RTW Day 52 - Mount Gambier

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The weather report predicts a high of 28 degrees, so we don shorts and factor in some beach time. But it’s actually quite windy and as soon as we’re suitably far enough away from the car, it starts raining.

I was already grumpy as I’ve discovered we left my favourite trainers in Warrnambool and the rain doesn’t help my mood. But I cheer up when I remember my trainers were made in Vietnam so I can buy new ones in Hanoi next week.

In Cape Bridgewater we follow the walkway along the cliff tops to the petrified forest. It’s not really a forest but tubular limestone formations. They’re quite unusual – it feels like we have been been teleported to another planet. There’s also a blowhole lookout but the tide isn’t sufficiently high so it’s more of an asthmatic wheeze hole.

We stop briefly at the beach before accepting the fact that it really isn’t beach weather and set off for Mount Gambier. It’s a scenic drive through pine forests with emus and wallabies grazing by the roadside but we don’t stop. The speed limit is 100 kph and the old man has discovered cruise control so 100 kph is therefore apparently obligatory.

We stop briefly at the state border for me to photograph the ‘Welcome to South Australia’ sign and the old man to stress about whether he needs to put his salmon and dill dip in the quarantine bin. There’s a time difference from Victoria of 30 minutes – what’s that all about?

We continue to Blue Lake, so called because it turns from grey to a vivid cobalt blue in summer, returning to grey in April. We just catch it on change from blue to grey. It’s 3.5 km long and you can walk or drive round the perimeter and take in the view from various lookout points. We opt to drive. As it provides water to Mount Gambier, there are some less picturesque spots around the pump station which can be passed over.

We find a lakeside bench for a picnic. Then check into our cheap motel and go to the local strip to do our laundry. Oh, the glamour of international travel!

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