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Piccaninnie Ponds
Limestone Coast, South Australia

Snorkel in this freshwater coastal pool and glide over the top of a 100 metre deep limestone chasm, but arrive early before the silt and algae have been stirred up. You will need a permit to snorkel at this site and a full length wetsuit to protect against the cold (full details below). Swimming at Piccaninnie Ponds Above: The pontoon for entering the water at Piccaninnie Ponds (Order this image)

Snorkelling in Piccaninnie Ponds was a wonderful experience, particularly when pushing through the underwater vegetation on the rim of the first pond to catch my first glimpse of the chasm, a 100 metre deep channel with near vertical sides. Above the water the pond is surrounded by reeds and rushes, whilst under the water you can expect to see tall forests set against a backdrop of deep blue water.

However this site did not fully live up to its reputation. Snorkelling in the late afternoon, the sun was still strong overhead, but some of the algae clinging to the plants had been dislodged by other snorkellers and divers earlier in the day.
This significantly reduced the clarity of the water, with visibility restricted to not more than 2-3 metres, rather than the up to 40 metre visibility reportedly experienced by some visitors. The algae was extensive and difficult to avoid under the water near the pool edges. The afternoon sea breezes from this exposed part of the coastline probably did not help either. Swimming at Piccaninnie Ponds Above: Piccaninnie Ponds, looking across to the chasm (Order this image)

Piccaninnie Ponds is best suited to scuba divers, who can drop deeper into the underwater geological features, beneath the zone of prolific algal growth. If you are planning to snorkel here, I would strongly recommend booking a time slot early in the day, prior to the water being stirred up by other divers and snorkellers. Swimming at Piccaninnie Ponds Above: Periphytal algal growth that covers the vegetation at Piccaninnie Ponds (Order this image)

There are some important logistics for this snorkel. Firstly, you need a permit from the South Australian National Parks and Wildlife Service. You can book a one hour slot for your snorkel and you need to sign an indemnity waiver as part of the booking process. You must have a snorkelling buddy, with two groups of 2-4 allowed to snorkel at any given time. You are not allowed to snorkel on your own and you are not allowed to just swim without the requisite snorkelling gear. The water is very cold.
As part of the permit you must have a full length wetsuit, flippers, a face mask and snorkel, and snorkellers are not allowed to wear a weight belt. I would also strongly recommend wetsuit gloves, shoes and a hood, which will allow you to fully enjoy the experience without being distracted by the cold. I hired the extra gear at a very reasonable price from the General Store in Allendale East, about a 10 minute drive from the ponds. There are ladders and pontoons to get in to the pond.

Here is a video of snorkelling in Piccaninnie Ponds on a windy afternoon in late summer.

Other Information Before You Go:

Location: Piccaninnie Ponds Road, Piccaninnie Ponds Conservation Park, Wye, 33 km south-east of Mount Gambier.
Latitude:-38.047731 Longitude:140.944115
Getting there: From Mount Gambier, take the Glenelg River Road (C192) south-east for 30 km to Piccaninnie Ponds Road. Follow Piccaninnie Ponds Road to the conservation park. After entering the park, take the first road heading west to the snorkelling and dive site. From the car park it is a 100 metre walk to the ponds. If you are picking up gear at Allendale East, from Mount Gambier take the Riddoch Hwy (B66) to Allendale East, then take any of the roads heading east until you get back to the Glenelg River Road.
Facilities: Car park, pontoon with step ladder, toilets, information board, semi-enclosed changing area (suitable for keeping wet gear off the dust on the ground, but there is not much privacy).

Entrance fee: A small fee applies for the permit required to snorkel
Water temperature: Cool
Water clarity: Clear to cloudy
Under foot: Rock, silt
Maximum water depth: Greater than 2 metres
Minimum swimming proficiency required: Experienced
Prohibitions including whether you can bring your dog: No dogs, no collecting firewood, no wood fires, no solid fuel fires, no generators, no feeding birds or other animals, no snorkelling (or scuba diving) without a permit. Maximum of two permitted snorkels/dives per day. No snorkelling outside of the First Pond, The Chasm and The Cathedral. Snorkellers are not permitted to wear a weight belt. Various other conditions are specified when obtaining the permit. No camping.
Sun shade: No shade in or out of the water.
Opening times: Open daily. The park is closed on days of catastrophic fire danger and may also be closed on days of extreme fire danger. In the past the site has been closed to snorkelling and diving during periods with very high algal growth in the water.
Wheelchair access: Wheelchair accessible toilets (up a long ramp). The first pond pontoon is wheelchair accessible along a firm gravel path.
Managing authority: South Australian National Parks and Wildlife Service
Nearby attractions: Ewens Ponds
Before you head out, make sure to read the swimming safety information and check with the managing authority for any current change of conditions. Specific to this site, various requirements and warnings are specified during the permit application process for snorkellers and divers.

Locality Map:

The marker indicates the approximate location of the car park at the first pond. If the map is not zoomed in locally, as can sometimes occur when loading, simply click or tap on "View Larger Map" below.
View Larger Map

Comments:

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