Wherever you go in Mount Gambier you’re immersed in soothing shades of blue, literally and figuratively, depending on how you want to see this regional city in the south east of South Australia.

It’s most recent tourist attraction has been dubbed ‘The Blue Blob’ by locals who are still coming to terms with this latest public art sculpture in the heart of the city. Its actual name is ‘Cast in Blue’, but as with many thought provoking, artistic, imagination stretching pieces, this cast aluminium sculpture has polarised the community.

The creators of the sculpture based the piece on an imagined mega fauna creature, inspired by the regions paleontological discoveries of prehistoric marsupials and it references the brilliant blue colour seen in the lakes, underground water courses, sinkholes and caves that are features in the area.

The colour is one thing not exaggerated and a drive to the nearby Blue Lake, will prove that, with the intensity of the colour the only variable. The Blue Lake is the 70 metre deep crater that remained after volcanic activity occurred thousands of years ago, and the groundwater that fills the lake and supplies the town’s water, changes from grey coloured in winter through to a vivid blue usually in November each year. Even outside of the peak summer time, the blue colour is quite astounding but it intensifies even more in summer with the sun higher in the sky reflecting on white calcite crystals that form near the surface of the water.

To see another amazing natural water feature in the area take a drive to Little Blue Lake, a water filled sinkhole that is a popular swimming hole with a constant water temperature of 12 degrees Celsius.  To aid swimmers a pontoon and stairs have been erected to provide safe access, but you need to be a confident swimmer with the depth of the sinkhole ranging from 25 to 47 metres deep.

It was while visiting Little Blue Lake that we were given a tip for another mind blowing natural phenomenon to see called Fossil Cave. This cave is around 25 kilometres from Mount Gambier, near Tantanoola, and not being signposted, it’s easy to miss. A carpark sits next to the Princes Highway and you need Google Maps or similar to find it, and then it’s only a short walk from the carpark through a gate and down a set of steps to reach the cave.     

Cave diving here is possible but only to accredited members of the Cave Divers Association of Australia, and bookings to dive have to be made with Parks SA. The cave is described as having a small pond which leads to a broad chamber then another small pool and a single small chamber at the end.

From the outside looking in, that’s a frightening prospect, but as your eyes adjust to the darkness of the cavernous hole, you notice the complete clarity of the water, which is the reason that cave diving is so popular amongst enthusiasts.

For something a little more accessible to snorkelers or divers, you can visit Ewens Ponds, 30 kilometres south of Mount Gambier. This series of three ponds are around 10 metres deep and connect by a channel which can be discovered by snorkelling along. The water clarity, fish, underwater plant life and uniqueness of this experience make it a popular pastime. Permits to snorkel at Ewens Ponds can be purchased through Parks SA, but it’s free for visitors to walk the length of the channel to see the ponds.

Mount Gambier is around 430 kilometres south of Adelaide and we stayed at the Blue Lake Holiday Park which has close access to the Blue Lake and the heart of the city of Mount Gambier.

Cheers

Glenys

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