Australian Abyss Transformed into the Garden of Eden, Umpherston (28 photos + 2 videos)

The area in southeastern South Australia, near Mount Gambier, is like a cheese with holes. It's full of volcanic and karst wonders: craters, lakes, limestone caves, flooded grottoes, and sinkholes.





One such sinkhole, hidden right off the highway, deserves a separate story. It was once an ordinary limestone cave, carved by seawater, but after its roof collapsed, the pit transformed into a thriving oasis.



The sinkhole-filled Umpherston Garden was created by James Umpherston in the 1880s, 20 years after he purchased the property, on the site of a collapsed limestone cave.





After retiring, he wanted to give the residents of Mount Gambier a cool place to relax during the summer heat. Umpherston carved a path into the rock and built wooden steps for people to descend. He planted ferns, shrubs, and flowers. There was even a small lake at the bottom of the sinkhole, where visitors could enjoy boating.



The garden was immediately beloved by locals. But after James's death in 1900, the garden was neglected. It wasn't until 50 years ago that the site, which had become a rubbish dump, was saved. South Australian Forestry officials took up shovels in 1976, cleared out the debris, pulled out the weeds, and planted hydrangeas on the terraces.



Now the garden welcomes visitors again. And in 1995, it was added to the South Australian Heritage Register.











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