Mount Gambier - A town of surprises

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April 4th.



We travelled a relatively short distanced from Dartmore to the South Australian border and on to Mt Gambier.



Our friend Tom Tom kept calling it Mt Gambler. This is a realistic appraisal of Australian Culture, but not the name of an interesting place.



Having set up the rigs at the camping ground which is just off the main street, we went walk about, did a little shopping, arranged for 'flu shots tomorrow, booked hair cuts etc.



After lunch Marg and I walked up to the Lady Nelson Centre. It is a combination of tourist info and a discovery centre that looks at the history of European settlement and its impact on the local aboriginal people.



There is interesting history recorded by Christina Smith and recreated by hologram. The weird (and totally new) sounds of sheep and cows put fear through the aboriginal people, they thought they were ghosts.



Later they discovered that they tasted good, but paid the ultimate price for their efforts as farmers shot them.



Christina Smith, a lady with a strong Christian faith and a passion for these people, became both a mediator between the peoples and recorded much valuable history including many of the aboriginal traditional stories.



Christina called a spade a spade. She was quite upset by the treatment of women in the tribal situation, and tried to improve the lot of women in general, and new mothers in particular.



There's lots more than this in the discovery centre which includes a fossil tunnel walk, a volcano and many other interesting bits and bobs. All for $2.00 I might add.



In the evening we all went walking up town and took some night shots of the heritage buildings.



Also, about 8.30pm, the Cave Garden (in centre of town) becomes a light show with trees taking on colours not quite normal. You will see from the photos what I mean.



And now it is bed time, so I'll post these photos for your enjoyment.

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Photos

The Lady Nelson
This ship did much of the coastal survey work which improved maritime safety through the area.

One of many fossils
The cave has a glass floor so that you can walk over and view the fossils.

A heritage Pub
One of several.

Jens Hotel
The original was built in 1847, but this structure replaced it in the early 1880s and still operates. It has also been extended, but the style has remained.

Comments

[US2@136]

Great show
Thanks for the photos the lights make it really something at night. Off shopping now and its fine after overnight rain