Mount Gambier, on the Limestone Coast of South Australia, was on the list for our (quick) South Australian road trip. With only a day and a half to fit as much in as possible we were on a mission!
From Sinkholes to walking up to the rim of extinct volcanoes we gave Mount Gambier our best shot.
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Where’s Mt Gambier?
Mount Gambier is 450 kilometres south-east of Adelaide and only17 kilometres (11 miles) from the Victorian border,
Staying at the Pine Country Caravan Park was handy – so close to the city (2 kms) and the attractions on our wish list.
Port McDonnell,
Rugged Coastline of Port McDonnell.
Arriving at Mt Gambier mid afternoon from Port Fairy, we drove out to Port McDonnell with its stunning and rugged coastline. When walking around you need to keep the edge of the cliffs at a safe distance – it was blowing a gale when we were there and I had difficult keeping the camera steady!
Called Cape Northumberland this is the southernmost point of South Australia with a picturesque lighthouse. The lighthouse, originally built in 1858 and replaced in1882, is built a long way back from any cliff edges – probably in case it got blown over, however strong the foundations.
A lighthouse and a rainbow at Northumberland Headland.
The Blue Lake of Mount Gambier
Day two and our first stop was at Mount Gambier’s most recognizable icon – The Blue Lake. The surface of the lake is a huge 70 hectares and is the actual crater of Mount Gambier, and for what it’s worth is one of the “youngest” volcanoes in Australia.
Luck was on our side as the sun was out and no clouds, that made for much brighter photos. Those from the day before were a dull grey because of overcast conditions
The Blue Lake on a sunny day.
Here you can climb up to a viewing point, which we did, but then found that the subway under the road is a better option for photos.
Interestingly, the water colour changes dramatically from grey to vivid blue over a few days in November of each year. After summer, usually late March, the blue gradually fades until the grey winter appearance comes back.
The blue colour has something to do about light scattering on some particles or other – far too technical for my brain so you’d have to Google if interested.
The Umpherston Sinkhole.
That’s a long way down!
Next on the list was the Umpherston Sinkhole, another favourite icon of Mt Gambier.
Close to the CBD, on the Jubilee Highway east, it was only a short drive of 3.7 kms to reach this phenomenon, also known as “The Sunken Garden”
Entry is free (always a bonus) and the garden, or sinkhole, is open 24 hours a day.
Mount Gambier’s most interesting story.
The Umpherston Sinkhole – a truly magnificent sunken garden.
Thousands of years ago, the sinkhole had been a limestone cave When the top of the cave chamber eventually collapsed, the massive large open pit (sinkhole) was created.
Named after James Umpherston, the original owner of the land where the sinkhole suddenly appeared – or rather the roof of the cave disappeared. Way back in 1864 James went about creating a fabulous tropical garden, with a lake at the bottom, for family and friends to enjoy.
After he died in 1900, the garden sadly fell into disrepair for many years and became an oversized rubbish dump.
Enter the Woods and Forests Department in 1976 who set about restoring this legacy. The sinkhole is lit up at night and the live-in possums come out and put on a playful show for visitors!
Cave Gardens
Yes – another huge sinkhole…right in the heart of Mount Gambier’s CBD. A brief walk will take you to the bottom of the sinkhole and it is a nice relaxing place to take your coffee and lunch.
Actually the homes and streets of the Mount Gambier are built over a labyrinth of limestone caves!
We walked on to a suspended viewing platform that allowed us to look into the depth of the caves – a bit too dark to see much detail though.
A view into the depth of the Caves.
The surrounding rose gardens make a beautiful sight, but you need to be there in late spring (October/November) whereas we were there in early September and didn’t see them at their best.
There’s a nightly free light show highlighting the local dreamtime legends that is spectacular by all accounts and is on our list for the next visit to Mount Gambier.
Mount Shank Volcano.
There’s only 1,038 of these steps to reach the crater rim!
Late afternoon we headed out to the Mount Shank volcano. This is only a short drive of 12kms from the CBD along the Riddoch Highway/B66 and definitely worth a visit. The dormant volcano last erupted about 5,000 years ago, and while walking to the top I hoped that it stayed quiet for another couple of hours!
Arriving in the Car Park at the Mount we followed signs to the Crater Rim Hike. There’s toilets and a picnic area adjacent to the car park so you can recover after the hike! Car Park to Crater Rim Hike. The trail up to the rim is 1.3km return (about 30 minutes) using mostly limestone planks – 1,038 of them! The walk is classified as Grade 4, i.e. a reasonably hard hike, but definitely worth every huff and puff to get there.
Incredible 360 degree views of surrounding farms are waiting for you when you reach the rim – so lush and green. Then looking over your shoulder you stare deep into the secrets of the crater and consciously step away from the rim, just in case….
360 degree views from the rim of Mount Shank.
Once your heart rate has settled, you can then tackle the Mt Shank Crater Rim Walk that is a 2.7km circuit that takes about one hour return. No more steps to climb up, but make sure you’re steady on your feet as there are a few rocky patches and a gravel track.
Crater Rim walk of Mount Shank.
Finally back to the car park it was time for a well-earned Happy Hour, so back into town we headed.
Mount Gambier’s Mac’s Hotel
Welcome to The Mac’s Hotel and Beer Garden the sign said, so we called in to be refreshed and talk to the locals about the history of the hotel.
Mac’s Pub – a great historic watering hole at Mt Gambier.
This iconic hotel dates back to 1864 and was originally owned by John MacDonald – hence the name “Mac.”
Photos around the walls of days gone by always attract our interest, and it’s obvious that it’s still the same vibrant hub for locals and visitors alike who flocked in for the same reason as us.
We would have returned the next day for one of their generous meals but being on a tight time frame it was time to head towards The Barossa Valley, gradually getting closer to the long awaited oysters at Coffin Bay Headquarters.
Sights we missed in Mount Gambier
- The Main Corner – iconic exhibition and convention centre
- Engelbrechts Cave
- Railway Lands (parklands)
Being on the Baby Boomer Travel way of life, we plan to fix this on our next trip to South Australia.
Handy to Know:
- Avoid winter months – it’s freezing.
- Make your first stop the Mount Gambier Visitor Centre for the long list of attractions to visit.
- Allow three full days to enjoy most of what Mount Gambier has to offer.
Reading your blog about Mt Gambier and the Limestone Coast is like taking trip down memory lane for me, I’m smiling as I read it. Thanks for sharing your impressions of this rather special place. And yes, the beautiful roses!
I agree, you can’t beat taking a trip down memory lane, so was really happy I helped you do this! So hope to return to Mt Gambier one day – incredible countryside 🙂
Wow, who knew Mt Gambier had so much to offer! I particularly like the look of those sinkholes!
LOL – just make sure you don’t lean over the edge too far! Definitely worth a visit 🙂
Love the look of Mac’s Hotel! And the sinkhole – quite deep I think. Enjoyed this read. Your blogs are fabulous, Joycee!Your visits are to places I have never heard before. Simply enjoyable.
Thank you again Georgina. Yes we always visit the local pub where possible – that’s where the local history and interesting stories are to be found! LOL.