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.

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.

: Easter c1912

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