Lorne, The Smith Family

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

The Arab was opened by brothers Graham, Robin, and Alastair Smith in 1956. Graham danced with the Borovansky Ballet.

Alstair, Graham and Robin Smith sons of George, who had a house on Big Hill, on the Great Ocean Road between Lorne and Aireys Inlet. Believe the house was Iluka, which was a guesthouse at some stage. Smith brothers had the Abomb restaurant at Mount Bulla Ski Resort.

The Abominable (also known as the A-bomb or the Ab) at Mount Buller opened in 1964 as a licensed restaurant and late-night music venue. According to The Age, there were sometimes as many as 300 people dancing until 3 or 4am.  And what dances!  The Age article reported: The slop, the mashed potato, mod, nod, hitch-hiker, the swim, the frug and a dozen other indescribable dances are performed to the thumping beat of drum and guitar emanating from the inevitably hirsute group on the platform. The Age, 15 July 1966.

The Abominable, now known officially as the ABOM, evolved into a hotel as well as a restaurant and is still operating at Buller.  The Arab is now closed.

 

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