The Blue Lake, Mount Gambier’s jewel in the crown, still puzzles scientists today. A gorgeous spot, 75m deep, that turns to an incredible shade of blue in the summer months...and no one is entirely sure why! Walking the 3.6km trail around the rim is a fantastic experience, and provides ample opportunities for stunning photos. Or take an Aquifer Tour, in a glass-panelled lift down an 80m tunnel. The lake is open 24 hours a day, all week.
A real gem amongst the range of great Australian regional art galleries, Riddoch Art Gallery stands out with the quality of its collection and the passion of its curatorial vision. Three beautiful spaces house a permanent collection of over 2000 pieces dating back to the 1870s, as well as touring exhibitions, contemporary installations and community work. A great addition to Mount Gambier’s cultural scene. Open Monday to Friday 10am to 5pm, and weekends 10am to 3pm.
Echo Farm is the top spot in Mount Gambier for families, providing an amazing experience of life on a small rural Australian farm, and letting you get up close and personal with the cute and cuddly animals who live there. The refurbished and renovated farm buildings and machinery give you an idea of how a traditional farming family lived, and the 17 acres of farmland are full of delightful animals like donkeys, pigs, sheep, and even emu and wallabies! Open daily from 10am to 3pm.
The Umpherston Sinkhole is far more than just a hole in the ground. It’s delightfully shady, ivy-hung depths once provided a cool retreat from the heat of the day on James Umpherston’s estate, and it is now a beautiful sunken garden with viewing platforms, sculptures and a peaceful walking trail. There’s even a resident family of possums who make an appearance at dusk to be fed by visitors. Open 24 hours a day.
Sometimes seeing a town from street level just doesn’t cut it, and you literally need to explore a little deeper! The Engelbrecht Caves are naturally occurring limestone caves running under Mount Gambier, which until 1979 were used as a rubbish dump! Today you can explore the caves on foot with a guided tour, or if you are feeling really adventurous you can try cave diving in one of its two underground lakes. Open daily except Wednesdays, from 9:30am to 3pm.
Caroline Hills is an exemplary boutique vineyard set in the rolling hills southeast of Mount Gambier. Producing some of the finest wines in South Australia, the cool climate and limestone terroir make for delicious Pinot Noirs, Sauvignon Blancs and Chardonnays. A visit to the cellar door for a bespoke wine tasting is a real treat, and a must for any wine fans in the area. Open Saturday and Sunday afternoons, reservations recommended.