It was a nice sunny day as Allthego took off on a 4 km walk from the Lorne Pier out of town beside the GOR before starting a trek uphill beside the road, along an old tram line pathway. The tram line had been built before the days of the GOR and was used to transport logs from the Otways down to the pier at Lorne to be loaded onto boats. It was a wooden rail tram way, horses pulled the bogies up the line and the men held on going downhill with heavy application of the brakes. It must have been a physically demanding job, let alone the building of the tram line in the first place.

Tram way bogie on wooden rails

The track following the old tram way route down to St George River.

The track uphill

The walk took me up over the hill and then down to the St George River, the logging operations brought the logs down the river valley to be loaded onto the tramway near the little river’s mouth. The tram way was eventually superseded by the GOR and much of it was dismantled and obliterated by the construction of the road. It was a good walk down to the river with great views of the road winding along the coastline. The walk continued up the river valley before turning up hill and leading to Teddy’s Lookout on top of the hill looking back down the GOR again. Pretty steep and had Allthego stopping frequently to catch breath.

Toll ticket for use of the GOR.

The GOR, looking back about half way up to Teddy’ Lookout.

St George River valley

Homealone arrived in the truck and we headed back to town for lunch. The Salty Dog had been recommended to us as an excellent Fish ‘n Chips place, in Lorne it seems ‘Fish & Chippery’ is more the go style wise. It was not bad, but not the best we have enjoyed. Seemed a bit heavy, then maybe that was because of the quantity.

Salty Dog

Salty Dog mural

Those fish ‘n chips, a couple of prawns, calamari and scallops too.

During the afternoon we had a little wander around the town, particularly down at the mouth of the Erskine River with the restored Swing bridge across the mouth. Allthego tried for some fish in the river, but not even a bite from a tiddler.

The swing bridge on the Erskine River.

Last night we took in the movies at the old Lorne Picture Theatre, the new release of A Star is Born with Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper. A bit more upbeat and louder than the one we remember with Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson, also different songs. General theme still the same.  Interesting in the old theatre, everyone sat in the dress circle looking down into the empty stalls below then across a stage floor to the big screen on the far front wall. Totally different experience to today’s mini cinemas with surround sound.

We head off now for the Apollo Bay township about 50 km further west along the road.