Long-standing Lakes Entrance Visitor Information Centre volunteer, Stuart McIvor has decided to call it a day and give up his much-loved volunteering role.

Stuart, 82, commenced at the Visitor Information Centre in 2006 and has seen a lot of changes over the years. He brought to the team a wealth of knowledge and will be sadly missed.

Mr McIvor said he decided to volunteer after hearing a talk at Probus Club on volunteering at the Visitor Information Centre.

“I was looking for something to do and volunteers were needed at the centre, so I thought I would give it a go for a few months, now 14 years later I am retiring,” he said.

“I have had plenty of time to think about the future and I will miss the interaction with my fellow colleagues and visitors alike, but it felt timely to retire.”

Mayor Cr John White said about 60 volunteers worked across VICs in Bairnsdale, Lakes Entrance, Bruthen, Orbost, Cann River and Mallacoota and are an integral part of this service.

"I want to thank Stuart for his dedication to assisting visitors to Lakes Entrance during the past 14 years and wish him all the best,” Cr White said.

“This volunteering role involves working year-round, including weekends and public holidays, and council does recognise and acknowledge our dedicated volunteers.”

East Gippsland has a similar rate of volunteerism compared to the regional Victorian average, with almost 25 per cent of people aged over 15 years performing voluntary work. We have an active community of retirees. There are many opportunities for active ageing through volunteering, but also via community courses, fine art and discussion groups, choirs, theatre groups and men’s and women’s sheds.

It has been shown people who attend a visitor information centre spend more money and time in a region.

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