Best Things to Do in the Limestone Coast
From a cobalt crater lake to terra rossa Cabernet and World Heritage caves - the unmissable highlights of South Australia's south-east.
The Limestone Coast packs an extraordinary range of experiences into one corner of South Australia. Within a few hours' drive you can stand on the rim of a volcanic crater lake, descend into fossil caves older than human memory, taste some of the country's finest Cabernet, and watch the Southern Ocean batter limestone cliffs.
Natural icons and underground wonders
The region's geology is its greatest drawcard. Mount Gambier's Blue Lake turns vivid cobalt each summer, while Naracoorte's World Heritage caves preserve ice-age fossils in their limestone chambers. Add the terraced Umpherston Sinkhole and the crystal springs of Piccaninnie Ponds and you have natural wonders found nowhere else.
Wine, coast and heritage
Coonawarra's famous terra rossa strip produces benchmark reds well worth a cellar-door visit, and the seaside towns of Robe and Beachport reward slow exploring with heritage streetscapes, long beaches and clifftop drives. Whether you are travelling with family, chasing walks, or simply following your appetite, this list covers the very best of it.
-
1
Mount Gambier
Blue Lake
A volcanic crater lake at Mount Gambier that turns a vivid cobalt blue each summer, ringed by a 3.6km walking trail. It is the region's signature natural icon and an easy, rewarding stop for walkers and photographers alike.
See place → -
2
NaracoorteNaracoorte Caves National Park
South Australia's only World Heritage site, a network of fossil-rich limestone caves preserving an ice-age record stretching back hundreds of thousands of years. Guided show-cave tours make it a standout for families and curious travellers.
See place → -
3
Mount GambierUmpherston Sinkhole
A collapsed limestone cave at Mount Gambier transformed into a terraced sunken garden of hydrangeas, ivy and ferns. Visit at dusk to watch possums emerge - a magical, free and family-friendly spot.
See place → -
4
RobeRobe
A beloved holiday town with a colonial port history, heritage main street and fresh crayfish. Robe is the place to base yourself for a few unhurried days of beaches, good food and seaside walks.
See place → -
5
CoonawarraWynns Coonawarra Estate
Coonawarra's most recognisable winery, its 1896 triple-gabled cellar set among the oldest vines on the famous terra rossa strip. A must for anyone wanting to taste the district's benchmark Cabernet at the source.
See place → -
6
Mount GambierPiccaninnie Ponds Conservation Park
A Ramsar-listed coastal wetland whose crystal-clear freshwater springs and deep "Chasm" draw snorkellers and divers from around the world. The clarity of the water here is genuinely extraordinary.
See place → -
7
MillicentCanunda National Park
A wild coastal park of towering dunes, surf beaches and rugged cliffs stretching along the Southern Ocean. It is the place to come for big, untamed scenery, four-wheel-driving and bracing clifftop walks.
See place → -
8
RobeLong Beach
A 17km sweep of firm white sand at Robe where you can drive your car right onto the beach. It is perfect for a leisurely family day of swimming, fishing and sandcastles.
See place → -
9
PenolaMary MacKillop Penola Centre
The museum and heritage precinct in Penola telling the story of St Mary MacKillop, Australia's first saint, who founded her teaching order here. A moving and beautifully presented slice of national history.
See place → -
10
RobeRobe Obelisk
Robe's iconic red-and-white striped obelisk, built in 1855 as a navigation marker on the limestone coast. A short clifftop stroll delivers one of the region's most photographed landmarks.
See place → -
11
BeachportBowman Scenic Drive
A spectacular coastal drive south of Beachport, hugging limestone cliffs above the wild Southern Ocean. Pull over often for blowholes, lookouts and crashing surf along this short but memorable route.
See place → -
12
CoonawarraBalnaves of Coonawarra
A family-owned Coonawarra estate whose terra rossa Cabernet, led by the acclaimed The Tally, has earned a devoted following. A relaxed, friendly cellar door for tasting some of the district's best.
See place → -
13
BeachportBeachport Jetty
A 772-metre jetty reaching out over clear water at Beachport, a favourite for fishing, walking and watching the sunset. One of South Australia's longest jetties and a quintessential coastal-town experience.
See place → -
14
Mount GambierCentenary Tower
The stone tower crowning Mount Gambier's highest point, reached by a short uphill climb. Your reward is a 360-degree panorama taking in the city, the volcanic lakes and the surrounding country.
See place →
More like this
Top 10
Best Free Things to Do on the Limestone Coast
Volcano lakes, sunken gardens, salt-lake floats and big lobsters: some of the Limestone Coast's best experiences are completely free.
Top 10
Where to eat in the Limestone Coast
Our pick of the best places to eat across the Limestone Coast, from acclaimed winery restaurants in Coonawarra and Mount Gambier to seaside Robe and historic country pubs.
Top 10
Lighthouses and Lookouts of the Limestone Coast
From historic lights guarding a shipwreck coast to volcano-top towers and clifftop trig points, here are the Limestone Coast's best vantage points.
Top 10
Best National and Conservation Parks of the Limestone Coast
Dunes, sinkhole springs, wetlands and stringybark forest: the Limestone Coast's parks protect an astonishing variety of country. Here are ten of the best.
Guide
A Coonawarra Cabernet day
A single, unhurried day along the famous cigar-shaped strip of red soil over limestone, where Cabernet Sauvignon reaches a pitch it manages almost nowhere else in Australia.
Guide
Mount Gambier volcanic lakes loop
Mount Gambier sits on a dormant volcanic complex, and its strangest sights - a lake that turns cobalt every summer, sunken gardens and water-filled caves - are all within a few minutes of the main street.