Port Mac Donnell Day 03

 A trip to Mount Gambier mainly to catch up with the Blue Lake.

 

Love padlocks - a nice idea but totally overdone here.

 

An interesting sculpture.

 

The garden of succulents by the Blue Lake.

 

The Cave Garden - looking rather run down and uncared for - not how we had remembered it.

 

The Little Blue Lake, near Bellum Bellum - set up for swimming.

 

The Allendale East sink-hole has the main road running either side of it.

 

The Bay Wave sculptures on the northern entrance to Port Mac Donnell.

Port Mac Donnell 02

 Around town then on to the East and back.

Cape Northumberland.

 

Dingley Dell 

(one of the homes of Robert Lindsay Gordon - the poet who wrote about the wreck of the Admella").

Farm and cottage art along the way.

 

 

Cape  Banks light and "Admella" information.

 

Robin and old Anglican Church at Mount Schank.

 

Port Mac Donnell 01

    

Silos at Coonalpyn.

Padthaway vines.

Padthaway cattle.

A glimpse of an impressive older house by the road.

Approaching Mount Gambier.

We deliberately did not stop in Mount Gambier, keeping that for a day later in the trip.

Mount Schank.

Our home for a week "Bayside Pardise" and its view.

 

A walk around Port Mac Donnell.

 

"Trip of a Life-time" - 14 April 2022

 For years Beth especially has wanted to fly over Lake Eyre to see its real enormity. She mentioned this in conversation with Michele and suddenly there was a plot by our wonderful children to pool (and supplement) all of our "presents" for the year, covering most of the cost for us. Having now just made the trip, we are so grateful.

We stayed overnight on Wednesday 13 April at "Harvest Stays" in Port Augusta in preparation for an early take-off. Accommodation was OK rather than exciting. A spectacular dawn (with morning star) started our big day.

 We flew from Port Augusta with "Arid Air' with three other passengers on our little plain, a full load. Our pilot was a pleasant and well informed youngish man.

Our aeroplane.

Our pilot.

 

Our flight.

 

Take-off from Port Augusta.

 

North along the range.

Lake Torrens, just goes on and on - Australia's longest salt lake 

- about 250 kms long but only 30 kms wide.

 

Andamooka.
 

 

The Painted Hills of Anna Creek Station.

 

Refueling at William Creek.

Around William Creek.

The William Creek Hotel.

Lake Eyre is Australia's largest salt lake and not all dry by any means just now.

The Marree Man.

Marree for a good lunch at the Marree Hotel - included in the cost of the trip.

John chose camel-burger but Beth stayed with less challenging chicken schnitzel.

The proprietor is also owner of the Arid Air aeroplane in which we were travelling. 

After lunch he took us on a most informative guided tour of the town on the way back to the airfield.

The trip back to Port Augusta was over much "Flinders" country that we know so well.

The new Leigh Creek township with Aroona Dam and Lake Torrens in the background.

 

Beth catching it all. It was great that Beth sat on the left of the cabin while I (John) sat on the right, enabling us to catch shots on both sides.

 

Over the Flinders.

Wilpena Pound.

Quorn and Devils Peak

Solar farm at Port Augusta

Approaching Port Augusta Airport

Landing with just a  hint of rain - the end of a perfect and memorable  day 

- perfectly timed for the trip back to Laura before dark.