Blue Lake / Warwar

Blue Lake / Warwar is a volcanic crater lake in the city of Mount Gambier in South Australia, officially carrying the dual English and Indigenous name. It is one of the best-known volcanic lakes in the Mount Gambier maar complex and is noted for a seasonal change in water colour.

The lake is famous for a striking seasonal colour change, turning vivid blue in the warmer months and remaining a grey-blue in winter; this colour shift is the primary visitor draw. The crater holds roughly 70 hectares of water and reaches about 72 metres at its deepest, giving steep rim views and clear reflections on calm days.

The lake occupies a volcanic maar formed as part of the Mount Gambier volcanic complex; the maar and its associated crater lakes are products of relatively recent volcanic activity in geological terms. European settlers used the lake as a town water source and it has long been a focus for the Mount Gambier community.

Sited within the urban area of Mount Gambier in the Limestone Coast region of southeastern South Australia, the lake sits adjacent to the town centre. Mount Gambier is located in the state’s south-east, roughly a 4.5 to 5 hour drive southeast of Adelaide.

• Seasonal color change: Most years the lake shifts from a winter grey to bright cobalt blue between November and March, a seasonal and predictable change.
• Size and depth: Reaches roughly 72 metres at its deepest point and covers an area on the order of 70 hectares.