Mount Gambier
13 - 15 December 2022
The Lady Nelson
The Great Ocean Road (Hwy B100, mostly) runs from Adelaide to Melbourne (more or less). Our trip down the the Great Ocean Road included stays in Mount Gambier and Port Campbell, and lots of side trips for amazing rock formations.
The first leg of our journey went from Kangaroo Island down to Mount Gambier (~530 Km). We chose the scenic route, which took us through Victor Harbor, where we got lunch. We saw a Koala being chased off the road by a good Samaritan (happily the Koala was safe, sadly no photos). We took a surprise ferry (our second of the day) across the swollen Murray River. We saw pleasant views of the Southern Ocean along our path. We stopped at The Granites, which were less interesting due to high tide, but nothing could diminish the grandeur of Larry the Big Red Lobster in Kingston.
Anthony dwarfed by Larry the Big Red Lobster
The Granites (underwater)
Rainbow on the Great Ocean Road
Random images from our first day on the great ocean road.
Cave Garden
Mount Gambier is the second largest city in South Australia. It is very geologically active, repleat with volcanic lakes, sinkholes and a cave running under the town. Our first day here was derailed by a leaky tire, so we dropped the car off at the local Bridgestone tire store and got two new rear tires. While we were waiting we visited the Cave Garden, a sinkhole in the middle of town with a garden, and Julie guaranteed the arrival of Summer by buying a fleece lined hoodie. We walked to the Engelbrecht Cave but discovered it closed on Wednesday.
Once the tire was repaired, we drove to Blue Lake, located just outside of town.
Julie and Anthony Conquer Mount Gambier
Next we walked to the tower on the summit of Mount Gambier, which overlooked Town Lake and the town of Mount Gambier.
We drove out to the Umpherston Sinkhole, on the edge of town. There we met the famous brush tailed possums hiding on the ledges in the sinkhole. On the way home we experienced a taste of home at the Krispy Kreme, where they had a doughnut machine and a Hot Doughnuts Now sign (which was not on). The Christmas selection was very cool, we do not think Raleigh Krispy Kreme is not nearly as fancy.
On our way out of town, we visited the Engelbrecht Cave. A dry cave that runs over a kilometer under Mount Gambier.
