March 3 to 5 Mount Gambier

We hadn’t visited Mount Gambier for decades so we decided to take a short detour on our way to Port MacDonnell to revisit this volcanic spot. We have visited here a number of times over many decades, together and separately, so a few days was enough – it’s a little touristy for us but the rather huge caravan park where we stayed was well situated between the two big lakes - Blue and Valley crater lakes. 

This whole area is fascinating, geologically speaking. Mount Gambier is one of Australia's youngest volcanoes – the age? The most recent estimate, based on radiocarbon dating of plant fibres in the main crater (Blue Lake) suggests an eruption around 6000 years ago. The two big lakes formed when a number of small volcanic vents situated close together, joined and flooded - the crater floors are below the water table. This area is part of an extensive volcanic province located on a geological fault that stretches from Portland to Naracoorte. The region is called Kanawonka Geopark: in the local aboriginal dialect kanawinka means ‘land of tomorrow’. Fascinating to think on that.
Of course we explored the craters and a number of sink holes in the area: the surrounding district is dotted with lots of sink holes.  Within city limits are a few quite famous sinkholes, we visited two  - Umpherston and Cave Gardens. It’s where everyone goes and for good reason. There is another sinkhole there but it costs a pretty penny because you have to do ‘the tour’ – no option to simply have a look!

Umpherston sinkhole

From the bottom of the sinkhole I looked up and inside one cave I saw beehives 

Cave Gardens right in the city. 

Cave gardens was once either the city water supply or a cattle watering hole. Now it serves to drain storm water.

But we also took a day trip back to the coast to explore Buck Bay and Cape Banks. Twenty or so km out of Mount Gambier we stopped in at the little blue lake, sometimes referred to as Baby Blue.  It has a diameter of 50m and a depth of 36m; it is a popular spot for swimming and cave diving - we just went for a look. It was pretty crowded when we were there.

As we travel in Australia it’s hard to ignore the history. I know little of our history before British exploration and colonisation – how I wish there was more information about the longer history of the region, the people who populated this wild place. There is geological history of course and that tells its own quite breathtaking history story but the people? However ….  This is a wild coastline. In 1802 Captain Baudin heading a French scientific expedition passed point  and noted how treacherous this coastline was. He and Cpt Matthew Flinders later met at Encounter Bay. Between them from 1801-03, Baudin and Flinders completed the mapping of ‘New Holland’, the Great Southern Land.

Cape Banks lighthouse

A wild windswept coastline

This region and indeed the whole lower southeast coastline is an Internationally significant area for migratory shore birds most if which breed in Siberia. The distance they fly annually is mindboggling. 

Bucks Bay

Bucks Bay is a relatively safe harbour but it is surrounded by countless shipwrecks such is the wildness of the weather and sea around here. Dotted along this stretch of coast are memorials to ships and people who have been succumbed to the elements. Sobered by the forces of nature, and the folly of men, I selected an off the beaten track route to get us back to our safe haven, our cubby on wheels.

There were times when the driver worried that I had led us totally astray!