Friday, July 31, 2020

Day 23: Wed 25 Jan - Mt Gambier to Portland, 107km

Mostly sunny but cool
Start time: 9:05am (SA); arrival: 12:30pm (VIC)

Cycle: 30.5km

Although we left the park at just after 9am, we made a detour to the Rivers shop before heading out of town towards Portland. Greg wanted some boots and Wendy wanted another pair of croc type shoes. Our first stop was for mornos at Nelson. We pulled into the rest stop which was right on the river and we got the to see a few boats and a few rowing teams either learning or training.

It was then into Portland where we checked into the Portland Bay Tourist Park, set up, had lunch, took a nana nap and then set out on the bikes to Cape Nelson to check out the lighthouse. It was a 30km round trip, quite undulating but well worth it. We had done this route three years ago and knew it to be a bit hilly, but did not quite remember it being quite so hilly!! The road is very close to many wind turbines in some parts and we stopped often to take pictures.  We made it to the lighthouse and had a wander, the boys even discovered a petrified forest. The ride home was easier as it was more downhill than up. We detoured via the Port and saw the woodchip trucks being unloaded; they drive onto a platform, join their bogeys, lock into the system, are then raised into the air to unload their woodchips, lowered back to the level state and off they go. We viewed this last time we were here and it is just as fascinating.  This area of SA and VIC has a massive forest industry for paper, woodchip, and timber.

We got home about 5:30pm which was just in time for pre-dinner drinks. Dinner was then prepared - roast veggies with salmon and steak, and steamed greens. The roast veggies took a while, but were worth waiting for. The sun did not go down until well after 9pm.


Portland port area

View from lighthouse location

Yvonne, Gunther, Greg & a big fan

No mad nor dead cows here

Point Danger


Trucks being unloaded

Portland Bay Tourist Park, #100





River at Nelson

Mornos stop at Nelson


Greg and the Cape Nelson Lighthouse

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Wrap-up

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