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The stunning tourist spot that gives you that sinking feeling

<p dir="ltr">Umpherston Sinkhole, also known as the Sunken Garden, is fast becoming a “must-see” tourist destination for local explorers of South Australia and its beautiful surrounds. </p> <p dir="ltr">The stunning garden used to be a limestone cave in Mount Gambier, and is a five-hour drive from Adelaide or Melbourne.</p> <p dir="ltr">The sinkhole became a garden in 1886 when Scottish emigrant farmer James Umpherston purchased the land after the cave’s chamber collapsed. </p> <p dir="ltr">A gorgeous picturesque landscape, the sinkhole offers stunning views of a fountain, hydrangeas and tree ferns. Sheltered areas and easily accessible barbecue facilities make it the ideal place for a picnic – but be warned that unfortunately, access to the Garden is not currently pram or wheelchair friendly.</p> <p dir="ltr">The garden is open every day from dawn till dusk, with possums emerging from their hiding spots to eat. Guests are even welcome to bring their own snacks to feed them.</p> <p dir="ltr">City of Mount Gambier Mayor Lynette Martin said the Garden is a place to enjoy a unique experience.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Set in a beautifully maintained park, this century-old Sunken Garden is home to an oasis of flowering hydrangeas,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Appreciate its size from the viewing platforms at the top then wander down into the sinkhole to take in all its beauty. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Enjoy a unique experience with a picnic or barbecue in the gardens and return at dusk to meet the resident possums who enjoy being fed fresh fruit.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Domestic Travel

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Teenagers rescue 90-year-old man from six-metre sinkhole

<p>Just two days before Christmas Alwyne Watkins was driving his mobility scooter through an oval at Wallsend in the NSW Hunter region when the ground opened up beneath him. There was no time to think and if it wasn’t for a group of quick-thinking teenagers who saved him, Alwyne is certain what fate would have befallen him.</p> <p>“I wouldn’t be here,” the 90-year-old said.</p> <p>“They saved my life. The four of them are heroes in my eyes.”</p> <p>Jackson Rickford, Michael Zechel and Elijah Startin, 16 and 17 years of age, were playing soccer when they saw Alwyne approach. He stopped in a middle of path and then seemed to vanish.</p> <p>“I sprinted over and jumped the fence because I thought he’d had a fall,” said Michael. </p> <p>“Then I looked under my feet and I could see all the way down. It scared the hell out of me.”</p> <p><img width="459" height="258" src="http://nnimgt-a.akamaihd.net/transform/v1/crop/frm/xeqZeRWbggz2D8A9GTEsMK/e9f5796f-6432-4f30-9576-91e449ae300d.jpg/r0_195_4872_2934_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg" alt="Mr Watkins stands next to the sinkhole that swallowed his mobility scooter. Photo: Simone De Peak" class="story-image__image" style="opacity: 1; display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/></p> <p>Alwyne has been swallowed by a six-metre sinkhole. Luckily, the scooter had wedged him close to the surface and Michael managed to lift the scooter and pull Alwyne to stable ground.</p> <p>The boys called triple-0 and Alwyne was taken to the nearby hospital. Luckily, injuries were minor and only needed a few stitches.</p> <p>“All I knew was that I was driving, and the next moment my head was level with the ground,” Alwyne recalled.</p> <p>His damaged scooter was replaced by a new one for free by a local mobility scooter business.</p> <p><strong>Related links: </strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><em><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/health/mind/2016/01/worlds-happiest-countries-in-2015/">These are the happiest countries in the world</a></em></strong></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><em><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/health/mind/2016/01/older-generation-better-at-learning/">Older generations better at learning than everyone else</a></em></strong></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><em><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/health/mind/2016/01/tips-for-being-a-good-person-today/">8 ways to be a good person today</a></em></strong></span></p>

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