- Rail Trail
- On Road
- Temporarily Closed
- Potential Trail
- Other Trail
- Former Railway
A lot of effort and clever touches have gone into the 11 km rail trail through Mt Gambier, a town that already had a lot going for it.
- A high quality trail of 7.5km in length that passes through the regional centre of Mount Gambier
- An additional 3km trail branches off along the old Millicent line
- Links tourist attractions and facilities
- Commercial centre is 400 m from the trail
Nearby Attractions
- Many tourist features, including Umpherston Sinkhole, Cave Garden and Engelbrecht Cave
- Old rail yards have been converted into a landscaped civic centre where community events and markets are held regularly
- The railway station has been restored and is used for community activities
- The extinct volcanic region of Mount Gambier is less than 2 km south of the trail. The crater region contains Blue Lake, Valley Lake, a playground, walking trails and a caravan park
Last updated: 1 June 2026
The trail runs east-west through the city of Mount Gambier with its focal point being the former rail yards and railway station, which have been transformed into parklands and play areas while retaining much railway memorabilia.
A side trail begins at the Blue Lake Sports Park (Access: Search 190 Jubilee Hwy E, Mount Gambier), passes Umpherston Sinkhole and then joins the rail trail and progresses to the centre of the city and the railway station precinct.
West of the city, the rail trail splits into two at a junction, one following the Adelaide line for a further 3km, whilst the other follows the Millicent line for 3km.
Section Guides
Telford St to White Av (4.5 km)
Access: Search 46 Telford St, Mount Gambier
This section commences at the eastern end of Telford St and passes behind the Mount Gambier Showgrounds and Harness Racing Club.
The rail reserve is a wide linear park with housing at some distance from the trail.
At the Pick Ave crossing, a roadside cyclepath heads north to join the Princes Highway path, or south toward Blue Lake. A bakery is a few doors north of the trail.
At most road crossings, shops, cafes and hotels are easily accessible.
At the Riddoch Highway/Bay Road crossing, Cave Gardens are just 300m north.
Between Riddoch Hwy/Bay Road and Wehl St are the Mount Gambier Railway Lands, a wide landscaped public facility with artworks and restored railway buildings. A shopping mall with food court is opposite the railway station building.
Access to Engelbrecht Cave is via Bertha St and Victoria Tce (approx. 1km).
West of Bertha St the trail passes through the old railway yards with the remains of a turntable and other lines and buildings on its southern side. West of the turntable is the footprint of the old engine roundhouse.
South and west of the turntable/roundhouse is a large park with BMX and Pump Tracks.
There are no steep or dangerous sections, but take care at road crossings.
Picnic facilities and toilets are located within the Railway Lands precinct.
Side Trail – Telford St to Umpherston Sinkhole (1.2km)
Access: Search 46 Telford St, Mount Gambier
From the eastern end of the rail trail, head north on the sealed cyclepath to the Princes Highway. Turn right onto the roadside cyclepath and proceed east for approximately 400m to Umpherston sinkhole.
A kiosk, picnic facilities and toilets are located within the Umpherston park.
White Ave to Wandilo Rd (3km)
Access: Search Mount Gambier Junction Signal Box, Mount Gambier
After crossing White Avenue and passing the old signal box, the trail curves to the right following the old Adelaide line, passing through a mainly light industrial area before terminating at Wandilo Road in a semi-rural environment with some new housing estates.
Exercise caution at road crossings, particularly the busy Princes Highway.
Access: Search 107 Wandilo Rd, Suttontown
White Ave to Cafpirco Rd (3km)
Access: Search Mount Gambier Junction Signal Box, Mount Gambier
After crossing White Avenue and passing the old signal box, the trail also follows the old Millicent line straight ahead, passing through a light industrial area and some new suburban developments, then rural area before terminating at Cafpirco Road near the site of the old Compton siding.
Exercise caution at road crossings.
Access: Search 5PH9+VC Compton, South Australia
Aerial view showing how the trail maintains a green corridor [Mt Gambier 2023]
Eastern trailhead in Telford St (left). Path continues to sinkhole [2022]
Art work and city connections east of the station area [2022]
Plenty of recreation space in Railway Lands [John Masson 2015]
Signal box has been restored. Lower section is the toilets [2019]
Wetlands have been created to beautify the old station area [2019]
The Blue Lake Mill was well sited to produce flour for the town [2019]
Mural to complement the memorabilia at Railway Lands [2025]
Locals enjoying a stroll in Railway Lands, the former Mt Gambier station [2019]
There was a large locomotive depot but only turntable remains [2019]
The railyard is very different from the next photo, taken nearby [2019]
Busy yard in the 1980s, with passenger and goods traffic [Morris Broad]
Between the station and White Av, where the 'New Goods Yard' was [2019]
The signal box at White Av remains. Millicent trail is straight ahead [2022]
Walking a "roundabout" on the main trail towards Adelaide [2019]
Looking south from Wandilo Rd at end of Adelaide Line section [2022]
Approaching Cafpirco Rd on the Millicent Line section [2022]
Remarkable Umpherston Sinkhole, accessible by shared path [2022]
The Cave Gardens Evening Light Show is alongside Bay Rd [2022]
Free City Bike Hire is available during opening hours from:
The Riddoch Arts & Cultural Centre, Mount Gambier Visitor Centre and The Mount Gambier Library.
https://cdn.mountgambier.sa.gov.au/sitefiles/Free-City-Bike-Hire-DL-brochure-updated-12-01-2021.pdf
Do you know of a bike hire or transportation service on this rail trail that should appear here? If so, let us know at admin@railtrails.org.au.
Information and Links
The rail trail is managed by the City of Mount Gambier
Walking SA have more photos of the trail click HERE.
For a very detailed history of the railway station click HERE
Discover Mount Gambier tourist information click HERE
Engelbrecht Cave information click HERE
Contact Rail Trails Australia
To contact us about this rail trail, email sa@railtrails.org.au
Background Information
Traditional owners
We acknowledge the Buandig people, the traditional custodians of the land and waterways on which the rail trail is built.
Development and future of the rail trail
A 3.1km path from Pick Avenue to Whites Avenue was opened early in 2017. Construction started on a further 2.3km section west from White Avenue to Jubilee Highway West late in 2017. More recently the trail has been extended further east from Pick Avenue to link up with the existing Jubilee Highway path leading to Umpherston Sinkhole and Blue Lake Sports Park. The rail trail has also been extended north from Jubilee Hwy West to Wandilo Rd where it is intended to link with a roadside cyclepath to the University SA and TAFE campuses on Wireless Rd West. Another linked trail has been constructed west from White Ave to Cafpirco Rd along the old Millicent line. Some central sections now have lighting.
Rail line history
The railway line to Mount Gambier was originally part of South Australian Railways (SAR) narrow gauge network. Opened in stages from 1881, it reached Mount Gambier in 1887 and connected with the broad-gauge Adelaide-Melbourne line at Wolseley. It was also a junction for the line to Millicent and Beachport.
The SAR line to Mount Gambier and Millicent was converted to broad gauge in the 1950s.
Mount Gambier also had a broad-gauge connection with Heywood, Victoria, which opened in 1917. Mount Gambier had two goods yards and a locomotive depot and roundhouse. Passenger services to Adelaide ended in December 1990, and the line officially closed in April 1995. Some of the line was used by the Limestone Coast Railway tourist service, but this ceased operations in June 2006.
When the land was given to the community by the SA Government, the City of Mount Gambier repurposed the site into a public green space.
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Posted: 16/04/21
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3 reviews of “Mount Gambier Rail Trail”
9/70 There were a few families and dog walkers using the station area today. There’s a new mural in Railway Lands. The areas around the rail trail are gradually filling up with residential and light industrial projects. Hopefully, the property developers will be coerced into extending the trail towards Penola
Sealed and well marked. Great asset for the community and connects to many bike lanes. But it does go to nowhere. The station precinct appears underutilised but is a great space.
This trail has an excellent paved surface and the former Mount Gambier railway station sites has been well developed as a community asset.
However, the trail doesn't actually lead anywhere, instead it just ends at the end of suburban parts of Mount Gambier. Hopefully one day it can be extended north up to Penola or west to Millicent.