Lorne Victoria Australia

Augustine Salvatore Zanoni, known as Sal, was reportedly the first registered fisherman in Victoria in the early 1800’s. Sal’s son Charles had eight children and was next to follow as a professional fisherman, with four of his eight children, including Max Zanoni, all followed into the profession. Max Zanoni was born in Queenscliff in 1918, destined to be a fisherman like his grandfather.

During the 1930’s, with the couta biting in Lorne, the four brothers sailed around. Max and John, known as Jack, stayed. Max bought his first boat the ‘Marion’ from his brother Charles in 1935. His second boat the ‘Sandra D’ was purchased in 1952.

The home looked directly out to the Pier and had extensive views of the Great Ocean Road out to the Aireys Inlet lighthouse. They welcomed five children,  Maxie, Kevin, Sandra, Denise and Trevor. All attended Lorne State School with the elder three travelling daily by bus to Geelong and back for their High School years before Lorne became Lorne Higher Elementary School.

Max and Jack both enlisted from Lorne and served with the Royal Australian Navy during World War 2. Max also was a valued player with the Lorne Football Club.

The Lorne Fishermen’s Co-Operative was formed in 1938 and Max Zanoni was amongst the first shareholders. It has been reported that Max moved to Lorne the day the Great Ocean Road Toll was removed. Max was a well-respected man of the sea and an astute reader of the weather. Henry Love was quoted as saying: “If Max Zanoni walked off the Pier, every fisherman followed, there would be no fishing that day!”

Dorothy (Doss) had a large network of friends, loved to laugh and loved raising her family. She played tennis in the days when the tennis courts were on the foreshore, was Treasurer of the Mother’s Club at the school, an avid lawn bowler and an early member of the Senior Citizen’s Club. Very adaptable,  Doss  managed several shops in the main street once the children had departed home.  Her knitting skills were renowned.

Whilst the direct fishing line may have skipped Max and Doss’s offspring, Sandra was Secretary of the Lorne Fisherman’s Co Operative at the height of the couta and cray days, and married fisherman Geoff Tune. Denise’s son Dorian Lorne is owner/operator of Barramundi Adventures Darwin, a barramundi farm and fishing charter business in the Northern Territory. So the fishing gene continues.