Lorne Guesthouse, Gracedale

Gracedale was established on a site used in 1880 by George Stewart as a blacksmith shop. The guesthouse was originally built for Elizabeth and Robert Clissold. It was advertised as being two minutes from the beach, with hot and cold water and sewered, with two tennis courts. After Erskine House it was one of the early big guesthouses in Lorne.

The photograph below shows the frontage of Gracedale at 16 Mountjoy Parade, current location of the Lorne Historical Society. Note the low stone wall in the photo is still visible today, next  to the footpath on Mountjoy Parade opposite the Visitor Information Centre.

Gracedale guesthouse Lorne, circa 1937-1943. From the SLV’s Shirley Jones Collection of Victorian postcards.

In 1962 the Lorne News reported that Gracedale was bought by Gordon Thompson of Apollo Bay for conversion to a Hotel, but was demolished and later purchased by Winchelsea Shire.

Gracedale Postcards

Early postcard with sign in front yard shows “Gracedale Board and Residence”

On the back of this postcard sent to Miss Leah Alsop, Blue Gum Grove, Winchelsea by Madge Clissold. She notes that since this photo was taken, two rooms on the end have been added this year, verandah has been widened to they can now accommodate 34 people.

In this great A.E.Jarratt postcard we clearly see the stone wall that fronted onto Mountjoy Parade, part of it remains to this day.

Back of the above A.E. Jarratt postcard.

Sources:

• Echo Newspaper article c.1988
• Greetings From Lorne by Leigh Hammerton
• Notes from Sandra MCComb, January 2025
• Lorne Historical Society collections
• State Library of Victoria