Friends Of Lorne

Flora, Fauna, Fire, Water

We include here resources, information, and links to past events  with the videos and/or slides  speakers shared with us. Past events are arranged  chronologically.

INFORMATION, RESOURCES

Friends of Lorne put together a photo guide to GORCAPA’s tea tree removal and habitat restoration plans on the foreshore. We did this to promote understanding and better dialogue. GORCAPA listened and took community values into account. The removal is now  more gradual and replacement plantings are occurring. We’re also developing  plans to monitor the impact, so the policy can be adjusted if needs be.

Water supply in Lorne is precarious. Lorne uses about 340 million litres (ML) each year, which is more than the 215 ML capacity of the Allen Reservoir. Lorne therefore relies not just on rain falling in its catchment, but also on it falling often enough each year to top up the Reservoir before it runs dry. In 2016 water had to be trucked in from elsewhere.  Check out this briefing paper put together by Mary Lush and Janet Beard. Barwon Water is currently working with the Lorne community on water supply planning. You can read about progress so far here.

Controlled burns around Lorne are intended to increase our safety. You can read more about the strategy here.    The ecological impact of controlled burning is under intense scrutiny by scientists. Mary Lush has written an independent critical analysis of planned burns. She welcomes feedback, comments and correction and will update it in response. Her contact details are on page 1.  

HOODED PLOVERS IN LORNE

Over January and February 2024 many of our members volunteered with BirdLife Australia to help keep two endangered hooded plovers safe on our beach during the 5 weeks while they raised two chicks to adulthood. It was a remarkable community effort to keep the beach dog and people free. Read one of the progress reports here. Only five hooded plover chicks were successfully raised to adulthood along the surf coast this season. So for Lorne to be responsible for two of this next generation is a real feather in our cap (!). One of the Lorne chicks has been banded. He/she  popped back home to Lorne to for a quick visit. He/She has since been seen at Pt Impossible. A blood sample was taken to determine gender. Apparently the results will not be known for years as BirdLife Australia does not have the financial resources to analyse bloods and relies on volunteers at universities.