Mount Gambier

The major town and commercial centre of the southeast of Australia, Mount Gambier, is 486 km from Adelaide. Built on the slopes of the extinct volcano from which the town takes it name, it is a good friendly centre from which you can go to explore the crater lakes or go cave diving under Mt Gambier itself. One of the crater lakes is the beautiful “Blue Lake”, which is an almost implausible shade of sapphire during summer and changes to a dark grey during the winter months. There are numerous seas and view points in this area.

The “Engelbrecht Cave” is a system of caves in the underground and under the city as well. It is developed a millions of years ago. Some entrances are directly in the city centre. The Engelbrecht Cave is very popular for diving.

The floodlit sunken gardens in the “Umpherston Sinkhole” are pretty, but avoid the temptation to feed the flabby possum. The “Piccaninnie Ponds” is another popular cave-diving and snorkelling spot. Only a few kilometres in the east is the boundary to Victoria.

The “Old Jail” offers an overnight accommodation for A$ 20 per night and dorm. This novelty stopover was an operating jail until 1995 and is not for claustrophobics – you sleep in original bare cells, slamming metal doors and all.