Valley Lake Conservation Park — Attraction in Mount Gambier

The Valley Lake Conservation Park is a beautiful spot located right next to the Blue Lake and beneath the Centenary Tower. It’s a peaceful escape where you can immerse yourself in both native flora and fauna while enjoying a relaxing stroll. There are a few different walking tracks throughout the park, each offering something a little different, from open grassy clearings to shady woodland paths.

We spent around 45 minutes wandering through at a leisurely pace and came across several kangaroos and wallabies grazing quietly, which made the experience even more memorable. The boardwalk section provides great views across the wetlands, while the walk along the edge of Valley Lake itself is equally scenic. The area is well maintained, with clear paths and interpretive signs that explain some of the natural history and wildlife you might encounter.

One feature I particularly liked was the bird hide (sometimes called a bird blind). It’s a simple structure with small viewing windows, allowing you to observe local bird species up close in their natural environment without disturbing them. Combined with the wetlands and native plantings, it makes for some excellent photo opportunities.

If you’re visiting Mount Gambier and want a quieter, more nature-focused experience, this is an ideal place. A calm and rewarding walk surrounded...

The area near the entrance looks nice. Further up it is a bit of a disappointment: the boardwalk is no more, the old trees are getting to the end of their lifespan and there is not much new growth - except in fenced off areas. Too many roos for a small park, they graze off the shoots. Birds would visit during summer to drink, this time they have better options.

Edit: All the old parks declared national or conservation parks struggle balancing visitor comfort and preserving historic and native plants. Valley Lake deals with this better than most: the conservation part is separated from the playgrounds and picnic areas. The tourist attraction role is fulfilled with clever landscaping, viewing platforms, well maintained paths and some roos for the overseas visitors. The real attraction for me are the visiting birds and the park is well set up to attract them during summer. There is a lot of work being done and it shows. What I miss is the tree saplings to keep the forrest...

What a great spot! We were exploring Mt Gambier and could see down into the lake from one of the lookouts so decided to take a closer look. On arriving at the car park we saw the conservation area and, being keen wildlife enthusiasts, we decided to explore. We weren’t disappointed. Lots of winding paths took us through various habitats where we came across swamp wallabies and eastern grey kangaroos just lounging around. Plenty of birds including Great Crested Grebes on the lake which was lovely. We were very lucky to be the only ones in the conservation area though there were a few people around...