In 1854, John Beswick purchased 178 acres of land which included the sinkhole. James Umpherston, who arrived in Mount Gambier in 1860, purchased Beswick’s farm in 1868. Extensive improvements were made to the property including a grand Victorian residence and gardens. It was named The Caves.

In 1884, Umpherston retired from active farming and began to develop the sinkhole as a “pleasant resort in the heat of summer”. A footpath was cut from the highest point to the bottom of the sinkhole and a wooden staircase ... (more)