16th March - Exploring Mt Gambier

The weather is not the best clearing showers expected today, but we are determined not to sit around the camp all day.   As it turned out we packed a fair bit in between showers and it ended up being a bit of a photo fest.  First stop was Umpherston Sinkhole.   These seats were cut from logs killed by the Ash Wednesday fires back in 1983.   The logs were stored underwater in Lake Bonney until 1987, when they were recovered, sawn, dried and treated to serve as a lasting reminder of the fire devastation back then.

I love it when I get a good shot of a bird, this one and some mates on the shrubs as we entered the shinkhole, but don't ask me what it is, I'll have to google it one day.......  It was Scotsman James Umpherston who bought the property in 1868 and called in "The Caves".  James transformed the sinkhole into a beautiful garden wonderland, hosting annual picnics  and garden parties.  When he died in 1900, it went to rack and ruin being used as a dumping ground for all sorts.

Looking into the sinkhole.  This was once a limestone cave many years ago, the ceiling collapsed making this crater like hole.  The gardens are terraced with a spiralling walk way and several viewing platforms at different levels.  There aren't too many flowers out at present, but it is all very lush and green.

In behind one of the curtains.

The Umpherstons also built their home on this property, however after his death and the passing of the property through a couple of different hands, the house was bought by the Woods and Forest Dept and then demolished for the expansion of the Mount Gambeir State saw mill back in 1964.....yep that's progress for you.

We spent some time here, dodging a few showers.  This pic from under the cave ledge looking out to the top.

They have done a great job of restoring this place, let's hope it continues on.

I tried to sneak a picture of a poster at the visitor centre with the garden in full bloom, but I got sprung.   $7.95 for the poster, but I reckon this pic is just as good.    Flowers bloom in spring time Sept/Oct apparently, I wondered if it would be later considering this place gets pretty damn cold over winter.   It is even chilly now and it's only autumn.

Next stop was the Blue Lake.  There are a few lakes in this area, Leg of Mutton Lake (who ever thought of that name??) Valley Lake and Brown Lake, all are created from volcanic eruption some 4,800 years ago.   To this day, the blue lake continues to mystify people from all walks - the colour is magic, even on a dull overcast rainy day.  This lake is bottomless and is the water supply for the township of Mt Gambier.  There is a walk/ride track and drive track around the rim of lake.    Lots of people out, some braving the weather and walking...

This view of the lake shows the pumphouse and the pipeline, pumping the water out of the lake.  Just on the other side of the roadway (left in photo) is the Leg of Mutton Lake but there was no water in that one just now. 

We went over to Valley Lake - they have a great recreation area here, barbys, playground etc.   We never seen so many ducks in one place, also water hens and one little lonely ol swan all curled up and going nowhere.    I think it might have a bit of a complex and think it is a duck, cause there were NO other swans about today.

Then........then we took this lovely little steep incline walk up to Centenary Tower.   The flag wasn't flying today which means the tower is closed but the walk is still open and magic views from up there, well I was hoping so - that little pin head in the middle of the walkway in my Darl!  I still had a ways to go.....

Phew!  Made it, great views of the city, Valley Lake and a slight glimpse of Blue Lake.  You can really see the formation of the craters from up here.   Looking to the other side was all farming land, sheep, dairy out towards the coast.

I've been wanting to get a shot of grazing cows for a while now, nothing quite like the black/white on green and blue skis!  The showers were clearing after all, we were headed to Port MacDonnell.

This German mine was washed ashore in 1943.  It was rendered safe and dismantled before putting on display.   The explosive in the mine was hexonite six times more powerful than TNT.  When any of the horns were touched it set of a series of chemical and electrical reactions which in turn caused the mine to explode in 2/5 of a second.   The mine weighed approx 1/4 tonne.  In background is the customs house, a tad bigger than that at Beachport.   However it also incorporated the Police Station, Courthouse, Post and Telegraph office and residence.

We took the scenic drive from Port MacDonnell and not far along come across a picturesque spot on the coast.   This is Frog Rock, there was also a Rhino Rock and Camel Rock at this spot.

This part of the coast was also the site of a military rifle range a long time ago.   It created a bit of an uproar in the community as it closed off this beautiful part of the coast to the public and the 600 yard target was over the nearby cemetery!

Some interesting formations......
We took the drive east along the coast to Riddoch Bay then back to Mt Gambier.

Back in town and after a bite of late lunch back at the trailer, we went down town to do the heritage trail.   Darl was quite interested in checking out a couple of old pubs on the trail, the Mt Gambier Hotel and the Jens Hotel.  The Catholic Church here quite a big church and the stained glass windows made in memorial to outstanding citizens were most impressive, there's still a few plain ones left yet to fill....

The Mt Gambier Hotel, holds the earliest license (1847) in town.  Though the outside looks and is heritage, the inside of the pub is completely renovated to modern theme with no memorabilia on the walls, which was quite disappointing.   We walked the whole trail, we don't do that very often.  It included, churches, post office, government buildings, banks etc.  There is also another Town Cave sinkhole in the city centre, not as impressive as Umpherston but beautiful rose gardens.

The Gardiner Fountain, with Jens Hotel in the background.  The fountain made in Carlton Vic by AA Sleight & Co., at a cost of 600 pounds and given as a gift to the town in 1884 by Capt Robert Gardiner (grandfather of Sir Robert Helpmann).  It is claimed to the the first large marble fountain made in the colony.     Jens Hotel still has it's old world charm, internal staircase in foyer with chandelier.   The Jens is both the building on right and left in this pic, the limestone building an added extension.

A tapestry on the wall of the Jens Hotel upstairs.