining Room Carinya tennis courts and dance hall Caryina was located at 64 Smith street, opposite the Cumberland Resort tennis courts.  Frank Beaurepaire was its proprietor. Carinya guesthouse was a stylish up market resort by the standards of the...
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Chalet

Located at 4 Smith Street Lorne, originally built for Robert and Rita Sanderson in 1937. The Chalet guesthouse installed a swimming pool. Guests were provided with bathing boxes on the beach, surfboards and other beach equipment. Lounge rooms, dining rooms and ballrooms brought guests together, often romantically. Many returned for their honeymoon, as did Robert...
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Clovelly

Clovelly Illustration by Roy Coy Clovelly was a guesthouse at 48 Otway Street. It was reported in Lorne News, as a recollection of Don Stewart senior, that “Miss Gaynor used to be the local librarian and lived at Clovelly. She used to take a short cut across what is now the football ground and people...
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Cora-Lynn

Cora-Lynn, in the background is The Chalet. Cora Lynn guesthouse was located at 22 Mountjoy Parade. It opened in 1925 and with proprietors Percy and Louisa Hunt. It closed in 1975. After being dormant for many years, the former iconic guesthouse was redeveloped by the Brooks in 1988, to become 26 privately owned units. Cora...
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Cumberland

The story of the Cumberland is the story of the changing face of accommodation in Lorne.  It was built on the corner of Bay Street and Mountjoy Parade, replacing the Summerland Cafe and Dance Hall. Summerland Cafe, before The Cumberland Guesthouse was built. Frank Beaurepaire built the Cumberland Guesthouse for £30,000 in 1938. The architects...
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Erskine Cottage / Bridge House

Originally built for Mr Ferguson at 16 Mountjoy Parade, it was later run by William and Martha Snowden. At first named Erskine Cottage then changed to Bridge Cottage when the bridge over the Erskine river was built. It was located immediately across the road on the West side of the bridge. The building was later...
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Erskine House

The Mountjoy family built the first dwelling in Lorne consisting of just two rooms. As interest in Lorne grew, the Mountjoys extended their premises to cater for visitors whose numbers continued to increase as the word spread about the beautiful scenery and abundance of fish and game. They called their first building The Temperance Hotel...
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Gracedale

Gracedale was established on a site used in 1880 by George Stewart as a blacksmith shop. The guesthouse, originally built for Elizabeth and Robert Clissold in , was situated on Marine Parade, now Mountjoy Parade, where Lorne Community House and Lorne Community Connect, formerly Lorne Senior Citizens Centre, are located. It was advertised as being...
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Kalimna

Kalimna Guest House c1926 Kalimna was located on the Great Ocean Road, with a North facing view, in between the Pacific hotel and the Lorne Hotel. Kalimna Guest House with new extension c1930 Kalimna Guesthouse c1950 Kalimna gong used to announce dinner Kalimna was replaced by Kalimna Motel, which was then replaced by privately-owned villas....
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Kia-Ora

Kia-Ora, 9 Clissold Street (originally the street was named Torquay Road) was built in 1914 for Sam and Isabella Clissold as a private home that provided accommodation to timber cutters and coach drivers.  In 1920, it became a guesthouse and later it included Glenora, a guesthouse next door, and the buildings combined to become Kia-Ora....
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Minapre

Located at 6 Armytage Street on the corner with Mountjoy Parade. Built for George and Nellie Schram, later proprietors Alex and Edie Heatherwick, Norm and Inga Grange. It was a popular accommodation for early Lorne fishermen. Later replaced by the Ocean Lodge Motel, then redeveloped into private units. Minapre c1920 1946 advertisment Sources: Lorne Historical...
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Nenthorne

Nenthorne, Lillian Beaurepaire’s house Nenthorne was locate opposite Carinya Guesthouse on Smith Street. It was once the home of Frank Beaurepaire. At the time he owned Caryina.  Nenthorne was used if Carina was overbooked, consisting of 13 rooms and motor garage. Nenthorne, believed to be located at 6 Bay Street. Sources: Lorne Historical Society Collections

Ozone

Ozone Guesthouse Ozone house was a small guesthouse owned by Tom Allen,  located at 128 Mountjoy Parade on the corner of Williams Street. An entry dated 1915  in the Lorne News reported of a very enjoyable Fancy Dress Carnival at Ozone House. Sources: Lorne Historical Society Collections

Quamby

Quamby is believed to be an Aboriginal word meaning to stop and rest a while. Located at 128 Mountjoy Parade, proprietors Ern and Daphne Murnane, Bob Mellor. Now Sandridge Motel corner of Mountjoy Parade and William Street. 1938, view from verandah of Carinya 1936 Interior of the Quamby Snack Bar 1942 Sources: Lorne Historical Society...
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San Toy

The San Toy Guesthouse and Cafe was located on Marine Parade (now Mountjoy Parade) opposite Lorne Picture Theatre. Proprietors were Trans Otway Ltd., J. Sutherland was the manager. Named San Toy by Mrs Morris. At first used to accommodate workers, then used as a guesthouse, cafe and reception venue. Later owned by Arthur Ruston. Demolished...
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Yendalloch

A.E. JARRATT Photo Located at 62 Otway Street Lorne. First known as ‘Melba House’. Proprietors originally Len and Grace Allen, later on Mr and Mrs R. Cuzens. Later demolished and subdivided into home sites after being sold in 1968. Yendalloch was originally a small guesthouse which came from Dalways at Reedy Creek and called “MELBA”...
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