A breathtaking lake that changes colours with the seasons, a sink hole filled with a lush garden, picturesque crater lakes, cascading waterfalls and underground limestone caves are some of the unique and surprising things you’ll find at Mount Gambier. Often seen as a stopover for travellers going between Adelaide and Melbourne or touring the Great Ocean Road, Mount Gambier has so much on offer it should be a destination on its own.

There is a range of accommodation in Mount Gambier covering all styles and budgets and includes camping and backpackers along with motels, lodges and even a few 4 star Mount Gambier Hotels. Whether you’re travelling solo, as a couple or with your family, you can find some Mt Gambier accommodation to suit.

The Blue Lake is probably the best known of Mt Gambier attractions. The crater lake is famous for its cobalt blue water during December to March, although the exact cause of the colour changing phenomenon is still a subject of conjecture. The Blue Lake is up to 80 metres deep and supplies the town of Mount Gambier with water – for this reason there is no swimming or diving in the lake. There is a 3.6 kilometre road and walking track circling the crater lake which offers a number of different viewing points from which to see the magnificent natural phenomenon.

Mount Gambier’s Cave Gardens are a State Heritage Area and one of the most unique things you’ll see in Australia. The sinkhole has been planted out with lush gardens and is famous for its beautiful rose displays. Visiting the Cave Gardens at night is a must, with dazzling light displays, and a nightly sound and light show which includes aboriginal Dreamtime stories. During winter, you may be lucky enough to witness storm water run-off creating a spectacular waterfall into the gardens.

There is an extensive network of caves under the city of Mt Gambier of which the Tantanoola Caves are the easiest to access. Known for their beauty, unusual speleotherms and pink dolomite caverns the caves are one of the most popular tourist destinations in South Australia. The caves are open daily and for a small charge visitors can take a self guided cave tour. The Engelbrecht Cave tour explores one of the area’s best examples of a water filled cave. The tour lasts around 45-60 minutes, but don’t panic – you won’t need a snorkel! The Engelbrecht Cave is open every other day, so check online to see if it’s open before heading out for the day.

Along with these unique natural features, Mount Gambier has a thriving artistic community, a range of excellent eateries sourcing from locally grown produce, a rich history showcased in a number of museums and heritage buildings and a good choice of family activities including water sports, bush walking and a wildlife park. Book a room at one of the Mount Gambier hotels and take some time to explore Mt Gambier and its surrounds – you’ll never see it as a stopover again!