14 February 2017 and we were off to Mount Gambier to play another Victoria versus South Australia cricket match, this time with the over 70s team. We drove to Mount Gambier via Ballarat and stayed at the Quality Inn Presidential on Jubilee Highway.
While the men went to practise on the ground in readiness for the match the following day, I went for a walk and found a small park containing the entrance to the Engelbrecht Cave.
The limestone cave, beneath part of Mount Gambier, contains a lake and a number of chambers. Two of the chambers can be visited, however when we were at Mount Gambier the cave was closed for maintenance. Something to put on the list for another visit.
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| Entrance to Engelbrecht Cave |
On the way back to the hotel I noticed a tower on the hill. This is the Centenary Tower, opened to the public in 1904. The foundation stone was laid on December 3 1900 to commemorate one hundred years since the sighting and naming of Mount Gambier by Lt Grant when sailing to Sydney on the ship,
Lady Nelson.
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| Centenary Tower |
The Meet and Greet was held at Jens Hotel in Commercial Street East. The hotel, built on the site of the first hotel in Mount Gambier, dates back to 1884 and was built by Johannes Jens. On the way back to the car we stopped to view the Cave Garden which is lit up at night. The roof of the cave collapsed thousands of years ago leaving this sinkhole which was used as the main water supply for the first European settlement in 1847. It is now a picturesque garden in the middle of town.
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| Cave Garden |
Next day was the match at McDonald Park.
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| Victoria Over 70s Cricket Team |
Victoria Over 70s batted first and were 4 for 165 at the end of the innings. Ian Gibson(ACS) 33, Arthur Pritchard 23, Ian Longmuir 18, with Ian Hammett rtno 35 and Wavell McPherson rtno 40. In reply South Australia could only manage 54 runs. Ron Kasputtis 2/11, Robin Court 2/11, David Hopper 2/0, Bruce
Pooley 1/13, Phil Forsyth 1/14 and Dick Stumbles 1/3 - all bowlers with
wickets. Wavell McPherson man of the match - 40 not out and 3 stumpings.
Gary Paget was Umpire and Scorer (not at the same time). This was a great team effort.
At the Frew Oval the South Australia Over 60s defeated the Victoria Over 60s team. In the evening members of all the teams met at the Linksview Restaurant for dinner and presentations.
A short walk from the cricket ground is the information centre with a replica of the
Lady Nelson at the front. Inside is an interpretive centre providing information about the development and history of the local area.
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| The Blue Lake |
Next day we decided to explore part of Mount Gambier before driving home. We started at the Blue Lake which is a short drive from town. There is walking circuit from which you can view the lake whose water turn blue in the summer months.
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| The Blue Lake |
After walking part way around the lake we found steps leading to a tunnel under the road to the Adam Lindsay Gordon Lookout. We then went for bushwalk into the crater where the Leg of Mutton Lake once existed until the water table dropped.
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| Leg of Mutton Lake |
It was a pleasant walk with lots of birds singing in the trees. In the 1800s a nursery was located in this area to propagate many of the trees, including pine trees, now growing in the region. In the distance there were views of water towers looking out over the trees.
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| Water tower from Leg of Mutton Lake |
On the way back to the car we passed a monument to the pioneer farmers in the district.
Our final stop, back on the Jubilee Highway, was the Umpherston Sinkhole.
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| Umpherston Sinkhole |
This former cave was landscaped in 1886 by James Umpherston.
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| Umpherston Sinkhole |
In some sections it is possible to imagine how this was once a giant cave thousands of years ago.
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| Umpherston Sinkhole |
At night the area is floodlit and apparently the local possums move into the area to feed.
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| Umpherston Sinkhole |
Mount Gambier is a great place to visit. On another visit we would further explore the parklands near the lakes, particularly around Valley Lake and Centenary Tower. There are also a variety of locations a little further from town to explore if time allows.
