Roadtrip – 204 km – Port Macdonnell
“Not all those who wander are lost.” ~J.R.R. Tolkien~
I slept well this night, although I had a two-hour nap the day before. Woke up at 06:00. More than enough time to arrange everything, check out would be at 10:00. After getting all our stuff in the car, we strolled around at the beach and in town.
Just 200 km for this day to reach Port MacDonnell. Andrew has friends here where we will stay for two nights. But first, we stopped at Mount Gambier. The beautiful city of Mount Gambier is surrounded by volcanic maar lakes and Mount Gambier volcano, from which the city takes its name. Mount Gambier volcano is Australia’s youngest volcano, formed just 4,900 years ago.
There would be the famous Umpherston Sinkhole / Balumbul. The beauty of the Umpherston Sinkhole/Balumbul has to be seen to be believed. Appreciate its size and depth from the viewing platforms at the top of the sinkhole, then walk down into the sinkhole, along the terraces, and behind the hanging vines.
Umpherston Sinkhole/Balumbul, also known as the sunken garden, was once a cave formed through the dissolution of the limestone. The sinkhole was created when the top of the chamber collapsed downwards. Now the topsoil on the floor forms the perfect environment for the sunken garden.
Afterwards, we had a visit to the Blue Lake in Mount Gambier. Blue Lake, which changes color significantly depending on the season. In summer, it glows in a bright blue that seems out of this world. In winter, it loses its color and turns a gloomy gray. Why it Turns Blue: The exact cause is complex and related to the warming of the surface water. The leading scientific theory is that as the water warms up (to around 20 degrees Celsius), the solubility of calcium carbonate decreases. This causes tiny crystals of calcium carbonate to precipitate out, which then scatter the blue wavelengths of sunlight more intensely. The higher position of the sun in summer also contributes to the effect. The lake is the main source of drinking water for the city of Mount Gambier. For this reason, swimming is not permitted in the Blue Lake.
Last but not least, we drove towards the Valley Lake Conservation Park. There would be a lot of animals. I was hoping to see some Koalas, but none of them showed up. But there were Wallabys and lots of birds.
From Mount Gambier, it was not far to Port Macdonnell. Michelle was not yet home, so we tried to get a coffee in town. But the Cafe closed at 15:30 already. Sleepy town here. We found a pub where we could get a coffee. Tomorrow will be the Melbourne Cup in Australia, a famous horse race. Andrew purchased two tickets to bet on a horse. We walked to the ocean with our coffee. The first time in Australia that the coffee was terrible (except in the petrol station from Ayers Rock). Now we are in Michelle’s house. Her husband Brian is a truck driver, these days on tour for a few weeks. Wallabys are coming close here.
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