Kilsby sinkhole, Natural water formation in Mount Gambier, South Australia.
Kilsby sinkhole is a water-filled limestone cavity on a working sheep farm near Mount Gambier, in the south-east of South Australia. A natural opening in the ground leads down to an underground pool fed by filtered groundwater.
In the 1970s, Australian defence authorities tested underwater detection devices known as Barra Sonobuoys in the sinkhole. From the early 1980s, the South Australian Police began using it as a regular training site for their dive teams.
The Kilsby sinkhole has long been used by recreational divers and snorkelers who come specifically to swim in the clear underground water on a working farm. The setting, where livestock graze just a short walk from the water's edge, gives the experience an unusual and memorable character.
The sinkhole sits on private land and can only be visited after arranging access directly with the property owner. Morning light tends to fall straight into the opening, making the water appear at its clearest.
A gin producer based on the farm uses water drawn from the sinkhole, which has been naturally filtered through layers of limestone. The result is a spirit whose character is tied directly to the geology beneath the paddocks.
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