Welcome to the third instalment of our free and budget camping spots series by state/territory — this time we’re covering stunning South Australia. Read on to discover some awesome destinations that you can earmark for your next road trip.
Budget-friendly campsites in South Australia
In this, our third edition of our budget camping series, we dive into the rugged beauty of South Australia. This guide highlights the best camping spots in the driest state of Australia, perfect for your next adventure with your camper trailer or 4WD. If you missed previous instalments, click on these links covering the Northern Territory and Queensland (parts one and two).
South Australia offers everything from sweeping beaches to the iconic Flinders Ranges and endless outback experiences. Whether you're after beachside stays or remote outback camping, South Australia has it all covered, throughout its 12 official tourism regions: Yorke Peninsula, Riverland, Eyre Peninsula, Limestone Coast, Flinders Ranges and Outback, Adelaide, Adelaide Hills, Barossa, Clare Valley, Fleurieu Peninsula, Kangaroo Island and Murray River, Lakes and Coorong.
Below, we explore some of the top camping areas in South Australia that are either free or budget friendly.
Acraman Campground, Flinders Ranges and Outback
Located in the Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park, this small campground is great for four-wheel drivers. Enjoy bushwalking, offroad driving and the stunning Bunyeroo Gorge. This small campground has only five sites (maximum occupancy is five people per site), so advance booking is essential via the National Parks and Wildlife Service South Australia website.
Facilities include a basic toilet and a water tank, though water quality and supply aren’t guaranteed, so visitors must be self-reliant. While a 4WD isn’t mandatory, it’s strongly advised due to road conditions. Camping fees are $14.50 per car per night.
Contact: National Parks and Wildlife Service South Australia or Wilpena Visitor Centre on 08 8648 0048 or email VisitorsCentre@wilpenapound.com.au.
Black Springs Campground, Eyre Peninsula
Located in Coffin Bay National Park, this remote campground offers access to fishing, birdwatching and kayaking. A 4WD is needed, and the campground is suitable for offroad camper trailers, swags and tents only.
There are eight unpowered campsites (max. five people per site), requiring bookings via the National Parks and Wildlife Service South Australia website. Facilities are minimal with just a long-drop toilet and picnic table. Camping fees are $21.60 per car per night.
Some other camping options on the Eyre Peninsula include Talia Caves and Tumby Bay, bookable here.
Contact: National Parks and Wildlife Service South Australia, the National Parks and Wildlife Service Port Lincoln Office on 08 8688 3111 or email EPParks@sa.gov.au, or the Port Lincoln Visitor Information Centre on 1300 788 378 or email info@portlincoln.com.au.
*FREE* Purnong Reserve, Murray River, Lakes and Coorong
For a riverside escape, Purnong Reserve offers a peaceful, free camping experience with gorgeous views of the Murray River. It’s perfect for those with camper trailers or 4WDs, though you’ll need to be self-sufficient. Despite there being a 24-hour ferry nearby, the reserve remains largely serene. Basic amenities include only a toilet and rubbish bins.
Contact: Mannum Visitor Information Centre on 08 8569 1303 or email mannumvic@psmarion.com.
Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary, Flinders Ranges and Outback
A fantastic spot for 4WD enthusiasts, offering powered and unpowered sites, Arkaroola is a must-visit camping destination about eight hours drive northeast of Adelaide, near Vulkathunha-Gammon Ranges National Park. The sanctuary features 50 powered sites and an expansive bush campground covering 300 hectares.
There are plenty of facilities, including a full camp kitchen (equipped with fridge/freezer, toaster, kettle and microwave oven), toilet and shower block, gas barbecues, picnic tables, coin-operated laundry and access to the swimming pool. A 4WD is recommended for the surrounding area. Campers should bring their own potable water supply and firewood. Please note that there are no dump points.
Beverages and food can be purchased at the Pick and Shovel Bar and Native Pine licensed restaurant. Light snack food, ice creams and drinks can be purchased from the shop.
Contact: arkaroola.com.au or 08 8648 4848.
Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary
Port Broughton Tourist Park, Yorke Peninsula
Located just a two-hour drive northwest of Adelaide, this family-friendly holiday park boasts a variety of amenities. Kids will love the waterslide, playground, pump track and jumping pillow, while there’s also a swimming pool and a nine-hole mini golf course. Accommodation options range from cabins to tent and RV sites.
The park features a well-equipped camp kitchen with gas barbecues and pizza ovens, along with dedicated barbecue areas, free wi-fi and a laundry facility. It’s accessible to all types of vehicles and standard fees apply. For those keen on water activities, a boat ramp is just a short drive away.
Contact: portbroughtontouristpark.com.au, gdayparks.com.au or 08 8635 2188.
Waterside camping in Port Broughton South Australia (Image credit: Big 4 Holiday Parks)
Brighton Beachfront Holiday Park, Adelaide
Located just 30 minutes from Adelaide’s CBD, Brighton Caravan Park sits along family-friendly Brighton Beach. The park provides various accommodation options, from villas and cabins to powered and unpowered camping sites.
Amenities include a well-equipped camp kitchen (hotplates, microwaves and fridges), toilet and shower blocks, free wi-fi, laundry and dump point. All vehicle types can access the park. Fees apply.
Contact: brightonholidaypark.com.au or 08 8377 0833.
Barkers Rocks, Yorke Peninsula
Set near the beach, this bush camp located approximately 13km from Minlaton (roughly west of Adelaide as the crow flies) offers a private, peaceful spot with just drop toilets so you’ll need to be fully self-sufficient. Perfect for camper trailers and swags, it's ideal for those looking for a quiet getaway. As you’ll need to drive around the Gulf St Vincent, it’ll take you about two and a half hours to drive there from Adelaide.
This bush camp features two camping areas — one near the beach and another behind dunes for more privacy.
Fees are $20 per car per night and bookings are required (sites are unallocated). Your Bush Camping Permit grants you access to the bin bank at the Minlaton Town Oval, and there is a dump point there too. With a bakery, pharmacy, butcher, supermarket, service station and the Minlaton Hotel (with bottle shop), Minlaton is the ideal place to stock up on supplies.
Contact: visityorkepeninsula.com.au/camping or 08 8832 0000.
*FREE* Voakes Hill Corner, Flinders Ranges and Outback
Located 17 hours northwest of Adelaide on the Anne Beadell Highway, Voakes Hill Corner is for the truly adventurous. This free, remote camping site offers open spaces for tents and swags. It's self-sufficient camping at its best, located off the beaten track in the Mamungari Conservation Park. A 4WD vehicle is essential.
Casuarina Campground, Yorke Peninsula
Located close to Pondalowie Bay within Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park, this campground is ideal for beach enthusiasts and surfers. It's about a three-and-a-half-hour drive from Adelaide, offering 10 unpowered sites (with a maximum of five people per site), perfect for tents or camper trailers (caravans and larger vehicles are not allowed).
The campground has basic facilities, including a long-drop toilet, and visitors must bring their own supplies. The cost is $25.80 per site per night, and reservations are required in advance through the National Parks and Wildlife Service South Australia website.
Contact: National Parks and Wildlife Service South Australia, Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park – Visitor Information Centre on 08 8854 3200 or email DEWInnesNationalPark@sa.gov.au.
*FREE* Red Banks Conservation Park, Clare Valley
This conservation park is designed for fully self-sufficient campers, as there is no potable water available. Wood and solid fuel fires are not allowed; however, gas and liquid fuel fires are permitted, except during total fire bans. The park offers 10 unpowered sites suitable for swags, tents, camper trailers, caravans and motorhomes. Basic facilities include pit toilets. There are no fees, and advance bookings are not available. As this is a protected area home to endangered wildlife, pets are not allowed.
Contact: National Parks and Wildlife Service South Australia (Yorke and Mid North Office) on 08 8841 3400 or email YorkeandMidNorth.NPW@sa.gov.au.
A special note about Rest Areas
We include this section with the caveat that Rest Areas exist to help manage driver fatigue, not drive when tired and in doing so hopefully not add your number to the road toll. Here at Camper Australia, we acknowledge that Rest Areas are not camping areas.
While the Government of South Australia’s Department for Infrastructure and Transport acknowledges that overnight stays in rest areas are acceptable for fatigue management, it discourages stays longer than 24 hours.
Be sure not to stop in any heavy vehicle rest areas (white on blue ‘P’ with a truck icon); these are exclusively for commercial heavy vehicles (and no, your motorhome does not count) and it is illegal for general and recreational vehicles to use them.
If you are looking for somewhere to set up for multiple nights, don’t do so in a Rest Area. It is neither designed to be, nor is it capable of being, a camping area or caravan park.
*FREE* Frank Potts Reserve, Fleurieu Peninsula
Located just an hour southeast of Adelaide, Frank Potts Reserve is a peaceful, free camping area managed by the Alexandrina Council. Set along the Bremer River, it provides shaded spots for campers to relax. The reserve offers basic amenities, including accessible toilets and picnic tables, but stays are limited to 72 hours. Sites are available for camper trailers, caravans and motorhomes, though they are not pre-allocated, and no advance bookings are accepted. A $5 per night fee applies, which can be paid into an honesty box (not online).
Please note, campfires are prohibited, and generators must not be used between 7pm and 8am.
The reserve is conveniently close to Kimbolton Wines, The Winehouse and Langhorne Creek’s General Store. Just a short walk away, The Bridge Hotel Langhorne Creek offers a delightful country pub experience, serving lunch and dinner from Wednesday to Sunday, with dinner on Tuesday (closed Mondays).
Contact: alexandrina.sa.gov.au or 08 8555 7000.
Greenock Centenary Park, Barossa
Located just an hour’s drive north of Adelaide, this serene park offers a wonderful setting next to a cricket field and is surrounded by lush eucalyptus trees. It’s conveniently close to Nuriootpa, Tanunda, Angaston and other locales in the Barossa Valley, famous for its world-class wineries and cellar doors.
The park boasts essential amenities such as barbecue facilities, a children’s playground, accessible toilets, fresh water and a dump point for both blackwater and greywater. No prior reservations are required, as it operates on a first come, first served basis. A modest fee of $5 per vehicle per night applies (payable in an honesty box), with a maximum stay of seven nights. Only RVs are allowed to camp, and tents or swags can only be used with prior approval from the Park Management Committee. Sleeping in cars is not permitted.
Well-behaved dogs are welcome but must remain on a leash at all times. Campfires are prohibited (except for the stone barbecue), and the use of generators is restricted between 8pm and 8am. During cricket season — from October to March — camping around the perimeter of the cricket oval is not allowed.
Contact: light.sa.gov.au or 08 8525 3200.
*FREE* Tarlee Oval, Clare Valley
Located an hour north of Adelaide, Tarlee Oval provides free unpowered sites (donations are nonetheless appreciated!) and powered sites for $10 per night. Facilities include accessible toilets, potable water and picnic tables.
*FREE* Blyth Town Oval, Clare Valley
This no-cost, unpowered campsite is open to all types of campers and caravans, with a stay limit of 96 hours. Basic amenities include toilets, waste disposal bins and drinking water.
Just a short walk from the site, in Padnaindi Reserve on South Terrace, you'll find barbecue facilities and covered seating in a picnic area. Additionally, 16 intricately designed laser-cut panels showcasing the agricultural heritage of the Blyth Plains are on display.
*FREE* Duncan Park, Farrell Flat, Clare Valley
This free camping area for RVs (donations are greatly appreciated!) offers a variety of amenities, including toilets, a dump point, barbecue facilities, a dog park where pets can roam freely, fitness equipment and a playground for children. Campers can stay for up to 72 hours.
While you’re here, don’t miss the Farrell Flat Silo Art, just across the road from the historic Farrell Flat Hotel, which has been serving guests since the 1870s. After enjoying the art, why not grab a cold drink at the public bar or tuck into a meal at the lounge bar? It’s the perfect way to relax!
*FREE* Hamley Bridge Sports and Recreation Grounds, Clare Valley
You can stay here at no cost for up to 48 hours, but this site is exclusively for RVs — tents, swags and sleeping in your car are not allowed. Available amenities include toilets, a dump point and drinkable water. Just a short walk away (only a few hundred metres), you'll find the Hamley Bridge General Store, Post Office, pharmacy and the charmingly restored Hamley Bridge Hotel, which dates back to the 1870s.
Contact: For further information on these camping locations in the Clare Valley, visit clarevalley.com.au or phone 08 8842 2131.
Whether you're towing your camper trailer for a weekend getaway or embarking on a longer road trip, South Australia offers a range of camping spots perfect for the seasoned 4WD adventurer.
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Main image: Sunset, Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park. Photo credit: Robert Crack
