Mt Gambier

Yesterday we arrived in Mt Gambier, South Australia.   As we approached the border it became dryer and dryer, and will become more so in Adelaide.   But then Adelaide is the driest city, in the driest state, in the driest continent in the world.   Wet weather will not be a problem here.    But Mt Gambier is showing quite a bit of green still.

For those people who do not live in Australia, Mt Gambier is not a mountain.    From the distance it looks like a little hill.   It is part of the Mount Burr Range, which is a set of small hills, behind which lies the famed Coonawarra wine growing area.   

Mt Gambier has craters, three I think, and the most famous is the Blue Lake which is a bright blue from November to March.   The most recent theory is that it is due to the warmer weather modifying the PH of the surface water which then promotes the precipitation of calcite.   And the water colour turns from grey to bright blue.

The volcanic craters are relatively new, geologically speaking.

Mt Gambier is on the Limestone Coast, which millions of years  ago was submerged beneath the Southern Ocean.   During this period, tonnes of marine crustaceans and shells fell to the sea floor and cemented together to form the soft, white porous rock known as limestone.    So when the sea retreated it also left a labyrinth of caves and sink holes.

Before we left the camp site in Warnambool I thought I would have a quick look at the sea.   The sea mist was just rising above the water.    The wind was very cold.

 When we arrived at the campsite in Mt Gambier, the wind was still cold but the sun was shining.   We rushed to get our chairs out before the sun disappeared, but it did not do so, and it is still shining.

 The view from the camp site, looking towards the hill and volcanic crater of Mt Gambier.

 Each site has its own bathroom, no communal facilities in this camping ground.

 Then Darren, Jay and Jespa arrived about 4.30 p.m.    It was great to see them.    As we are a high tech family Walter and Darren sat and compared telephones, as soon as possible of course.  

Tomorrow we are off to explore Mt Gambier.