Mount Gambier, South Australia

Mount Gambier South Australia
Blue Lake, near Mount Gambier
Mount Gambier
Population:	23,494 (2006 census)[1] (50th)
• Density:	881.1/km² (2,282.0/sq mi)
Established:	1854
Postcode:	5290 [2], 5291 [3]
Coordinates:	37°49′46″S 140°46′58″E / 37.82944°S 140.78278°E / -37.82944; 140.78278
Area:	26.7 km² (10.3 sq mi)
Time zone:  • Summer (DST)	ACST (UTC+9:30) ACDT (UTC+10:30)
Location:	450 km (280 mi) from Adelaide 435 km (270 mi) from Melbourne
LGA:	City of Mount Gambier District Council of Grant
State District:	Mount Gambier
Federal Division:	Barker
Mean Max Temp Mean Min Temp Annual Rainfall 18.9 °C 66 °F 8.1 °C 47 °F 708.3 mm 27.9 in

Mount Gambier is the second most populous city in South Australia after Adelaide, the capital of the state. It is approximately 450 kilometres south of Adelaide and 435 kilometres west of Melbourne.

Contents 1 History 2 Demographics 3 Economy 4 Transport 4.1 Roads 4.2 Railways 4.3 Airlines 4.4 Coaches 5 Tourism 6 Education 7 Sport 8 Politics 8.1 State & Federal 8.2 Local 9 See also 10 References 11 External links

History

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'.^[4]

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 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. The Post Office opened on September 22, 1846, ^[5] 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. From 1861 to 1878 the Post Office was known by this name before reverting to Mount Gambier. 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, and is now widely recognised as having the prestigious title of most important centre in south-east South Australia. ^[6]

Demographics

As the government in the south-east area of the state, consisting of three local councils, was based around a single administration, many residents of Victoria used to look across the border to Mount Gambier as their centre. Consequently, during the 1970s many elderly locals relocated to Victor Harbor and Moonta, both rural areas but with more resources available to cope with an ageing population. A 1976 study found that less than 10 per cent (around 160 people) of residents aged over 65 had lived in the area for less than 5 years, leading to a lack of specific aged-care facilities.^[7]

According to the 2006 Census the population of the Mount Gambier census area was 23,494 people, making it the largest urban area in the state outside of Adelaide, and the 50th largest urban area in Australia. Approximately 51.7% of the population were female, 84.9% were Australian born, over 91.5% of residents were Australian citizens and 1.6% were indigenous.

The most popular industries for employment were Log Sawmilling and Timber Dressing (8%), School Education (4.8%) and Retail Trade (3.8%), while the unemployment rate is approx. 7%. The median weekly household income is AUD$814 or more per week, compared with $924 in Adelaide. 26.9% of the population identify themselves as being free of religion, a lower 21.5% regard themselves as Catholic.

2007 population estimates have Mount Gambier's population at 23,640, an increase of 146 people or 0.6%. ^[8]

Economy

The town's major industries are agriculture, forestry, trucking and tourism.

Transport

Roads

Mount Gambier sits on a number of highways which connect the city to other major towns in the region, as well as to Adelaide and Melbourne.

• Princes Highway (Jubilee Highway) travels through the city east to west.
  • to Melbourne via Dartmoor, Portland and Warrnambool
  • to Adelaide via Millicent, Kingston S.E. and Meningie
• Riddoch Highway (Penola / Bay Road) travels through the city north to south.
  • to Adelaide via Naracoorte and Keith
  • to Port Macdonnell

Railways

Before conversion of the Melbourne-Adelaide railway to standard gauge in 1995, Mount Gambier was connected to Adelaide on the broad gauge network via Naracoorte, Keith and Tailem Bend. Normal commercial passenger services to Adelaide ceased in 1990, while limited freight services operated until the line was disconnected from the national network.

The Limestone Coast Railway, operated tourist services on the abandoned lines from Mount Gambier to Penola and Coonawarra for a number of years with retired suburban railcars. However due to increased insurance costs they ceased services in 2006.

Airlines

Mount Gambier Airport is located a few kilometres north of the city via the Riddoch Highway. The city is served only by Regional Express, which flys Saab 340 aircraft to Adelaide and Melbourne a number of times a day.

The airport was once the main base of O'Connor Airlines, which also flew to Adelaide and Melbourne. However the company ceased trading in December 2007.

Coaches

Premier Stateliner operates to Mount Gambier from Adelaide. One Daily service operates via Kingstone and Robe, while another Daily service operates via Keith and Naracoorte. Vline operates a daily interstate coach service from Mount Gambier to Warnambool, with an interchange at Warnambool for a rail service to Melbourne.^[9]

Tourism

One of Mount Gambier's main tourism draw-cards is its location upon the slopes of a maar volcano of the same name, Mount Gambier, comprising several craters, part of the Newer Volcanics Province complex of volcanoes. 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 wildlife walk. A small dormant volcano, Mount Schank, can also be seen to the south from Mount Gambier.

The region has many water-filled caves and sinkholes which attract cave divers from around the globe, and such places as Ewens Ponds, Piccaninnie Ponds, 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 river fishing.

Education

The town is serviced by five Reception to Year 7 (R-7) Primary schools:

• Reidy Park Primary School;
• Mount Gambier North Primary School;
• McDonald Park;
• Melalueuca Park; and
• Mulga Street Primary School.

There are two Reception to Year 12 (R-12) colleges:

• Tenison Woods College and
• St Martins Lutheran College.

There are two High Schools for Year 8 to 12:

• Mount Gambier High School and
• Grant High School.

TAFE SA has a campus in Mount Gambier providing an extensive variety of vocational study. The Mount Gambier TAFE SA campus also incorporates a UniSA campus; the campus offers 3 degrees, full-time or part-time, in Accountancy, Nursing and Social Work.

Sport

The town has 4 Australian rules football teams competing in the Western Border Football League: North Gambier, East Gambier, South Gambier and West Gambier.

There is also a range of different sporting leagues and clubs in Mount Gambier and surrounding regions, including soccer, netball, basketball, tennis, hockey, cricket, swimming, cycling, triathlon^[10] and golf^[11].

Mount Gambier is the home of "The Alex Roberts 100 Mile Classic", a cycling event that lays claim to the longest continuing open cycling event in South Australia. The event held annually by the Mount Gambier Cycling and Triathlon Club.^[10]

The 120m Mt Gambier Gift held annually on the last Saturday in December at Vansittart Oval is the 2nd richest professional footrace in South Australia. The athletic carnival includes races from 70m to 1600m and attracts athletes from all over Australia, mostly from Adelaide and Victoria.

Mt Gambier Gift Winners

• 2001 Shane McKenzie (SA)
• 2002 Matthew Callard (Vic)
• 2003 Chris Burckhardt (SA)
• 2004 Andrew Steele (SA)
• 2005 Keith Sheehy (SA)
• 2006 Keith Sheehy (SA)
• 2007 Dale Woodhams (SA)
• 2008 Aaron Rouge-Serrett (Vic)
• 2009 Shaun Hargreaves (Vic)

Politics

State & Federal

2006 State Election [12]   Independent 38.1%   Liberal 32.8%   Labor 19.6%   Family First 4.0%   Democrats 2.6%   Greens 2.2%

2007 Federal Election [13]   Liberal 40.19%   Labor 39.62%   National 5.85%   Family First 5.85%   Greens 5.73%   Democrats 2.77%

Mount Gambier is part of the state electoral district of Mt Gambier, which has been held since 1997 by Independent Minister for Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, Minister for State/Local Government Relations, and Minister for Forests, Rory McEwen. The seat is held by a margin of 12.2%. In federal politics, the city is part of the division of Barker, and has been represented by Liberal MP Patrick Secker since 1998. Barker is held with a margin of 19.10% and is considered safe-liberal. The results shown are from the largest polling station in Mount Gambier — which is located at Mount Gambier High School, on Brownes Road.

Local

The City of Mount Gambier local government area consists of a mayor and ten councillors, elected equally from the East and West wards. As of November 2007^[update], the Mayor of Mount Gambier council is Steve Perryman. The City of Mount Gambier is surrounded by the District Council of Grant local government area.

See also

• Blue Lake (South Australia)
• Mount Gambier Airport
• Mount Gambier Prison
• McNamara Park

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Mount Gambier, South Australia

• City of Mount Gambier
• District Council of Grant
• Limestone Coast
• Mount Gambier tourism

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