Stays in Mount Gambier
South Australia's Limestone Coast hub, built on a dormant volcano and riddled with sinkholes, caves and crater lakes. Roughly halfway between Adelaide and Melbourne, it is the natural overnight stop on the Princes Highway run.
Road-trippers crossing between Adelaide and Melbourne tend to discover Mount Gambier by accident and then stay two nights instead of one. The town sits on a dormant volcano in South Australia's Limestone Coast, and the landmarks are all within a few minutes of each other by car: Blue Lake on the crater rim, the sunken garden at Umpherston Sinkhole, Cave Garden dropping away in the middle of the main street. Accommodation runs to motor inns, pub rooms above century-old hotels, a caravan park and one converted gaol. Nothing is far from the highway, and almost everything has free parking, which matters when the car is loaded.
Mount Gambier in numbers
Family-friendlyMount Gambier Hotel
★4.5
Family-friendlyThe Old Mount Gambier Gaol
★4.3
Family-friendlyPark Hotel
★4.3
Family-friendlyLimestone Coast Tourist Park
★4.1
Wildlife & NatureComfort Inn The Lakes
★4.1
Family-friendlyArkana Motor Inn & Terrace Apartments
★3.9
Wildlife & NatureNightcap at Federal Hotel Mt Gambier
★3.9
Family-friendlyThe Commercial Hotel
★3.9What to expect
- Blue Lake turns cobalt from November to March, then fades back to steel grey
- Most stays sit within three kilometres of the crater rim and the town centre
- Umpherston Sinkhole and Cave Garden are both walkable from the main street
- Valley Lake Conservation Park puts kangaroos and emus a few minutes from town
- Free on-site parking is close to standard, useful for caravans and loaded wagons
- Port MacDonnell, Coonawarra and the Naracoorte Caves are all day-trip range
Local tips
- ✓Time your stay between November and March if the cobalt colour of Blue Lake is what you came for, because the water goes back to grey by late autumn.
- ✓Book the pub rooms on the main street only if you sleep through noise, since the bars below run late on Friday and Saturday.
- ✓Fill the tank before the Princes Highway leg to Melbourne or Adelaide, as the stretches either side of town are long and quiet.
- ✓Ask about caravan and trailer parking when you book, because the older motor inns have deep bays and the town-centre hotels often do not.
- ✓Give yourself an extra half day for Port MacDonnell and Piccaninnie Ponds south of town, rather than trying to squeeze them in before checkout.
Where to stay
Frequently asked questions
Which part of Mount Gambier is best to stay in?
The town centre around Commercial Street suits walkers, since Cave Garden, the Riddoch Art Gallery and the pubs are all on foot. The Jubilee Highway side is quieter, closer to Blue Lake and easier for anyone towing a van.
What kinds of accommodation does Mount Gambier have?
Mostly motor inns, hotel rooms above working pubs, a tourist park with cabins and powered sites, and one heritage stay in the old gaol. Large resorts and apartment towers are not part of the picture in this part of South Australia.
When is the best time to visit Mount Gambier?
Late spring to early autumn, roughly November through March, when Blue Lake holds its colour and the days are long enough for the caves and the coast. Winter is cold and wet, though the sinkhole gardens stay green and quiet.
How far is Mount Gambier from Adelaide and Melbourne?
It sits close to the midpoint of the Princes Highway run between the two cities, which is why so many drivers break the journey here. Mount Gambier Airport is a short drive from the town centre for anyone flying in instead.