Australian cycling legend Cadel Evans has shared his love for Lorne, encouraging visitors to the town for a chance to win local spend cards valued up to $500.
Surf Coast Shire Council's Lorne Stay & Win competition launches 9 April. People who book a Lorne getaway can enter, with a total $33,000 of local spend cards up for grabs.
The competition is courtesy of the 2026 Mapei Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race professional teams which kindly donated all prizemoney from the Surf Coast Classic. The men's and women's
Classic races, which start in Lorne, were cancelled in January due to bushfire risk.
"It was a tough summer for Lorne businesses, which were impacted by both flooding and high fire risk on what would usually be their busiest weekends of the year," Cadel said.
"We were excited to throw our support behind the town by hosting the start of the Surf Coast Classic races there. However we had to cancel the event due to the Otway fires and the weather conditions. It was unfortunate but it was the right call – safety for the riders and affected communities is always our highest priority.
"A huge thank you to the cycling teams for donating their prizemoney to help Lorne's recovery efforts. It is an incredibly generous gesture."
Lorne Stay & Win entrants need to spend $150 or more on accommodation in Lorne from 16 April to 26 June, and upload the receipt before or during their stay.
There will be a prize draw each Thursday and Friday, with 10 lucky people randomly selected to win a local spend card ranging from $200 to $500.
Surf Coast Shire Mayor Libby Stapleton invited people to venture to Lorne.
"Winners can use the local spend cards at participating Lorne businesses including restaurants, cafes, retail outlets, tourism venues and more," she said.
"Lorne is a stunning spot to visit at any time of the year and there are so many things to do – from ziplining and markets, to exhibitions and delicious food."
The Lorne community is ready to welcome visitors this autumn and beyond.
"We really hope the chance to win bonus spending money appeals to people – whether that's Melbourne or Geelong residents looking for a coastal getaway a little closer to home given the high petrol costs, or people from further away," Mayor Stapleton said.
"A special shoutout to Cadel and the teams for their support to make the competition happen."
Council surveyed 68 businesses in Lorne in February following the overlapping emergency events. Thirty-one per cent said they had lost the equivalent of a month of income, and a further 47 per cent reported loss of at least a week's income.
The first Lorne Stay & Win draw will take place on Thursday 16 April, while the final draw will be Friday 26 June.
The full competition details and the receipt submission form will be available the iamlorne website on 9 April.
