NEARBY ATTRACTIONS Princess Margaret Rose Cave: first discovered in 1936, the cave is renowned for its stalactites, Mount Eccles National Park: approximately 50km stalagmites and other limestone decorations. A north of Heywood – turn right at Condah on the forty minute professionally guided tour is . Mount Eccles is a volcanic crater conducted every day except Christmas Day. Tour and freshwater lake surrounded by 400 hectare of times are 10am, 11am, 12 noon, 1.30pm, 2.30pm, bushland. Several walking tracks cross the park, 3.30pm and 4.30pm (reduced hours in Winter) Things To swimming is possible in Lake Surprise and there are Prices: Adults $17.50, Children $11.50, Concession excellent camping facilities, bookings required. $14.50 and Families $40.00. Other facilities at the Port MacDonnell and Coast to Carpenter Rocks: the cave include camping, picnic areas, bbq’s, kiosk See & Do Southern Rock Lobster capital of , Port and walking trails. MacDonnell offers a Maritime Museum, Feasts Car Ph 08 8738 4171 Museum and Dingley Dell (Adam Lindsey Nelson and Surrounds Gordon’s Cottage). View interesting rock MEALS / ENTERTAINMENT formations along the Foreshore Drive to the rugged cliffs near Cape Northumberland Nelson BP Roadhouse: open daily for sit in or Lighthouse; wait until dusk for a chance to see takeaway meals, grocerys, fishing supplies, Fairy Penguins. A drive further along the coast will fuel/gas supplies, newspapers and magazine Ph take you through fishing villages of Pelican Point, 08 8738 4142 Blackfellows Caves and finally Carpenter Rocks, which features Cape Banks Lighthouse, where a Nelson Hotel: bistro meals, bottle shop, and live memorial has been erected to the 89 lives lost entertainment Ph 08 8738 4011 when the vessel Admella came to grief in 1859. Nearby is the southern entry into Canunda Nelson Kiosk: open daily for sit in or takeaway National Park (Beach 4 Wheel Driving) meals, grocery’s, fishing supplies, gas returns Australia Post Services, Coffee, TOURS / ACTIVITIES newspapers/magazines. Catering service offered Ph 08 8738 4041

Cobboboonee Horse Riding: horse trail riding and For more information on things to do and see in lessons, with qualified instructors. Beach Rides, Nelson and Surrounds, contact any of the Camps and Trail Rides, Catering for beginners and Discovery Coast Visitor Information Centres. Advance, take a trail ride through the Cobboboonee National Park. Located at Gorae 40 minutes from Nelson, Ph 03 5529 2303

Glenelg River Cruises: Nelson Explorer and Nelson

Endeavour do a number of cruises up the , including trips to the Princess Margaret Rose Glenelg River meets the Sea Caves; they can cater for large groups or put on special trips for functions. Cruise fares: Adults Casterton – 3 Racecourse Road. $32.50, Children $10.00, Seniors $30.00, Family T: (03) 5581 2070 $75.00. Ph 044 887 1225 Nelson – Leake Street. Nelson Boat Hire: see the Glenelg Rivers limestone T: (08) 8738 4051 gorge and surrounding National Park at your own Portland – Lee Breakwater Road. T: 1800 035 567 pace. Catch a fish, have a picnic or just enjoy the Email: [email protected] tranquillity. Hire a dinghy, half cabin cruiser,

pontoon party boat or camper craft. No boat (Produced by the Nelson VIC) licence required. All boats are extremely easy to Updated 100914 operate. Hire by the hour or day. Check out the Tackle shop with fresh and frozen bait. Open daily except Thursdays. Ph 08 8738 4048

WALKS Snorkelling / Diving: Piccaninnie Ponds Conservation Dartmoor: Avenue of Honour, Atlantic Cedars planted Park offers a unique diving or snorkelling in 1918, as a memorial to those who served in the Lake Monibeong Loop Walk: starts from campsite 5 in experience. A permit/time slot system operates First World War have now been carved to depict the Monibeong camp area, this is a 15km loop walk bookings through the Dept. of Environment office, service men and women in the Army, Navy and of medium difficulty, the walk passes the southern Mt Gambier. Snorkel Ewens Ponds a unique spring Airforce, along with Childrens Story Tales. Dartmoor shore of the lake, heading for Nobles Rocks, return fed system, approximately 10 metres deep, no has a general store, hotel and very good golf along the beach, turning off at Cape Montesquieu – permit is currently required for these ponds. course. Suttons Rocks. Swimming: the Glenelg River is safe to swim in, Donovans: a small river hamlet, which offers a quiet Livingstone Island Walk: easy loop walk of about 2.5km, however people who are not strong swimmers and relaxing spot for picnics and fishing. commencing from the Estuary Beach car park. The should swim at the Estuary Beach where the water Jackass Fern Gully Picnic Area: situated near the walk takes in views of the Glenelg River, unique is shallower. headwaters of the , about 20km along marsh areas and offers bird watching opportunities. Tennis: public tennis court is located on Leake Street, the T & W Road from the Nelson/Portland Road or Sapling Creek Walk: an easy loop of 4.5km, Court Hire is $10.00 per hour, enquiries to the 9.2km on the T & W Road from Princess Highway. commencing from the Sapling Creek picnic area, Nelson Visitor Information Centre. The Jackass Fern Gully, served as both watering off Glenelg Drive approximately 8km from Nelson. hole and river ford in early settlement times, later it The Gorge Walk: starts at the car park near the DAY TRAILS / DRIVES saw the established of a sawmill. Vegetation intersection of the North Nelson Track and River At Casterton: you can visit Warrock Homestead, includes five different fern types, stringy bark, Road, this is a 10km walk of medium difficulty, taking Baileys Rocks, Bilsons Tree and many cafes and paperbark, prickly currant bush and tall saw-sedge. in views of the limestone cliffs and wildflowers in arty shops. Call into the Casterton Visitor Centre The picnic and camping facilities are fabulous. season. for further details Mount Shank – just a short 20 minute drive, west of At Coleraine: you can visit Glenelg Chocolate Factory, and the Peter Francis Point Arboretum Nelson, between Port MacDonnell and Mount SPORT / ADVENTURE ACTIVITIES (Eucalyptus Discovery Centre). Gambier, is this extinct volcano, 150 metres above Cape Bridgewater: take the Portland – Nelson Road sea level. Choose from 2 steep walking trails, one to the crater rim 900 metres return or alternatively one Canoeing / Kayaking: canoeing on the Glenelg River is for approximately 70km, then turn off to the right that takes in the crater floor at 1.3km return. BBQ, possible from Dartmoor (seasonal) to the River onto Amor’s Road, till it intersects with Cashmore picnic facilities and toilets are provided at the base Mouth. There are special canoe camps along the Road, then turn right. Follow the road past the of the mountain. River (bookings required). Canoes and Kayaks and Bridgwater Lakes, to Bridgewater Beach; from Nobles Rocks: a four wheel drive track marked Quarry other equipment can be hired through there you can drive to the Blowholes, the Springs Road leads to Nobles Rocks, a good place for surf Nelson Boat and Canoe Hire Ph 08 8738 4048 or and Petrified Forest. An energetic 2 hour return fishing and gathering pipis when tides are correct. Paestan Canoe Hire 0429 381 875 walk will take you to the Seal Colony Lookout. Nobles Rocks Midens – shells such a pipis, whelks Fishing: the Glenelg River is ideal for recreational fishers; Casterton / Coleraine: located to the North of Nelson, and mussels accumulated on the rocks, they are there are a number of landings along the river, or the round trip from Nelson to Casterton/Coleraine the remains of meals eaten by Indigenous people. facilities for launching a boat. Surf fishing is also and back to Nelson is approximately 3-4 hours. Penambol Conservation Park: located 22km south east possible along Discovery Bay. A Victorian fishing Swan Lake: can be reached off the Portland- Nelson of Mount Gambier, this park conserves an licence is required, except form people under 18, Road. Camping facilities are available (bookings important area of remnant vegetation. It adjoins over 70, Senior Card Holders, Pension and Veteran required), there is a walking track across the the Warreanga Native Forest Reserve and contains Card Holder. dunes to the Ocean Beach and areas of the several geological features, one of which has Half Basket Ball Court: located close to the children’s dunes are set aside for Dune Buggy’s. The sand archaeological significance. The park is one of the play equipment in Bridge Park, bring you own dunes of Swan Lake can be reach 70 metres in best places to see evidence of wombats. There are basketball. height. several walks to do within the park, one of which Power Boating / Water-skiing: two water-skiing zones NEARBY ATTRACTIONS provides elevated views of the Caroline Sinkhole. are located on the Glenelg River. Simsons Landing Crawford River Regional Park: situated in the Nearby is Hells Hole. to Taylors Straight and Sandy Waterholes, boats can Crawford River Valley near Hotspur, follow the The Inkpot: a natural depression formed either by the be launched at either area. Times permitted for signs just past Hotspur and near Greenwald on action of water dissolving the underlying limestone skiing are Dec-Feb 8am-8pm, March/April and Nov the Prices Highway. Drive along the Boulevard or by the collapse of a large cave, when full it is 10 8am-6pm, May and August-October which follows the northern bank of the river metres and the colour black is caused by decaying 9am-6pm, June and July 9am-5pm through forests of stringy bark and lush tree lined vegetable matter. The inkpot is accessed off the gullies, fishing is challenging with species such as Winnap Road, just passed the Moleside Picnic Area. Redfin and Rainbow Trout. Camping facilities are available, no bookings required.