Insty famous Umpherston Sinkhole is located in Mt Gambier around 5 hours drive from Adelaide on the Limestone Coast.
Where: Jubilee Highway E, Mt Gambier
Once a cave formed through dissolution of the limestone. The sinkhole was created when the top of the chamber collapsed downwards creating the perfect environment for growing.
Enter James Umpherston in 1886 who turned the space into the incredibly beautiful sunken garden that it is today. Full of hanging vines, ferns, flowers and plants of all shapes, sizes and colours. It’s stunning!
The sinkhole is free to visit and open from dawn to dusk and, as the sun sets, the Umpherston Sinkhole comes alive with hundreds of possums as they come into this tranquil garden to feed. Bring some fresh fruit (no bread please) to feed them if you like.
A long set of steps will lead you down into the sinkhole and you’ll be able to stop and there’s a number of spots to stop and admire the garden from different heights and angles. When you get to the bottom you’ll want to save some time for a good walk around, and there’s even an undercover shelter with seating and a free BBQ down there! There’s lots of paths and nooks and little caves making it a magical place for kids to explore.
There’s kiosk/shop at the top with snacks, icecreams, coffee and souvenirs. On our last visit it looked pretty shut up so we unfortunately aren’t aware of the opening hours and specific offerings.
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