Limestone Coast | South Australia Mount Attractions Maps Gambier Accommodation visitor guide Adelaide Melbourne Mount Gambier welcome to to welcome mount gambier welcome page 2 Mount Gambier is the major service centre for the Limestone Coast. A thriving progressive community, residents enjoy a quality lifestyle, with city facilities and services, many attractions, a wide range of accommodation, shopping and entertainment are surrounded by volcanic craters, lakes, limestone and underground aquifers. Mount Gambier is famous for its ‘Blue Lake’ which changes colour dramatically each year. The Blue Lake is just one of the lakes within the three craters of the volcano. The city also boasts beautiful parks and gardens, caves and sinkholes. An interesting mix of galleries, mount gambier to welcome museums and markets provides an insight into the culture and arts of the town. With fresh local food and wines available at many cafes and restaurants everyone’s tastes are catered for. Destination or Drive through? Mount Gambier’s location half way between Adelaide and Melbourne makes it an ideal stopover for travellers to and from Kangaroo welcome Island, The Great Ocean Road or the Grampians, it is also a perfect destination for longer stays to enjoy the natural and cultural beauty of the surrounding region, the caves and sinkholes, coastline, rivers, lakes and wineries. Mount Gambier is perfectly positioned to host events and conferences. With many conference and meeting facilities as well as outstanding sporting and recreational facilities it is an ideal location for conferences, sporting events, trade shows and conventions. Accommodation includes 19 Motels, 7 Hotels, 6 Caravan Parks as well as many Bed & Breakfasts. Contents Unique Attractions .............................................................................. 4 Blue Lake .......................................................................................5 – 7 Mount Gambier Public Library ............................................................ 8 The Main Corner ................................................................................. 9 Arts Drive .......................................................................................... 10 Events ............................................................................................... 11 Family Fun .................................................................................12 – 13 “The Lady Nelson” Visitor & Discovery Centre .........................14 – 15 Mount Gambier’s Heritage ........................................................16 – 17 Arts, Crafts, Galleries, Souvenirs, Markets ....................................... 18 Food & Wine ..................................................................................... 19 Parks & Gardens ........................................................................20 – 21 Crater Lakes Walks ....................................................................22 – 23 National Parks & Reserves (SA & VIC) ......................................24 – 25 Geology .....................................................................................26 – 29 Maps: City, District & Regional .................................................30 – 33 Caves & Sinkholes ............................................................................ 34 Kanawinka Global Geopark ............................................................... 35 Nature Walks .............................................................................36 – 37 Short Drives ...............................................................................38 – 41 History .......................................................................................42 – 43 Recreation, Leisure & Adventure ..............................................44 – 45 Tours, Cruises & Transport ............................................................... 46 Calendar of Annual Events ............................................................... 47 Community & Health Services ..................................................48 – 49 Full disabled facilities Industry ............................................................................................. 50 Facts & Figures ................................................................................. 51 A Disabled Access Eating Out ..................................................................................52 – 55 T Disabled toilet provided Accommodation ........................................................................56 – 59 page 3 Umpherston Sinkhole Guided tours take visitors Nearby is the redeveloped City Once a cave, formed through down into two of the chambers Hall which provides excellent The Crater the dissolution of the limestone, where divers enter the water to facilities for public functions this sinkhole was created when dive under the city. Learn how and conferences. Watson the top of the chamber fell to caves are formed and how the Terrace, city map N16 Lakes underground water filters through the floor of the cave, creating Centenary Tower Comprising of three craters, the perfect environment for its the limestone, making its way to From the car park, walk to the Blue Lake Crater, the Valley ‘sunken’ garden. See pages the Blue Lake. Souvenirs, light Centenary Tower, 190 metres Lake Crater and the Leg of 21 & 28 meals & refreshments available. above sea level for spectacular Mutton Lake Crater, this area Jubilee Hwy West, Originally beautified by James views of the lakes, the City is a significant site within the city map K12 8723 5552 Umpherston around 1886, it is and the beautiful countryside. Kanawinka Geopark. See page 35 open at all times and from dusk Cave Garden Opened in 1904, a small fee Valley Lake provides entry to the tower each evening the area comes - State Heritage Area The Valley Lake is very popular which includes an extensive alive with possums as they This sinkhole was the original all year round with excellent display of early photographs venture into the floodlit gardens source of water for the early playground and recreational of the Crater Lakes area to feed. A large undercover settlers. Famous for its roses, areas. With well kept picnic and a volcanic audio visual. shelter with group seating and the Cave Garden is a great place areas, 16 free gas barbecues, Souvenirs and refreshments free BBQ is provided. Free of for a picnic. Walk down into the covered shelters, large grassed are also available. Binoculars charge entry. Jubilee Hwy East, cave and venture out onto the areas, it can cater for many are supplied. The tower is open city map N25 suspended viewing platforms for families. Nearby is Browne’s Lake an awesome view into the cave. when the flag is flying. Engelbrecht Cave Tour which is again suffering from a This huge complex of limestone During winter, storm water The foundation stone for the fall in the water level as it did caves under the city was first run-off makes its way to the tower was laid on December in 1841. Free of charge entry. explored around 1884. Cave cave forming a spectacular 3rd, 1900, to commemorate the Davison Drive, city map U14 divers, who have undertaken waterfall. It eventually enters the 100 years since Mount Gambier The Wildlife Park underground water system which was sighted and named by intense training, regularly The Park presents indigenous possibly feeds into the Blue Lake. Lt. James Grant aboard “The explore this site and have species of flora and fauna in an provided maps showing the Lady Nelson”. Illuminated at With its spectacular lighting, environment very similar to that extent of this underground cave night, the tower can be seen Cave Garden is well worth a which would have originally been system. See page 28 from many points in the City visit at night. See pages 20 & found in the area. With lookouts, and surrounding district. WA 21 Parks and Gardens for more nature walks at the Valley Lake, Mitchell Walk, city map V11 information. Free of charge entry. the area is an ideal place for 08 8723 9224, 0438 239 224 families to spend many hours of pleasure. Free of charge entry Paul Krummel was the first A Valley Lake area, city map V13 curator of the Cave Garden from The Leg of Mutton Lake Situated in its own smaller crater, the 1880’s to 1920. He initiated surrounded by many varieties of the first community plantings deciduous trees it is popular for its walking trails. This lake has and rose garden. had a history of varying water levels and was recorded as being dry as early as 1859. Nearby is the Adam Lindsay Gordon Monument, erected in 1887 to commemorate the scene where Gordon on horseback, daringly leapt over a fence, and landed on a narrow ledge above a 70 metre sheer drop to the Blue attractions Lake. Bay Rd, city map U16 unique attractions page 4 Umpherston Sinkhole bluelake blue lake The Blue Lake is the drinking water for the city Situated in one of three extinct The Blue Lake and the Crater Aquifer Tours volcanic craters, the Blue Lake Lakes area is a significant site Experience this fascinating 45 The Blue exposes the crystal clear water within the Kanawinka Geopark minute tour which takes visitors that has filtered underground and is a State Heritage Area. in a glass paneled lift down the Lake is through the limestone, passing See page 35 original dolomite well shaft, slowly beneath the city. from which water was originally The Blue Lake Reception Centre 500 metres extracted. Walk through a Each year in November the lake provides public facilities