The Blue Lake in Mount Gambier is one of the most impressive natural formations that we’ve ever seen at The City Lane. It is one of 4 crater lakes (today only 2 remain) that were formed by an eruption of the volcano from which the town Mount Gambier was named after several thousand years ago and is one of Mount Gambier’s main sources of water.
The lake is a vibrant, deep blue from December through to March, and a steel grey colour for the rest of the year.
The exact cause of this colour changing process is still being debated, however the general consensus is that it’s most likely due to a warming of the surface layers of the lake during the summer to around 20°C. This causes calcium carbonate to precipitate out of solution and enables micro-crystallites of calcium carbonate to form. This result is a scattering of the blue wavelengths of sunlight.
What is certain is that the effect is stunning. Pictures can’t convey just how amazingly vibrant the colour of the lake is in reality.
There is a 3.6 kilometre road and walking track around the circumference of the Blue Lake which provides visitors with several vantage points from which to view the Blue Lake.
The Blue Lake in Mount Gambier is one of the most unusual and beautiful natural sights that we have visited in Australia and we highly recommend taking the time to check it out if you’re in the area.