Mount Gambier Things to Do

What would a visit to Mt Gambier be without seeing the Blue Lake? There are 4 seperate lookout areas along the edge of the crater all offering good photo opportunities. The lake is at it's bluest around the summer months. The Blue Lake tour guide said the blue colour was from calcium carbonate leaching into the water from rocks underground.

I also recommend taking a drive around Valley Lake, the perfect spot for a picnic.

No trip to Mount Gambier would be complete without a walk around the famous Blue Lake.
The Lake changes colours throughout the year from a dull grey to a vibrant blue.
There are a few spots to stop around the Lake to take in the view and take some happy snaps. Otherwise you can take a stroll around the Lake, which is about 4km all up - this is very popular with the locals, many of whom get up in the early hours of the morning to go and walk around the lake.

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Situated in the heart of the city the cave gardens were the original water source for early settlers. Famous for its roses (which werent out when we were there) it makes a nice setting for a picnic. There are suspension platforms that you can walk out onto for a nice view.

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Well what can be said about the Blue Lake that hasnt already been said?? Not much at all I am afraid. Everyone that has read the other tips on it know that it is the city's water supply and that it contains 36,000 MILLION litres of water and the average depth is 80 Metres. it is world famous for the changes of colour it goes through all year. There is a 3.6 km road that circumnavigates it and a walking trail just as long

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The Umpherston Sinkhole was originally beautified by James Umpherston. Today it is one of the most popular attractions in th eMt Gambier area.The landscaped gardens surrounding the sinkhole is a relaxing place to have a family picnic or barbecue with covered areas to protect you from the weather. Once a cave this sinkhole was created when the top of the chamber fell into the floor of the cave, creating a perfect environment for the present day gardens.

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Lady Nelson is a fully integrated tourism complex that offers all the information you need to help make you stay enjoyable. The complex is a community project built of local limestone and timber.
A free admission theatre screens the film "Across the Green Triangle" continuosly. The film depicts the story of Mt Gambier's history and industry.
The Lady Nelson was a small 60 ton brig built in 1799 She was the first vessel to sail along the entire Southern Coastline of Australia In 1825 she called into the Island Of Baba where her crew was murdered by natives and the ship run ashore and burnt.
It is open 7 days a week 9am to 5pm South Australian time

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We found this a nice spot for a picnic, with a large children's playground and plenty of birds & swans around. Also next to the Parking area there's a wildlife park (free entry, the perimeter all fenced off) where an 'up close and personal' encounter was had with a Koala, just sitting in the sun on one of the railings overlooking the marshland on the shore of Valley Lake inside the park.

Take heed of the signs at one part of the shore of Valley Lake though.... the ground/sand really is like quicksand. My husband got a 1.5 metre long stick, and with no effort at all, was able to push it right into the ground until only 10 cms protruded out.

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Number one to see in Mt Gambier, apart from the caves, is of course the magnificent Blue Lake (even during the months when it is no longer blue, but grey - March - about October, though at the moment it is April and still blue). It's a good starting point for your explorations, and then you can go on to see the adjacent green Valley Lake (which is often used for water skiiing and has a playground, picnic areas, and even a little wildlife park next to its shoreline) and beside that, Browne's Lake (which as you can guess, is brown).