The Cumberland Guesthouse Lorne

The story of the Cumberland is the story of the changing face of accommodation in Lorne. Frank Beaurepaire built the Cumberland Guesthouse for £30,000 in 1938 replacing the Summerland Cafe. The architects were AC Leith and Bartlett of Collins Street Melbourne and the builder was JC Taylor of Geelong. It was viewed as the height of luxury, the rival of accommodation anywhere in the world. The cream brick, steel framed building had an asbestos roof praised for its resistance to corrosion.

It catered for 100 guests. Shops, storerooms, a ballroom and staff quarters were on the lower ground floor. The upper ground floor consisted of lounges, a terrace, dining room and kitchens. Bedrooms were on the upper two floors. The building boasted lifts, a telephone near the manager’s office, piped music and a paging system. The bedrooms had luxuries such as built in robes, hand basins with hot and cold running water, a dressing table and two lights. There were four bathrooms on each level.

In 1984, David Mariner bought the guesthouse. The beautiful Cumberland was demolished and the new Cumberland Resort, timeshare units were completed in 1989 despite much local protest. The building was renovated in 2004 and subsequently sold as individual units.

Sources:

• Lorne A Living History by Doug Stirling