We had never been camping or caravanning in South Australia before, so were blown away by the quality and quantity of great camping and caravan sites available around SA. Moving from Victoria, heading west towards Western Australia, we ended up spending 2 months in South Australia. We explored all the different regions, including a heap of camping grounds, stations and caravan parks.
We’ve seen some pretty amazing campground and campsites. These are our Top 7 across SA.
Little Dip Conservation Park
The Little Dip Conservation Park was one of our very first stays in South Australia and it really set the tone for camping & caravanning in SA. We stayed in The Gums Campground, which was well laid out with great spacing between sites. From the campsite, we were able to visit Robe for a bit of sightseeing, shopping and relaxed beach days, but also drive along the 4WD tracks next to the beach for a bit of fishing and adventure.
Driving on the beach for the first time in Robe was a great experience. Suitable even for 2WD vehicles, you can spend the day relaxing by your car.
Rapid Bay Campground
This place is like a secret jewel of South Australian campsites, hidden deep in the Fleurieu Peninsula. But, it’s just over one and a half hours from Adelaide!
You can set up camp right on the beach, overlooking amazingly flat waters with views of the caves at one end and the jetty at the other.
It’s a pretty stunning location at Rapid Bay, with beautiful still waters.
The waters are full of southern calamari, which made up most of our meals while we were here. We also explored the caves, went for beach walks and swam daily in beautifully warm waters. In the evenings, this west-facing beach even provides stunning sunsets over the water.
Rapid Bay was one of the first times we camped right up on the beach. It was great for quick dips to cool down in the ocean.
Big 4 West Beach Caravan Park
This is a huge park, right in the heart of Adelaide, but it is so well done you just have to stay here. And most of the locals do! We were thrown by just how many people set up their caravans and then head home 5 to 10 minutes up the road, with this resort-style park offering so many amenities you can see why.
It’s spread out with a huge pool, water play park and of course direct entry to the magnificent West Beach which has huge sand dunes and some great fishing too.
A west-facing beach in South Australia? Yep, it exists and it’s beautiful!
Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park
We knew we had arrived somewhere special as a family of emus wandered past as we set up camp. Situated at the very bottom of ‘Yorkes’, this tip of the peninsula was once a gypsum mine. Today it’s a protected national park offering a great location to relax, do a spot of fishing and go on walks to shipwrecks and lighthouses.
We visited the local ranger at the information centre, and we were taken outside to learn of bush tucker and the lives of the local emus.
We were just setting up camp when a family of emus passed by. They are all around the Innes National Park.
Rawnsley Park Station
Rawnsley Park Station is a top park in the Wilpena Pound region. Looking up from the station, huge mountain ranges surround and they’re great to explore on foot, in the 4WD or even by air.
Wilpena Pound from the air was pretty special, but driving around on the 4WD tracks was a lot of fun too.
In the evenings, you can return to camp for a beer, chat and a swim in a great swimming pool. There are lots of well laid out campsites, multiple amenities and a great camp kitchen area.
Don’t try this at home, he’s a trained kid travelling Australia.
Rawnsley’s 4WD track takes you out and around the property. It’s a simple four-wheel drive track which allows for even novices to follow the trail. An interpretation map keeps you on track and informed on the various things to see along the way.
It’s a pretty simple 4WD track around Rawnsley Park Station, great for the first-timer.
Lipson Cove Campground
This campground is not far from Tumby Bay on the Eyre Peninsula, accessed via a long dirt road down to the beach between farmland. Upon arrival, as you roll up over the hill, you know you have reached somewhere extra ordinary.
The amazing view as you come out from between farmland and up over the last hill above Lipson Cove.
An island sits just off of the beach, and the campsites look out over them and the stunningly clear turquoise waters. Fish abound, accessed off the beach or at low tide sneaking over to the island by foot. We watched dolphins frolic right out in front of us in the water and fished the days and nights away. There are plenty of whiting out there too!
A short drive into Tumby Bay allows you to explore the street art and enjoy some great fish and chips by the foreshore.
The fish weren’t biting at Tumby Bay so we cheated with a quick trip into the fish & chip shop across the street.
Perlubie Beach Campground
We’ve saved the best until last with Perlubie Beach, just along from the stunning Streaky Bay up the top of the Eyre Peninsula. You can camp right on the beach, next to a designated beach hut or further up along the sand.
These structures give you a resort feel down on Perlubie Beach.
Often a low tide aligns with the stunning sunsets, providing a staircase to the moon type views for your happy hour drinks. There are heaps of whiting and blue swimmer crabs in the shallow waters out front, perfect to load up on from the beach or by boat. We were fortunate to meet a travelling family who had a tinny on board, so out we caught some great dinners and lunches each day.
The Perlubie Beach sunsets are still some of the best we’ve seen around Australia.
There are so many great campgrounds, national parks, station stays and caravan parks in South Australia, it was hard to narrow it down to only 7 top spots for this list.
Did we miss one? Please let us know in the comments below. Make sure you give us your Top 7 too! (who are you leaving out?)
Hi, we’re the Todoing Family! We’re all about family travel and adventure, currently road tripping our way around Australia in a caravan. We’ve never caravanned before and are sharing our experience as we go. We’re a family of 5 with a big ‘to do’ list. Follow along on our adventures on our website, Facebook, Instagram or YouTube @todoingfamily
The beach huts at Perlubie Beach are actually for beach day trippers, not designated for caravanners, but welcome to share. Yes its a beautiful spot.
Thanks for the heads-up, Julie!
More than one reason to give Wilpena Pound resort a miss and favour Rawnsley Park. We’ve been to both and would now only go to Rawnsley.
You forgot Wilpena Pound resort campground! It is managed by the local indigenous people and gets a bad rap from so many people. There are some issues (bad lighting being one) but it is in such a great spot – you can walk right into the Pound from the camp ground and there are lots of great walks from the campground.The actual resort area has a great shop that is surprisingly affordable. We also ate in the restaurant and the food was great. We visited Rawnsley Park but decided that is too far away from everything and it’s packed with vans, probably because everyone tells you not to stay at Wilpena Pound. We don’t have a dog with us so it suited us fine. Give the resort a go!
The best bit about Rawnsley Park is the bush camping. Open space with some of the best views around – Rawnsley Bluff at sunset – direct from your camp. As bush camping goes it’s 5 star, with flushing toilets, a short cycle/drive back to the caravan park with pool, shop, showers, and a short drive to the excellent Woolshed Restaurant. Some good walks and wildlife on site as well.
Wilpena Pound is only 20 mins drive away from Rawnsley Park and a good place for a day trip with some great walks. I’m sure it’s nice to stay overnight as well, but on some occasions we’ve been it’s busy. I’m with the original author, Rawnsley Park is the best in the region and we always choose to stay there.