Mount Gambier Things to Do

Most people to Mt Gambier ask firstly 'where is the blue lake' and secondly 'what is that funny tower for'?

Centennary Tower was built to commemorate 100 years since the discovery and naming of 'Gambier's Mount'. this soon after became Mt Gambier. You can walk up here, it is a little step, but paved all the way, and also walk all around the area. You know the tower is open for visitors when the flag is flying. If it is open you can walk up the stairs to the top and look out with a telscope to the town. A great view of the town and surrounding area.

Each October we have 'the show' a regional agricultural and country show. We have rides that are scary and come from the cities, plus country stuff like horse jumping, cow parades, sheep dog trials, plus indoor competitions like photography, roses, baking, cooking, colouring in competitons for school kids and much more. I remember as a child entering my cup cakes in the show and not getting anything!! i thought they were pretty good!

The cave in the middle of the city. The cave is really a sinkhole, you can walk down into it and when we have had a lot of rain the waterfall is quite spectacular. The council have recently completed an upgrade of the area with better fencing and railing and more visitor information.

Admitedly, Mt Gambier, and Australia for that matter, is not very old at all. About 210 years or so. That pales in comparison with your european cities or south american ruins. Anyhow, if you like semi- old stuff, then go to the Town Hall, on the eastern end of main street, Commerical Street, just near the main corner. It looks especially good at night when all lit up.

The Town Hall is still our administrative centre, with part of it dedicated to an Art Gallery. It recently had quite substantial renovations done to it and the back of it which overlooks the Cave Gardens is quite a site. Pics to follow..........

Everyone that comes to Mt Gambier has to see the Blue Lake. It really is Blue! November to May is the best time to see it, when it changes to a bright vibrant blue. The rest of the year it is a dull greyey colour. The towns people drink this water, and I drive past it most days so it is not really that big a deal to us, but you will be impressed!
Contrary to other member's pages on Mt Gambier, the water level is dropping and has been gradually over many years. So much so, that we actually had water restrictions imposed upon us for the first time ever - can you believe!

Tours leave every hour from the corner of Bay Rd and John Watson Drv and cost A$6. For your money you get to see inside the old brick pumping station and take a lift down a former wellshaft to the pumping machinery area about 5m above the surface of the lake. Water is only pumped during off-peak hours so it's quiet, apart from the chatter of the tour guide.
The tour lasts around 50 minutes.

The Umpherston Sinkhole is part of a public park alongside Jubilee Highway East. It was the dream of Umpherston, the original owner of the land to turn the sinkhole into a garden retreat for the enjoyment of all but he never lived to see it come to fruition. In honour of his vision, the sinkhole was taken over from the neighbouring timber mill and turned into the pleasant area that can be seen today.

I came here in the middle of the day but from dusk nocturnal Possums can be hand-fed.

1 more image

The pubs have particularly good Mt Gambier limestone construction, combined with Victorian architecture, which is an unusual combination to see in Australia where most Victorian buildings are either of wood or brick with wrought iron lace work like this ( and are in other cities such as my home city of Ballarat)