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Mount Gambier, South Australia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Mount Gambier South Australia |
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 Location of Mount Gambier in South Australia (red). |
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| Population: | 24,535 (2006 census)[1] | ||||||
| • Density: | 881.1/km² (2,282/sq mi) | ||||||
| Established: | 1854 | ||||||
| Area: | 26.7 km² (10.3 sq mi) | ||||||
| Time zone:
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ACST (UTC+9:30) | ||||||
| Location: | |||||||
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Mount Gambier is the second most populous city in South Australia after Adelaide, the capital of the State. It is approximately a five hour drive from both Adelaide and Melbourne and presents a convenient stop for motorists travelling the coastal route between these capital cities.
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The town's major industries are agriculture, forestry, trucking and tourism.
One of Mount Gambier's main tourism draw-cards is its location upon the slopes of a maar volcano of the same name, comprising several craters. One of these contains a huge lake of high-quality artesian drinking water which changes colour with the seasons. In winter it is a steel grey and then changes to a spectacular cobalt blue in the summer, giving rise to its name, Blue Lake. This 70-metre deep lake also accommodates a range of unusual aquatic flora and fauna, in particular fields of large stromatolites.
Another crater, Valley Lake, contains a water skiing lake, scenic picnic grounds and a wildlife walk, all facilities free to the public and enjoyed by tourists and locals alike. A small dormant volcano, Mount Schank, can also be seen to the south from Mount Gambier.
The town is serviced by 4 high schools, Mount Gambier High School, Grant High School, Tenison Woods College and St Martins Lutheran College.
The region is world-famous for its many water-filled caves and sinkholes which attract cave divers from around the globe, and such places as Tantanoola Caves, Umpherston Sinkhole, Cave Gardens and Engelbrecht Cave can all be visited by tourists. Within a half hour drive of Mount Gambier one can also experience the wineries of the Coonawarra, pine plantation tours, shipwreck beaches, and excellent river fishing.
Before European settlement, the Buandig (or Boandik) people were the original Aboriginal inhabitants of the area. They called it 'ereng balam' or 'egree belum', meaning 'home of the eagle hawk'.[2]
The peak of the extinct Mount Gambier crater was sighted in 1800 by Lieutenant James Grant from the survey brig, HMS Lady Nelson, and named for Lord James Gambier, Admiral of the Fleet.
The Henty brothers who owned large holdings in Portland, Western Victoria were the first non-indigenous people to discover the Blue Lake. They returned in 1839 bringing herds of cattle to farm and graze the abundant land. They met spirited resistance from the Buandig, and after five years, having never officially laid claim to the land, were forced to retreat when the lands were granted to Evelyn Sturt, the brother of the explorer Charles Sturt. Industries soon began to appear. John Byng built the Mount Gambier Hotel in 1847, and Dr Edward Wehl arrived in 1849 to begin a flour-milling operation.
Hastings Cunningham founded "Gambierton" in 1854 by subdividing a block of 77 acres. Local government appeared in 1863 when Dr Wehl, who now owned a substantial millhouse on Commercial Road, was elected chairman of the District Council of Mount Gambier. In December 1864 this became the District Council of Mount Gambier West and, at the same time, a separate District Council of Mount Gambier East was formed.
Incorporation in 1876 saw a further division, with the creation of the Town Council and Mr. John Watson elected Mayor. Mount Gambier was governed in this fashion until 1932, when the District Council of East and West merged to form a single District Council of Mount Gambier once more.
On 9 December 1954, Mount Gambier was officially declared a city on the assent of the Governor of South Australia. 2004 marked the 50th Anniversary of this declaration.
The City of Mount Gambier consists of a Mayor and ten Councillors, five each elected from the East and West Wards. The current Mayor of Mount Gambier is Steve Perryman (Correct as of 11/09/07).
- ^ ABS Census 2006
- ^ Other information. Place Names Online. Government of South Australia Land Services Group. Retrieved on 2006-10-22.
- Mount Gambier, South Australia is at coordinates Coordinates:
- City of Mount Gambier
- District Council of Grant
- Limestone Coast
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| Topics | History · Government · Flag · Rail transport · Geography · Country Fire Service |
| Regions | Adelaide Hills · Barossa Valley · Clare Valley · Eyre Peninsula · Fleurieu Peninsula · Flinders Ranges · Limestone Coast · Mid North · Nullarbor Plain · Riverland · Yorke Peninsula |
| Cities | Adelaide · Port Augusta · Mount Gambier · Murray Bridge · Port Lincoln · Port Pirie · Victor Harbor · Whyalla |