Mount Gambier council reopens Umpherston facility (formerly Umpherston Kiosk and Souvenirs) after taking over operations at the popular tourist site
The Mount Gambier council has reopened the facility at one of the city’s most popular tourist sites.
Mount Gambier
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The Mount Gambier council has reopened a facility, formerly used as a kiosk and souvenir shop, at one of the city’s most popular tourist sites following its acquisition of the hotspot earlier this year.
The City of Mount Gambier is now offering visitor servicing from the building located onsite at Umpherston sinkhole – formerly the Umpherston Kiosk and Gift Shop.
“Over the long weekend, the visitor servicing team provided information to South Australian, interstate and international travellers, aiding dispersal into Mount Gambier CBD and assisting travellers in exploring our city and surrounds,” the council’s Strategic Development and Visitor Economy Coordinator Amanda Stevens said.
The building was reopened prior to the October long weekend after a short closure to undertake minor critical maintenance onsite.
It is set to open weekends and public holidays during the month of October and the transition to a seven-day-a-week operation as of November.
Council first announced it would be taking over the reigns at Umpherston Sinkhole/Balumbul in June this year when the site’s previous operator, Julie Holdsworth, announced her retirement.
That same month, it also took over operations at Engelbrecht Cave, closing the site temporarily to perform some maintenance works before reactivating it in July.
The acquisition of the sites is part of the council’s citywide tourism overhaul that’ll see the Mount’s most popular assets consolidated under a ‘hub and spoke’ model.
Former Engelbrecht operator Jan Coleman told The Advertiser previously that she understood why the council was keen to ‘reclaim their assets’ as herself and Ms Holdsworth prepared for retirement, but worried about her staff who were made redundant by the change of hands.
“It’s a bittersweet situation … I am happy and proud of what I’ve achieved over the past 10 years but I feel sad for my staff as they have no choice but to now leave a workplace they love and join the unemployment queue,” Ms Coleman said.
Development of a master plan for Umpherston Sinkhole is currently underway and due to be completed by July 2025.
It is the first of the Mount’s four main tourist hotspots: Umpherston Sinkhole, Engelbrecht Cave, the Blue Lake Welcome Centre and Lady Nelson to be master planned as part of the new tourist model.
“With the visitor servicing team onsite, it will also assist Council in better understanding how the site is being used, to collect visitation data and to gather traveller feedback and sentiment,” Ms Stevens said.
“The results of which will help inform future decision-making at this site and be beneficial to the Umpherston Sinkhole/Balumbul master plan which is currently underway.”
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