2025 Easter Getaway! Day 5 (Monday)

21 April 2025

We woke early and packed up my room before I took the big kids to the local playground to let Kieran and mum pack in peace. Well, as peaceful as possible with Charlie. It was quite chilly, but the kids had a blast. I was smart and started in the warm car. They made a friend on the playground and had a lot of fun playing pirates until we went to get milkshakes and a toasted sandwich from a nearby cafe. 

 

The kids have both been practicing writing stories and it was great to see them sitting and writing while waiting for their drinks. They are great kids, I'm so proud of them. 

After everyone was packed into Kieran's car to return home I went to the visitor information centre and checked out their display and quasi-museun. I noted it had been created with the help of the History Trust, and I must admit it was very impressive for a little gallery. I could have easily spent more time there. 

I decided to look into the Mary MacKillop centre, as the town was quite proud of being the location of her first school. Established in 1866, it provided free education for poor people and was a revelation at a time when schools charged fees and women leaders were not common. The school building is located on the corner of petticoat lane, so I decided to pop down for a quick look before coming back to the centre. 

I was delighted with petticoat lane. It was the site of the first house in Penola and got it's name due to all the little kids running around in their petticoats. It is preserved to the period and has a few significant houses open for the public to look through for the cost of a donation. The first was the Gamon Cottage, which I was incredibly charmed by. 

The inside had been restored and fitted out with period furniture and decor. It was wonderful, and you could easily imagine what it might have been like to live there in the 1800s. 

I continued down the street as the rain started and stopped into a couple more houses. One cottage, Sharma Cottage, was the first built in the area. The family eventually got do big they had to build a second house to fit everyone next door. 

I was short on time, but felt I couldn't miss out on seeing the Mary MacKillop centre. I bought a ticket, some souvenirs (a strange concept for a saint), and raced through the little museum, which was about the region and Penola. From there I went into the school house. 

It was an interesting visit, and Mary MacKillop was impressive to have created a place of free education at such a time, especially one open to children from poor families. It was also rare at the time for a woman in a leadership role. 

Afterwards I zoomed off to visit a friend who has Rottweilers. I met the mother of my future puppy, a gorgeous girl named Cassie. 

I was close to the location of Tantanoola Cave. I looked online and it was sold out, but the lady at the Penola visitor centre made it sound like the cave was not a guided tour, and since I was only a few minutes away I thought I'd roll the dice and try my luck. 

I was extremely lucky - not only was there one single spot left, but the tour started in 15 minutes. I signed up and joined the group. The story of the cave is interesting - a boy was hunting with a ferret and sent it down a hole. It didn't come out. After exploring the boy realised there was an entire cave below the surface. And what a cave. The tour guide was fun, leading us in and keeping us in the dark. As he revealed parts of the story he illuminated different features of the cave. It was sensational. 

Unlike the Naracoorte caves this cave is not made of limestone, but pink dolomite. It is a large cavern brimming with stalactites, stalagmites and other forms. It is a wheelchair accessible cave, the only one like it. We are coming back again with mum! I wasn't super fussed about visiting the cave after seeing so many amazing caves at Naracoorte, but I am very glad I got in to the tour, we it is truely unique and breathtaking. 

After the tour I did the short walk over the cave and enjoyed the beautiful landscape. The weather was fantastic. Brisk, a bit of wind and light rain but nothing serious. It was a joy to walk around such an incredible place. 

I returned to Mt Gambier and my hotel. There were some beautiful rainbows, but by the time I was able to pull over I didn't get the full force. They were amazing though. 

My hotel was lovely and I settled in quickly and then checked my aurora apps. The activity was good... Port MacDonald was close... I couldn't sleep without at least *trying*. Sadly the clouds won the night, and there was nothing but stinky sea breeze.