Lorne Victoria Australia

Lorne people with family names starting with R.

• Ragusa, Rosa (2017)
• Ralph, Chris and Rosemary (2017)
• Raskatos Family
• Rennie, Geraldine and George (2016)
• Robbins Family
• Robertson, Tony and Angela (2017)
• Rodd, Graham and Brigitte (2017)

Ragusa, Rosa (2017)

Rosa has seen a lot of changes to Lorne over the 40 years she has been here, beginning by having annual family holidays in whatever rental property they could get that would accommodate not just them but many of the friends who used to follow them here. We had so much fun. They were good times.

Sixteen years ago the Ragusas bought their own holiday house in Lorne. Three years later they moved here permanently. Husband Joe, worked as co- manager of Duetto Apartments while Rosa worked full time in Duetto Ladies Wear. Their four children visited regularly then as now and with the addition of five grandchildren it is often busy at their house.

Rosa came to Melbourne from Italy with her family before she finished her education. She resumed  school in Melbourne and studied until at age 14 when she was needed to look after her brother while her mother went to work.  However, she quickly realised that situation wasn’t going to take her far into the future so she enrolled in night school and took a secretarial course. She completed her qualification but with a long held interest in fashion chose to go into retail. Still hankering after working close to the coal face, she moved to a factory and began manufacturing clothes, selling from the site. Then at 21, I married Joe, had four kids and stayed at home for 19 years .

After the grandchildren my passion would be clothes and shoes

Rosa is a member of the Book Club, enjoys yoga and walking on the beach. They get to Europe every second year and escape north to the warmth in winter.

CW

Ralph, Chris and Rosemary (2017)

In 1957, in the days when the Great Ocean Road was narrow and without guard rails, Chris’s father towed a caravan from Melbourne home to Adelaide via Lorne. Chris recalls the experience as terrifying. Once old enough to own a sports car his attitude changed somewhat.

 I grew up as an “angry young man” in the “beat“ era. I was a trendy university drop out- complete with beret, cords and desert boots  – and with music becoming a major interest. He says he reached a turning point in his life with the arrival of the Beatles.

Chris had always wanted to be a writer. His attempts to find work as a journalist were unproductive so I fell into advertising.   He charts the course of his successful career from Adelaide, Sydney, Melbourne, Kuala Lumpur, London, Singapore and back to Melbourne. A highlight during this   journey included creating the entire advertising program for the launch of Malaysian Airlines – from toothpick holders to cinema commercials.

In 1972, I wanted to explore the “counter –culture”. I decided to go to the UK, where I was born, and live on a farm and write. I earned five pounds a week. I went to Morocco in a van for a time but returned to London to find work. While freelancing there Chris was recruited for a job in Singapore with Leo Burnett remaining until he was head hunted back to Melbourne.

Chris’ wife, Rosemary, was an accountant and pay mistress in that office and yes, they married and have lived in Melbourne ever since. In 1986 they bought land at Big Hill and built a holiday house they enjoyed for ten years before selling and moving into the town. They enjoy supporting community activities when they can.

Rosemary, a country girl, finished her schooling in Melbourne then went to university to study law. Finding it wasn’t for her, she left and qualified as an accountant. Although she still works part time, the Ralphs spend three or four nights every second week in Lorne. Their two children and two grandchildren consider the Lorne house as their own, visiting regularly. Rosemary’s interests are cooking and gardening.

In retirement Chris is busy. His passion is racing historic cars and as a balance, yoga and meditative Eastern philosophies.

CW

Rennie, George and Geraldine Fay (2016)

Geraldine Fay and George Rennie, 2016

Geraldine and George loved their inner city lifestyle and being able to walk to the CBD but craved a break from the busy and sometimes noisy environment.  After some memorable holidays with friends they decided Lorne was the escape for them. In 1993 they bought a house.

Right from the start they became involved with the community. Their two children started in the nippers program and progressed to doing beach patrol. They are members of the LSLSC, initially making rolls and sandwiches for Pier to Pub. They support events for Lions and the netball and football clubs. They not only help with the Mountain to Surf run but George competed in the super veteran category and has trophies on the mantel piece as proof.  They also love dancing and happily attend musical and dancing events. They recently became members of the Aquatic Club. Geraldine volunteers for a week during the Lorne Sculpture Biennale.

Geraldine was a teacher and George a statistician. They have been running their own business for many years, OR Systems P/L (Operations, Research and Statistical services). In the 1980’s they invested in two commercial properties in Fitzroy, in which they created studio spaces for artists.

They share an interest in theatre (in fact they met at a cast after party), art and visiting galleries, playing cards, bush walking and keeping fit. Geraldine loves to read. They enjoy travelling within Australia and Asia, however this year it will be Africa .

“We come as often as we can. We have the most enjoyable times with family and friends in Lorne .”

CW

Robertson, Tony and Angela (2017)

Tony’s career as a dentist has extended far beyond Melbourne. He has been a volunteer with the Royal Flying Doctor Service, treating patients from remote rural Victorian and indigenous communities, as well as rural communities in Vietnam with Rotary. He has recently retired from clinical practice after working part time for the last five years and now limits himself to intermittent university teaching and examining.

Angela retired from teaching three years ago. “I have always loved children and figured teaching would fit well into my life when I had my own family. I have had a wonderful career.” Straight after she retired Angela volunteered at Dandenong South Primary working with Afghani pre-schoolers and later, Fitzroy Primary, assisting Somali families, both part of a Berry Street program. More recently she has tutored migrants in English at the Box Hill Salvation Army. These opportunities have been particularly rewarding she said.

Angela and Tony are adventurers. Over the last seven years they have travelled to the Arctic, Antarctic, Namibia, Botswana, Galapagos, they’ve walked in the Andes and closer to home, in Tasmania. They admit walking is a passion although Tony slips skiing quickly onto the list. They love the variety of walking tracks in the Otways and use them to train for their holidays. Angela also began a ladies’ walking group twenty years ago, the next one based in Lorne.

They have holidayed on the surf coast over many years, buying their own house in Lorne three years ago. They have two married boys and two grandchildren so far. “We built on an extra room to accommodate the expanding family. None of us can get enough time in Lorne, but really enjoy when we can all be there together.”

The Roberstons are regular theatre goers. Friends, family and grandparent duties keep them both busy. Angela is a member of a book group and a choir.

Currently they are examining options for the future, like down-sizing and a tree change. They are keen to be involved in the Lorne community when they get to spend more time here.

“Lorne has the best of both worlds”.

CW

Rodd, Graham and Brigitte (2017)

Once Graham started work his father gave him the choice to have a serious savings plan or pay board.  By 1969 he had saved enough to put a $300 deposit on a cottage in Lorne that cost $7,200. His father helped him arrange a loan for the balance.

Lorne has been a significant part of his life ever since. First with his own family, then after meeting and marrying Brigitte and having children, Lorne became the centre of their own family’s life as well, participating in the Nipper programme and Life Saving.   “The boys have never known anything different. They thought all roads led to Lorne, so much so, that as youngsters on the way to the snow, one son asked, Is this a different road to Lorne?”

Graham studied and worked in the Melbourne financial world. His career started on an exciting note working for a Share Broker through the Poseidon boom, later working with JP Morgan with whom he spent most of his working life.  Currently he is working for Uniting Church Funds Management.  Besides Lorne, Graham is passionate about running and skiing.  For the last 10 years he has run the City to Surf in Sydney.  He has a personal trainer and goes to the gym.

German born, Brigitte arrived in Melbourne aged five. She completed her education and worked as a Dental Nurse before taking time off to be at home with their children. Once they completed school she resumed work, but this time as an Office Manager for a surgeon.

 ”I married Graham for his dinner parties. He was a fantastic cook but he stopped as soon as we were married.”

Her interests after Lornetime are cooking, knitting and skiing.  The family has skied in Europe and Canada. She has swum the Pier to Pub three times, the first for a bet to win six bottles on Moet. “It’s too cold now ”.

Of course there have been renovations and landscaping to what can hardly be called a cottage anymore.   The house has had a 40^th anniversary party, but this year, Graham will be celebrating his 47^th summer in Lorne.

CW

Sources

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