Day 126: Mount Gambier (Day 1)

This morning was looking like our only chance to have a look around Mount Gambier before the rains were meant to settle in. I headed out early for a run around Blue Lake and a wander around town and Cave Gardens before making my way back to camp. Then we all piled into the car to drive to the trailhead for Observatory Hill. John's sore back had struck again (something about Adelaide seems to set it off!! Both times it coincided with leaving Adelaide) so he walked slowly up the hill while the kids and I waited for him at the top. The view from there was amazing. Since it was located on the edge of an old volcanic cone we were high above the surrounding farmland below.

Our next stop was to Little Blue Lake, which is a water filled sink hole that in warmer weather would make a great swimming hole. There is even a dock to swim from. While we where there, there were two scuba divers in the water - all we could see was their air bubbles coming to the surface.

The next stop we made was at Port MacDonnell on the coast. We drove out to Cape Northumberland to watch the waves roll in and see what was left of the lighthouse (not much!). There were lots of seabirds nesting on the small island off the cape and sea lions swimming in the bays below the cliffs. The cape marks the southern most point in South Australia and according to the sign we were only 770km from Hobart.

Once back at camp the rains started so we stayed close to home for the rest of the day. Popping out to the campground playground and visiting the local alpacas between the showers.