ERSKINE HOUSE LORNE

The Mountjoy family built the first real dwelling in Lorne consisting of just two rooms. As interest in Lorne grew, the Mountjoys extended their premises to cater for visitors whose numbers continued to increase as the word spread about the beautiful scenery and abundance of fish and game. They called their first building The Temperance Hotel as no alcohol was sold. Eventually the Mountjoy family renamed their hotel Erskine House.

In 1864 the Mountjoy brothers settled on the Louttit Bay run. They built a two roomed house, grew crops and cultivated the land. This tiny house was to become the core of what is now 153 years later, Mantra Resort, the oldest and largest guesthouse in Victoria in continuous operation.

The Mountjoys extended their house to cater for visitors. They called their first building The Temperance Hotel as no alcohol was sold. The first registered guests were Dan and Sam Roberts of Hardcastle in England who reportedly said,” we enjoyed the fishing, shooting and sight seeing by mountain and stream.” In 1872 it was described as being a , “large and substantial wooden building, (there is a fine cellar underneath), in which Mountjoy can provide 40 beds.” By 1873 it could sleep 50 and was described as ,”three gables and broad verandas between each and in front a beautiful garden, as fresh and gay as though it was the first month of Spring instead of a hot windy day.

In 1877 it was renamed Erskine House. Business continued to grow despite the difficulty of getting there which entailed a train journey to Winchelsea and a 6 hour coach journey over the Otway Ranges. In 1891 Rudyard Kipling stayed here. Alterations and improvements continued to be made. By 1939 it was essentially a resort in itself, it had everything for the holiday maker, refreshment and dining rooms, billiard and smoking rooms, ballroom, tennis courts, croquet green, bathing boxes, boat shed and a motor garage. It even had septic sewerage.

In 1939 there were major renovations designed by Geelong architects Laird and Buchan. In it was sold to the Stribling Family. In 1974 the Rupert Hamer Victorian State government purchased Erskine House for $470,000. It continued to operate as a guesthouse over the summer but was used for conferences the rest of the year.

In 2000 a fifty year lease was granted to BCR Asset Management and what is now the Mantra Resort was built.

Source:

• Lorne A Living History by Doug Stirling