The Australian chapter of the International Association of Hydrogeologists has named Mount Gambier’s iconic Blue Lake has been named as one of Australia’s seven hydrogeological wonders.

 

The association named the Great Artesian Basin – one of the largest groundwater basins in the world and covering 22 per cent of the Australian continent, including the north-eastern part of South Australia - the most outstanding on the list.

 

Jeff Lawson, Principal Technical Officer for the Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources in the South East, said the lake, in one of three extinct volcanic craters in the area, was critical to the Mount Gambier community.

 

“Its unique colour makes it an international tourist attraction, locals use its surrounds as a key recreational facility, and it is also the city’s source of water,” he said.

 

“It provides an average of 3.5 billion litres of water to Mount Gambier each year from a reservoir of approximately 36 billion litres, and recharges its volume from groundwater storage about every eight years.

 

“There are other blue lakes in the world, but this one is unique due to its colour change from steel blue in winter to turquoise blue between November and March.”

 

The lake is part of Mount Gambier’s Crater Lakes Complex, a volcanic area formed about 30,000 years ago.  It is also a State Heritage area and part of the Kanawinka Global Geopark, which covers the South East and part of south-western Victoria and is a member of UNESCO’s Global Network of National Geoparks.