The original plan was to spend a few days in Mount Gambier at the Showgrounds then move on back up to the Riverland to find some sun but plans made on the road sometimes change without warning.
The Showgrounds were a couple of kilometres out of town so we walked into town a few times and on the Friday night the Trots were on at the Showground so we wandered over and watched a few races for free. I hadn’t been to the Trots in years. Not many horses in each race but it was fun to watch.
We had four nights booked in and as we went to depart on the Saturday morning I noticed some oil on the ground. Long story short a pressure hose was split. The Showgrounds was booked out over the weekend so we didn’t have the option of staying there. One of the other campers gave me a hand on the diagnosis and pointed me in the right direction. I made a few calls but of course by then it was late Saturday morning and no one could help let alone order any parts in. Rang the Local Enzed Franchisee but he couldn’t have a look at it until the following Tuesday. Ended up staying at a caravan park right in the middle of town which wasn’t much more expensive than a powered site at the Showgrounds so booked in there for a few days. Enzed man turned up as promised and after parting with $150 problem was solved. Happy campers!
We decided to both get our Covid booster shots while we were still in Mount Gambier. I had to wait a bit over a week for mine so we ended up staying in Mount Gambier for over 2 weeks.
Mount Gambier is the largest city in South Australia outside the capital city of Adelaide with a population close to 30,000 so it has a lot to offer. It’s major tourist attraction is probably the Blue Lake. Mount Gambier is the result of 4 volcanic eruptions eons ago. The Blue Lake was created from the final eruption. It is filled to a depth of 70 metres of crystal clear water sitting on a limestone base. The underground water in the area eventually makes its way here or down to the sea about 30km south.
There are a number of sink holes around the town including one smack bang in the middle of town behind the Art Gallery. There is a nightly light show here on dark. A few more lights could have made it spectacular. During rains there is a waterfall that runs into the cave.
The Art Gallery was interesting and they have a free film twice daily that runs for an hour and tells you all about how the volcanoes erupted and about the general geographical area. It was very good and informative.
With plenty of time to wander the streets we managed to see a few films at the local theatre.
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