AT PROMOTION |Mount Gambier
Uniquelysetontheslopesofa dormant
‘maar’volcano,MountGambier’s
subterraneannetworkoflimestone
channelsliesjustbeneaththecitystreets.
It’shereyou’lluncoverremnantsofa
volcanicpastwherecaves,crystallakes,
undergroundaquifersandcenotes
(sinkholes)sitatitsheart.Cavernsand
crevicestestifyto
long-extinct
megafauna,anda
closerlookatthe
rocksbearsevidence
oftheinlandsea
completewith
embeddedfossils,
shellsandbones.
Knownforitscrater
lakes,includingthe
aptlynamedBlue
Lake,whichturnsa
dazzlingcobaltbluein
thesummermonths,MountGambierisa worthwhile
pilgrimagefornaturelovers.History
buffswilldelight,too,atexploringa
geologicalwonderlandofcenotesleftby
naturalforces,sheddinglightonthe
region’sfascinatingpast.
Don’tbefooledbythecenote’smore
oft-usedmoniker,however.InMount
Gambier,‘sinkholes’suchasUmpherston
Sinkhole,Hell’sHole,CarolineSinkhole
andKilsbySinkholearemorethanjust
holesintheground;they’reactually
cenoteformations.Theseplunging
gardensandaquaticoases,eachwiththeir
owndistinctivefeaturesandplantlife,
can’tbefoundanywhereelseinAustralia.
KilsbySinkholeisparticularlyspecial.
Adventuroustravellerspreparedtotake
theplungecanexplorethisunderground
sanctumona snorkelordivetour,taking
inthecrystal-clearwatersandsunbeams
carvingthroughthesurfaceina perfect
cylinderoflight.It’snotalone;withmorethan 50 water-filledcenotes in the area,
MountGambierhasearneditstitleasthe
‘cave-divingcapitalofAustralia’.
Whetheryouwanttoseebeneaththe
surfaceorprefertotakeit infromabove,
thereareplentyofwaystoexperience
thesefascinatingformations.Ona guided
tourofEngelbrechtCave,youcanseethe
cavediversastheypreparetoweave
through the secret tunnels and water-filled
passagesbeneaththecity;visittheCave
Gardentolookdownintothecenotefrom
a viewingplatformabove;orstroll
throughtheenchantingvinesandterraces
ofthefamoussunkengardenthatis
UmpherstonSinkhole.From flawless
photoopportunities,todiscoveringit all
onfootordivingintothedepthsofthe
aquifers,MountGambierhasit all.
Onethingiscertain;onceyoustart
exploring,youwon’tbeabletostop.
Venturea littlefurthertotakeinthe
astonishingdepthofCarolineSinkhole,
watchdiversrisetothesurfaceatHell’s
Hole,orcooloffwitha dipattheLittle
BlueLake.Nomatterhowadventurous
youare,MountGambierwilltakeyour
breathaway.Takeyourtimeandenjoy
everymoment!Escapetoanunexpectedworldofcraterlakes,
sunkengardensandsubaquaticflorain thefascinating
naturalwonderlandthatis MountGambier.From top left: The plunging sunken garden
at Umpherston Sinkhole; Below ground
level lies the dazzlingly blue cenote at
Kilsby Sinkhole; Crystal-clear waters and
breathtaking visibility make Kilsby Sinkhole
one of the best sinkhole dives in the world.T H E C I T Y
OF CENOTES
Start planning your cenote experience.
Visit discovermountgambier.com.au