South Australia · 36 sites
Mount Gambier Sinkholes & Caves dive sites
The limestone around Mount Gambier is riddled with water-filled sinkholes and caves, and they are the heart of Australian cave diving. Kilsby Sinkhole (65 m, clear as air), the Shaft (124 m), Piccaninnie Ponds' Chasm and Cathedral, Ewens Ponds' spring-fed creek, and the Tank Cave system with more than 8 km of passage. Most sites require Cave Divers Association of Australia rating; Kilsby and Ewens are open to recreational divers by booking.
- Sites
- 36
- Wrecks
- 0
- Shore
- 0
- Boat
- 0
- Beginner
- 1
- Deepest
- 124 m
Conditions outlook · Late September – October 2026
Written 27 September 2026The sinkholes are 15 °C year-round and unaffected by weather, which makes spring a good time when the coast is unreliable. Kilsby, Ewens Ponds and Piccaninnie need bookings (Piccaninnie via the permit system); the CDAA sites need current ratings. Midday light in the sinkholes strengthens from October.
Getting there
Five hours south-east of Adelaide or four from Melbourne. Sites are on private farmland or in national parks; all need bookings, some need guides.
When to go
Year-round at a constant 14–16 °C; summer and autumn weekends book out early.
Water & suit
Summer 14-15 °C · winter 14-15 °C. Drysuit strongly recommended (constant ~14-15°C groundwater, long dives); 7 mm wetsuit with hood minimum for short dives
Nearest chamber: Royal Adelaide Hospital hyperbaric medicine unit (Adelaide) – about 450 km by road from Mount Gambier; evacuation is normally by aeromedical retrieval (RFDS/MedSTAR) via Mount Gambier Hospital. The Alfred (Melbourne) is a similar distance. DAN/Divers Emergency Service 1800 088 200.
Most recorded marine life in Mount Gambier Sinkholes & Caves
- Not documented 9
- Freshwater shrimp 4
- Small native fish 4
- Short-finned eels 3
- Algae and weed in the shallows 2
- Crabs 2
- Freshwater crayfish (yabbies) 2
- Freshwater crustaceans 2
- Pygmy perch and other small native fish 2
- Yabbies 2
- Algae 1
- Aquatic plants and stoneworts 1
- Diving beetles 1
- Eels 1
Plan a dive trip to Mount Gambier Sinkholes & Caves →Find your diveCompare the top 4 side by sideNew diver? Start here
The most-dived sites in Mount Gambier Sinkholes & Caves
Suggested trip
A 3-day dive trip to Mount Gambier Sinkholes & Caves
Built from the sites in this region: an easy start, the signature dives, then something deeper or further. Swap days around the weather; the site pages say which winds and swell close each one.
Build your own Mount Gambier Sinkholes & Caves plan: pick days, level and must-dive sites →Day 1 · Settle in
Start with the gentler sites while you get used to local conditions and the operator's routine.
- Ewens PondsFreshwater Lake/River · Max 10 m · Open Water
Day 2 · The signature dives
A charter day on the sites people travel to Mount Gambier Sinkholes & Caves for.
- Kilsby SinkholeSinkhole/Cenote · Max 65 m · Technical (decompression)
- The SistersSinkhole/Cenote · Max 20 m · Cave/Cavern certification
Day 3 · Deeper or further
For divers with the certification and the weather: the deeper walls, pinnacles or less-visited sites of Mount Gambier Sinkholes & Caves.
- Goulden's HoleSinkhole/Cenote · Max 26 m · Cave/Cavern certification
- Little Blue LakeSinkhole/Cenote · Max 42 m · Cave/Cavern certification
Dive centres and charters in Mount Gambier Sinkholes & Caves
All South Australia operators →Operators recorded as running sites in this region. Each profile lists the specific sites it goes to.
Dive Experience
ProfiledConfirmed Sept 2026
Mount Gambier · Mount Gambier Sinkholes & Caves · SA
A Mount Gambier business serving the region's cave and sinkhole diving community, including equipment and gas support.
dive-experience.com.au · 0478 693 760
TechnicalTrainingRetail5 services16 sites
Diving Adelaide
ListedConfirmed Sept 2026
Marleston · Adelaide Metro · SA
An Adelaide training and guided diving operation serving local sites and organised trips.
divingadelaide.com.au · (08) 8122 5003
TrainingCharter4 services69 sites
Deep Blue Ventures
Named by sitesConfirmed Sept 2026
McCrae · Mount Gambier Sinkholes & Caves · SA
Victoria-based technical/cave training operator running Mount Gambier courses (Kilsby-approved).
deepblueventures.com.au · 0413 429 533
6 sites
Total Immersion Diving
Named by sitesConfirmed Sept 2026
Mount Gambier Sinkholes & Caves · SA
Kilsby Sinkhole approved operator running CDAA cave courses in Mount Gambier; Facebook-only presence.
1 site
Reef 2 Ridge
Reported closedMount Gambier · Mount Gambier Sinkholes & Caves · SA
TripAdvisor marks it temporarily closed until further notice with the last review in 2018; the SDFSA directory lists only Dive Experience for Mount Gambier.
1 site
Map of Mount Gambier Sinkholes & Caves dive sites
Click a pin for the site. 18 sites without published coordinates are not shown.
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18 pinned sites. Pins marked approximate on their pages show the general area only; not for navigation.
All 36 Mount Gambier Sinkholes & Caves dive sites
All Mount Gambier Sinkholes & Caves sites at a glance
36 sites in Mount Gambier Sinkholes & Caves · click a column to sort
| Allendale East Cave | Cave/Cavern | Max 24 m | Cave/Cavern certification | Shore | Rare |
| Baker's Cave | Cave/Cavern | Max 33 m | Cave/Cavern certification | Shore | Rare |
| Black Hole | Sinkhole/Cenote | Depth not published | Cave/Cavern certification | Shore | Rare |
| Blue Lake (Mount Gambier) | Freshwater Lake/River | Max 77 m | Technical (decompression) | Shore | Expedition |
| Dave's Cave | Cave/Cavern | Depth not published | Cave/Cavern certification | Shore | Rare |
| Ela Elap | Sinkhole/Cenote | Depth not published | Cave/Cavern certification | Shore | Rare |
| Engelbrecht Cave – East | Cave/Cavern | Max 8 m | Cave/Cavern certification | Shore | Occasional |
| Engelbrecht Cave – East Extension | Cave/Cavern | Max 22 m | Cave/Cavern certification | Shore | Rare |
| Engelbrecht Cave – West | Cave/Cavern | Max 12 m | Cave/Cavern certification | Shore | Rare |
| Ewens Ponds | Freshwater Lake/River | Max 10 m | Open Water | Shore | Weekly |
| Fossil Cave | Cave/Cavern | Max 15 m | Cave/Cavern certification | Shore | Occasional |
| Goulden's Hole | Sinkhole/Cenote | Max 26 m | Cave/Cavern certification | Shore | Weekly |
| Hancocks Cave | Sinkhole/Cenote | Max 37 m | Cave/Cavern certification | Shore | Rare |
| Hann's Cave | Cave/Cavern | Depth not published | Cave/Cavern certification | Shore | Rare |
| Hells Hole | Sinkhole/Cenote | Max 25 m | Cave/Cavern certification | Shore | Rare |
| Horse and Cart | Sinkhole/Cenote | Depth not published | Cave/Cavern certification | Shore | Rare |
| Iddlebiddy Cave | Cave/Cavern | Depth not published | Cave/Cavern certification | Shore | Rare |
| Kilsby Sinkhole | Sinkhole/Cenote | Max 65 m | Technical (decompression) | Shore | Daily |
| Little Blue Lake | Sinkhole/Cenote | Max 42 m | Cave/Cavern certification | Shore | Occasional |
| Max's Hole | Cave/Cavern | Depth not published | Cave/Cavern certification | Shore | Rare |
| McKay's Shaft | Cave/Cavern | Depth not published | Cave/Cavern certification | Shore | Rare |
| Mud Hole | Cave/Cavern | Max 17 m | Cave/Cavern certification | Shore | Rare |
| Nettlebed Cave | Cave/Cavern | Max 28 m | Cave/Cavern certification | Shore | Rare |
| One Tree | Sinkhole/Cenote | Depth not published | Cave/Cavern certification | Shore | Rare |
| Piccaninnie Ponds | Sinkhole/Cenote | Max 10 m | Cave/Cavern certification | Shore | Rare |
| Piccaninnie Ponds – The Cathedral | Cave/Cavern | Max 35 m | Cave/Cavern certification | Shore | Rare |
| Piccaninnie Ponds – The Chasm | Sinkhole/Cenote | Max 110 m | Cave/Cavern certification | Shore | Rare |
| Stinging Nettle Cave | Cave/Cavern | Depth not published | Cave/Cavern certification | Shore | Rare |
| Tank Cave | Cave/Cavern | Max 30 m | Cave/Cavern certification | Shore | Occasional |
| Tea Tree | Sinkhole/Cenote | Depth not published | Cave/Cavern certification | Shore | Rare |
| Ten Eighty | Sinkhole/Cenote | Depth not published | Cave/Cavern certification | Shore | Rare |
| The Bullock Hole | Sinkhole/Cenote | Depth not published | Cave/Cavern certification | Shore | Rare |
| The Pines | Cave/Cavern | Max 30 m | Cave/Cavern certification | Shore | Occasional |
| The Shaft | Sinkhole/Cenote | Max 124 m | Cave/Cavern certification | Shore | Occasional |
| The Sisters | Sinkhole/Cenote | Max 20 m | Cave/Cavern certification | Shore | Weekly |
| Three Sisters Cave | Cave/Cavern | Max 35 m | Cave/Cavern certification | Shore | Rare |
Mount Gambier Sinkholes & Caves diving FAQ
How do I get to the dive sites in Mount Gambier Sinkholes & Caves?
Five hours south-east of Adelaide or four from Melbourne. Sites are on private farmland or in national parks; all need bookings, some need guides.
When is the best time to dive Mount Gambier Sinkholes & Caves?
Year-round at a constant 14–16 °C; summer and autumn weekends book out early.
How many dive sites are there in Mount Gambier Sinkholes & Caves?
36 documented sites. The deepest reaches 124 m.
Are there beginner dive sites in Mount Gambier Sinkholes & Caves?
Yes, 1 site is rated beginner. Look for the green Beginner tag in the list below, and check the weather notes on each page before diving.
How cold is the water in Mount Gambier Sinkholes & Caves?
Typically 14-15 °C in summer and 14-15 °C in winter. Most divers wear drysuit strongly recommended (constant ~14-15°C groundwater, long dives); 7 mm wetsuit with hood minimum for short dives.
Which dive centres operate in Mount Gambier Sinkholes & Caves?
Dive Experience, Diving Adelaide, Deep Blue Ventures, Total Immersion Diving, Reef 2 Ridge are recorded as running sites in Mount Gambier Sinkholes & Caves. Each site page lists the operators known to go there.
Where is the nearest recompression chamber to Mount Gambier Sinkholes & Caves?
Royal Adelaide Hospital hyperbaric medicine unit (Adelaide) – about 450 km by road from Mount Gambier; evacuation is normally by aeromedical retrieval (RFDS/MedSTAR) via Mount Gambier Hospital. The Alfred (Melbourne) is a similar distance. DAN/Divers Emergency Service 1800 088 200. In an emergency call 000, then DAN Asia-Pacific on 1800 088 200.
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