Lorne Victoria Australia

At the Lorne Historical Room, on Sunday 5th April 2026 we had three interesting visitors to our Building Lorne Exhibition. They were wearing motorbike leathers and had come to ask if we could identify where the photo of Lorne, taken exactly 100 years ago on the 5 April 2026, was located.

1926, Lorne

We were able to tell our visitors that the photo was taken from up the hill behind Waverley House, with Love’s paddocks in the foreground and a panorama of Lorne showing some 1926 buildings including Erskine House, Lorne Hotel and the Pacific Hotel. Stephen Wills had five photos taken around Lorne by his grandfather in 1926 and they were able to match all their locations.

The three bikies had left Adelaide on the 1 May 2026, reenacting a motorbike journey taken by Lionel Mills in 1926, the grandfather of Stephen and Tim Wills, with friend Patrick Keane. The picture taken in front of the Pacific Hotel shows Patrick and Timothy with Stephen on the right.

2026, The Three Bikies, (L-R) Patrick Keane, Timothy Wills, Stephen Wills

They are making a more comfortable journey than their grandfather on a Harley Davidson Pan American and a Royal Enfield Himalayan, with lots of coffee and food stops commensurate with their more senior years.

The trio left Adelaide on 1st April 2026,  motorcycling the journey undertaken by their grandfather Lionel Wills and Lionel’s brother Phillip, exactly 100 years earlier. Stephen had ascertained the route from his grandfather’s photo album and an article he wrote in The Motorcycle Magazine (An Australian Scramble – Two English Motor Cyclists’ First Experience of Riding in Australia) and researching where roads were in 1926.

Lionel Wills, as a 24-year-old, rode a Harley Davidson and his 19-year-old brother Phillip rode a Henderson – another American bike. They took 3 full days to ride from Adelaide to Camperdown in Victoria due to poor roads, no roads, mechanical breakdowns, accidents, and running out of petrol. The photograph shows Lionel Wills with collar and tie and leather coat, between Mrs Manifold and Mr Manifold in 1926, at Wiridgil Homestead, near Camperdown and Colac.

April 1926, Mrs Beatirce M.S. Manifold, Lionel Wills, T.P. Manifold, Wiridgil Homestead, Weerite Victoria Australia

 

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