Lorne Sea Baths

In the early 1880s the Council was receiving complaints from Lorne’s residents about indiscreet bathing in the Erskine river and as these were times of modesty, the Lorne Sea Bathing Company was formed in 1881 by Thomas Anderson and the Mountjoy brothers. They erected sea baths and bathing boxes on the main beach so that people could ‘bathe with dignity’. These baths extended approximately 80metres into the sea and were constructed of timber in the form of a jetty. Each swimmer was partitioned from the other for privacy. Polly Anderson ran the baths and saw to it that men swam only in the morning and women in the afternoon. The structure was destroyed by an easterly gale after only a few seasons. The original sea baths were run by Mary Ann Gay (neé Anderson) and her son Joe Gay. The piers of the old sea baths, opposite the kiosk, currently Almyra, were reported as being clearly visible in 1991.

Many people would enjoy swimming along the beautiful Lorne foreshore. A particular rock pool called Batsons’ Pool or MacDonalds’ Pool was a popular placed for people to swim and even used for swimming lessons.

Lorne Ladies’ Lounge

This building on Lorne’s foreshore provided facilities for women to change and enjoy Lorne’s beach. The building was built in 1939, believed to have been designed by Percy Everett for the Public Works Department. This building was used as the kiosk for the Lorne Memorial Swimming Centre. It was later to become a cafe and restaurant.

Lorne Memorial Swimming Centre

Named the “Lillian Beaurepaire“, following a generous donation, the newly completed pool was opened by Councillor Ian De Beaurepaire C M G in December 1967. Guests were welcomed by the Winchelsea Shire President (Councillor G S Bennett), together with  the Secretary of the Pool Committee (Mr Geoff Jarratt) and committee members and wives. Councillor Bennett in his address stressed the Government subsidy of $20,000, which was received 12 months ahead of schedule, enabling the committee to go ahead with plans to have the pool in operation many months in advance of that anticipated.

Councillor De Beaurepaire said he felt very honored to be asked to open the pool and name it after his Aunt, Mrs Clarke (formeriy Lillian Beaurepaire): “My Aunt” he said, “Was Lorne’s only lifesaver for a great number of years”. Councillor De Beaurepaire then unveiled a plaque on the club building and another on the main pool. A large crowd was present and, following the opening, many children took advantage of the invitation to have their first swim.

Geoff Jarratt, for the Lorne Foreshore Committee of the day, went to Melbourne to ask Dick Hamer, Premier of Victoria,  to help with funding, which the government did. Of course Lillian Beaurepaire also donated. She modestly did not want her name used. The centre was named as the Lorne Memorial Swimming Centre because it was next to the War Memorial, now moved.

Lorne Swimming Pool Development

The Lorne Aquatic Project (LAP) team was formed in 2007, to consult with the Lorne community and develop a plan to provide an all-year-long heated swimming pool. The LAP team worked for over three years with the Surf Coast Shire and Great Ocean Road Coastal Committee (GORCC). The LAP team identified geoexchange technology as an effective means to heat the pool. With strong Lorne community support and funding from the State Government, a feasibility study showed the viability of the project. The Brumby Labor government made available a grant of $758,000 to fund the geoexchange technology to heat the pool and foreshore precinct. GORCC decided to shut down the project. This was a very disappointing outcome for the Lorne community. It was then developed by a private business to become the Lorne Sea Baths.

Source:

• Lorne A Living History by Doug Stirling
• Wendy Jarratt, December 2024
• The Lorne News, 28-12-1967
• WOT’S IN A NAME? .. by John Agar 2020
• Jan and Peter Spring, December 2024