Traditional Owners

The original inhabitants of the Mount Gambier area were the Booandik Aboriginal people.

Settlement history

European settlement dates from the early 1840s, with land used mainly for sheep and cattle grazing. The township was established in the 1850s, with gradual growth through to the late 1800s, reaching a population of about 2,500 in 1886. Rapid development took place during the post-war years, particularly from the late 1940s into the 1950s, with a population of about 14,000 in 1961. Expansion continued during the 1960s and 1970s, with a population of about 20,000 in 1981. Growth began to slow during the 1980s. The population gradually increased from the early 1990s, rising from about 21,000 in 1991 to nearly 25,000 in 2011.

Land use

The City of Mount Gambier is South Australia's largest regional city, including residential, commercial, industrial, rural-residential and undeveloped areas. The City encompasses a total land area of over 30 square kilometres. Mount Gambier functions as a regional centre to the wider agricultural, horticultural and forestry area.

Transport

The City of Mount Gambier is served by the Jubilee Highway.

Major features

• Major features of the City include Blue Lake,
• Brownes Lake,
• Valley Lake,
• Cave Gardens (State Heritage Area),
• Englebrecht Cave,
• Umpherston Sinkhole,
• The Lady Nelson Visitor & Discovery Centre,
• Mount Gambier Central Shopping Centre,
• Mount Gambier Golf Club,
• Blue Lake Public Golf Links,
• Mount Gambier Aquatic Centre,
• Valley Lake Wildlife Park,
• Mount Gambier Courthouse Museum,
• Mount Gambier & Districts Health Service,
• Centenary Tower,
• TAFE SA (Mount Gambier Campus),
• University of South Australia (Mount Gambier Campus),
• A F Sutton Park,
• Corriedale Park,
• Dimjalla Park,
• Don McDonnell Reserve,
• Frew Park,
• Hastings Cunningham Reserve,
• Lady Nelson Park,
• Malseed Park,
• McDonald Park,
• Mount Gambier Showgrounds,
• Olympic Park and Vansittart Park.

Included areas