Ewens Ponds Conservation Park

Very cool snorkelling experience - hire wetsuits / snorkel from Allendale East General Store, you won’t regret it.

Also not as cold as expected (17deg) and it was pelting with rain / hail when we went in.

This is a great place for a snorkel or dive. Easy access, bit of a walk from the other end , but we'll worth it.

Ewens Ponds is a gem. Very well maintained by the local government and the scenic views offer calmness and serenity. They are easy to access with suitable signage posted where needed, car parking is not an issue, nor is access to the first pond. You can take a nice quiet stroll around the second pond to reach the third also. The clean, clear, calm water offers amazing scenery and the well kept water is an appropriate temperature for the season. Beautiful spot. Recommend going around sunset for similar views, but early afternoon/late morning for scuba.

Went snorkelling here for the first time and loved it! It was cold, and the water was crystal clear.

Lovely ponds.you can swim and drive and snorkel.but must book on line$16 for an hour.

This place is absolutely stunning, we had no idea what we were in for. The environment is incredibly unique, the water is crystal clear and clean enough to drink! Make sure you bring a wetty, a mask/goggles and pay the permit fee. You could get by without flippers. We wore 3/2mm wetsuits in summer and although it was cold we were fine for the 30mins-1hr that it took for all 3 ponds. There's a very serviceable drop toilet at the car park.

Please remember to be responsible with the environment here as it's very fragile and important.

Super beautiful place! Surprisingly in the middle of farm paddocks there is a little tucked away conservation pond that is definitely worth the cold waters! Booking is essential and strict guidelines need to be followed as to not risk damaging the ecosystem there. Me and my friend admittedly had to re attempt this as we discovered it was colder than expected. when they recommended wetsuits, they weren't kidding! The next day in 37°c heat, we were more prepared in our wetsuits and after getting acclimated to the cold waters again we got to explore and snorkle. The little waterways were really pretty, you could just let the currents take you to the next opening and enjoy the wildlife and plants along the way. It takes about an hour to see everything which is the timeslot you're allocated.

Great place to snorkel, one of the clearest place I snorkeled in my life. That being said, be warned, the pond is closed from August to November.

What a wonderful sink-hole. The gardens are truly amazing

Definitely the best snorkeling I've ever done .. love it ..

The ponds were pristine! They are like an under water fairy garden. The entry is easy, exit has a small ladder you'll have to climb, there is no other way out. You must get your 1hr permit online before you rock up (you can get multiple time slots if you want to go in more than once) You go from the first pond through to the last one and walk back to the carpark, you can only swim down one way. It's a pleasant stroll back, but with heavy scuba equipment you might like to park your buggy at the end before you enter the first pond so it's there for you to lug your rig back. All in all all a really enjoyable snorkel/dive. There are a lot of rules but if we follow them it will stay perfectly preserved for other users.

I wish I could put 6 stars. Scuba diving here is a must. Max depth is about 11 meters, but water is unbelievably clear - I was at the bottom and could see eyes of a person snorkeling on the surface above me. Totally feels like you're flying in the air. Each pond is connected with a shallow pass, drifting through each is a unique experience as well. During the night you will be rewarded with the absolutely unbelievable night sky, with clear view of Milky Way and myriads of stars around. Very special place.

A real surprise, with beautiful pools of some of the clearest water I have ever seen. Great for snorkeling, with a strong current to float you from pool to pool. Well worth a look if you enjoy that kind of thing, but not much to look at if you're not into swimming.

Absolutely amazing. No words can adequately describe its beauty. Snorkelling from pond to pond through the channels was an experience to remember for a lifetime. My husband thanked me for making him do it. We hired gear from Allendale East general store and John was amazing in suiting us up and his advice.

Pls see attached for amazingness. 🔊 Turn audio on for full amazing experience.

We went snorkeling in the ponds and it was mind blowing. Crystal clear waters and interesting underwater plants. There are three ponds with passages between them, where you're swept along by the current. Don't miss this, but do wear a wetsuit. And remember to check out the website for current rules and regulations, as this is a conservation park.

I'd only seen photos of the Ewens Ponds underwater wonderland. A few friends weren't sure what to expect. Once we took the plunge and leaped into the cold but refreshing water we were blown away. It's almost indescribable. Water so clear you wouldn't think it's 10 metres deep. Following the channels from pond 1 to 3 is the real highlight. You'll see schools of Bream, unique underwater flora and if you are lucky a Freshwater Crayfish! I can't recommend this unique aquatic haven enough!

Fantastic. Except for the fact you now book to visit.

These natural ponds are super clear, the underwater is full of plants, and the visibility exceeds over 30m.

It's surrounded by tall grasses, so you may get lost during night diving, even if you have a compass. It will help if you found the right path direction. It shouldn't be hard but not easy to find the right way, so it's recommended to dive during the day. Also, diving during the day is more beautiful than at night.

The water so sweet that you aren't afraid of accidentally drinking it, but it's not recommended to drink it deliberately.

Unlike seawater, you can wash your mask easily, and your eyes will feel comfortable. The freshwater lake is colder than seawater, and the mask is prone to fogging.

However, you need to book a snorkeling and diving permit online and wear a full-body wetsuit to enter.

This is a very special diving experience, especially when you are always diving in the sea, which will make you even more surprised at how comfortable diving in freshwater is. You will find many limestone cave lakes and natural ponds in the vast area around Mount Gambier, and understand why locals and tourists do not dive in the sea.

There are almost no formal diving shops and inflatable stations in a radius of at least 100km centered on Mount Gambier. My diving instructor took everyone to the back of a local post office to inflate clean air with his tanks. The address is Allendale General Store, 50-52 Bay Rd, Allendale East SA 5291.

Note: Not many tanks of shop owners, it's just a lovely and simple little shop for diving air. My instructor said that during our trip he brought more tanks than this shop.

9, 11 January 2021 was sunny, the temperature was 29°C in the afternoon, and 14°C in the evening. The water temperature in the afternoon and evening was 15-16°C.

Amazing experience! You must wear full body wetsuits and book online to be able to do this, but it really is a great thing to do. We hired our wetsuits from the general store in Allendale East, and John was very helpful and informative.