M.B.E., M.A. 19th June 1904 - 14th September 2002

Lorne’s leading citizen seems an apt description of Hector Stribling. “Pa” as he likes to be called was born at Euroa in 1904. The family’s first association with Lorne was when his father (Edward) who was a bank manager at Winchelsea, travelled to Lorne on horseback to pay the workers involved in the construction of the pier. This was in 1879-1880.

1910 onwards saw the family spending holidays in Lorne travelling from Euroa. In 1914 Hector’s father built “Morva” at  22 Ocean Road.

At the age of 14 Hector was driving a T model Ford. It helped that his father was the local JP!!

In 1929 the family company purchased the Pacific Hotel and asked Hector to manage it. He later bought it himself and spent what he describes as the happiest times of his life.

1933-36. As Captain and coach of the Lorne Football Club, he led them to two premierships, would have had three only the couta started running and the fishermen were unavailable.

1932-39. Hector started the Cricket Challenge matches between the hotels and guest houses for the Stribling Cup.

In 1935 Hector married Mable Staples in Brisbane, where the family owned The Daniel Hotel. The union resulted in three sons; Edward – a farmer at Euroa, Stewart a Melbourne barrister and Anthony – a Lorne farmer.

Hector built “Yuruga” on land adjacent to the Pacific Hotel, where Anthony and his family resided.

In 1936, Hector with other residents formed the Lorne Fire Brigade.

In 1938 Hector purchased the Lorne Hotel, thus owning both the town’s hotels. With the advent of the Second World War, Hector joined the RAAF and served for three years. Mabel and a group of women ran the Lorne Hotel.

The Pacific was leased to Mr Hewitson (1939-41) and Mr Bolwell (1941-45), then managed for Hector by Brock Howe (1945-50). The freehold was then sold to a famous Collingwood footballer, Ron Todd, as Pa felt the hotel had lost its dignity in the post war era.

In 1952 Pa acquired Erskine House and became very keen on greenkeeping. Hector laid the bowling green on the foreshore using soil from the little She-Oak and timber from his mill at Tallarook. He also developed the football ground using his own machinery and staff from the Lorne Hotel and Erskine House in both ventures. Locals will remember him hand weeding and watering the footy ground at 5 am in the summer. He quit when criticized for wasting water when the Allen Dam was overflowing. Stribling Reserve is named in his honor.

Hector as a local Councillor was credited with getting Lorne sewered (smallest town to be done), beach groins constructed, selling land opposite Ridgeways for additional camping. He organised a new foreshore carpark and served on Preservation, Foreshore and Waterboard

In 1967 he sold the Lorne Hotel to the Beaurepaire family. Erskine House was sold to the State Government in 1975.

Beginning in the fifties, Hector and Mabel began to travel extensively. Sadly Mabel was killed in a motor accident in Yugoslavia in 1970.

Hector was the first Australian to visit China and Russia. He travelled to every country in the world including Antarctica. Hector spent his twilight time in the Lorne Nursing Home, where for so long his prize roses adorned the area. Hector died on 14 September 2002.