Day 64 - Thursday 2 March - Crossing the state line

DAY 64

THURSDAY

2 March 2017 – 

Robe – Mount Gambier – Portland Victoria

It was a blowy night and when we woke it was cold a grey, like we had woken in a completely new season. Despite this we still got up at 7.20am, donned the walking thongs and paddled down to the beach to enjoy the sand between our toes for one more time. It was overcast but still pleasant. The waves were washing in but not violently just he occasional crashing dumper.

We walked for about a kilometre before turning around and returning to the van to begin the leaving routine.  We had enough time spare to do one last check on the net before jumping in the van and moving on down the bumpy and undulating roads of SA.

We made it to Mount Gambier at 11.45, pulling into the showgrounds, but with no pull through sites we opted to park up across the street, take the car off and check out the town. We came through Mount Gambier back in 2003, but didn’t stop in the town, instead spending overnight at Mt Shank before heading on so it was nice to be able to spend some time here today.

We found a park in the middle of town and then went in search of a pie for lunch that we found at the OK Pie Shop. One fed it was off to the bank to exchange our coins for $1, as we found most place want these to run the washing machine. We wandered the main streets locating the Caves Garden. This is right in the middle of town. There is a short walk down winding stairs to a viewing platform inside a cave. Above us the town bustles by. I was a little concerned that so much goes on above the cave, surely one day it will all just be sucked in, thankfully not today.

We continued our walk before returning to the car and navigating to the famed Blue Lake. An extinct volcano crater, now filled with water that is an iridescent blue for 6 months of the year and lucky for us we were here at the right time. 

After checking it all out from one platform we drove to two other viewing areas for alternative views, one also gave us a view of Valley Lake, that we wound our way down to, to check it out. Unlike Blue Lake that supplies the town water, this lake is for recreational boating and skiing, there was a lovely park and bbq area also. I could see this being a popular spot.

We wound our way back up the hill stopping at one last viewing area where you walked the underpass to get an unobstructed view of Blue Lake and the old pumping station.

With the views exhausted we made our way on to Portland, crossing the SA and Victoria border at 3.30pm although, now as we moved into Victoria, it was 4pm. The road we followed was not the main highway and there were far fewer cars here though plenty of log trucks in the oncoming lane. We drove through Nelsons, where the Glenelg River empties into the Southern Ocean and at 4.45pm we pulled into the Portland Tourist Park. As no one was in reception we phoned and got the ok to park anywhere. We set up our camp and took a breath for a bit.

I started making dinner, but realised I needed other ingredients, so we took the car and drove into the centre of town doing a recon of the place. Paul checked out the main fishing jetty where you drive up on to it. There were plenty here pulling in barracuda, this was enough to convince Paul that he should come back tomorrow.

We found the Woolies, bought what we needed and headed back. I found the office open so I went down to pay and collect some info and then returned to make dinner that was well and truly needed.

Paul then rang his mate Adam while I sorted photos from today and tried to use the internet that wasn’t the strongest.  We whiled the time away but by 9 we were ready to head for bed.