Site Description:
Located in the heart of the Mount Gambier township, the site is named after Carl Engelbrecht, a German immigrant who settled in Mount Gambier during the 19th century. A private tour operator manages the site on behalf of the City of Mount Gambier, and runs regular tours of the sinkhole and dry caves for members of the public. The facility includes a café, a tour desk, viewing platforms, toilets and range of open spaces with varying degrees of shelter for picnics and associated activities.
For divers, Engelbrechts Cave consists has two main submerged cave passages - one running in an easterly direction and one running in a westerly direction.
The East passage is Cave rated and extends about 70 metres from the doline's opening, with a maximum depth of 8m. To access the water, there is a short, steep stairway inside the eastern tourist cave which leads down to the lake, where divers can enter the first sump. From here divers can navigate a low, flat, silty passage to an inner air chamber and lake, or explore several side passages.
From the inner air chamber, divers can exit the water and climb over the central rock pile to access two additional short sumps, each approximately 10-20m in length.
Site Access Requirements:
- Collect key from Lady Nelson Visitor Centre - 35 Jubilee Hwy East, Mount Gambier. Key can be collected during business hours.
- Key to be returned to Lady Nelson Visitor Centre at conclusion of diving - can by returned after hours.
- Diving at this site is permitted between 8 AM and 8 PM daily.
- All divers must sign in at the site on arrival, and sign out on departure.
- Gates to be shut and locked behind you at all times.
- Please note there are only two keys for this site - please be considerate in the amount of time you hold them.
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