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Practicalities
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For more information on Mount Gambier's attractions, head for the excellent
Lady Nelson Victory and Discovery Centre
, on Jubilee Highway East (daily 9am-5pm; exhibition $7.70; tel 08/8724 1730,
www.mountgambiertourism.com.au
), where the ecology, geology and history of Mount Gambier are explored from Aboriginal and European perspectives. A ten-minute narration by the ghostly holographic image of missionary Christina Smith, is based on her book
The Booandik Tribe of South Australian Aborigines
. She worked with a local Aboriginal tribe for 35 years, and opened a charitable home in Mount Gambier in 1865, but even though she was sympathetic to the Aboriginal plight, her attempts at conversion only contributed to the destruction of traditional values. Other highlights of the centre are the short wetlands boardwalk and a demonstration of a volcanic eruption complete with steam - quite scary when it booms.
Mount Gambier has heaps of places to stay , with motels lining the highway either side of town. The Jail , on Margaret Street (tel 08/8723 0032, fax 8723 2477, www.adelaide.net.au/~turnkey ; rooms $35-50, dorms under $20), was built in the 1860s and is now a Heritage-listed building. The last inmates left in 1995 and you can stay in the original cells behind locked doors (some even have a solitary loo in the corner), or in the simple three-bed dorms. Meals are provided in the large common room, which also has a bar, and there are also laundry facilities, internet access and organized paintball in the large exercise grounds when the Wayward Bus arrives. Central Jens Hotel , at 40 Commercial St (tel 08/8725 0188, fax 8723 9016, jens.town.hall.hotel@alhgroup.com.au ; $50-70), is a classic, wide-balconied old boozer with cheap bar and bistro meals, late opening hours and en-suite accommodation. The best place to eat is the licensed CafA© Capri Restaurant , 53 Gray St (Mon-Sat 8.30am-10 or 11pm). Nearby, Fasta Pasta , 102 Commercial St (West), is one of a chain serving inexpensive fresh pasta with interesting sauces. There's internet access at the Cave Internet Lounge, 15-17 Commercial St ($2.50 per 30min), and - free of charge - at the Mount Gambier Public Library at the end of Watson Terrace (Mon-Fri 9am-4pm). Heading on to Melbourne from Mount Gambier, V/Line (tel 13 6196) has a daily service via Portland, Hamilton, Warrnambool, Geelong and Ballarat Other useful information
for tourists (each section contains more specific sub-sections): |
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Australia,
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