Adventure with Alma
Dog friendly adventures around Australia
Dog Friendly Campsites in South Australia
In January 2023, Alma and I embarked on a solo journey in our camper van, Mavis, exploring South Australia over 12 nights. Our route took us from Melbourne to the Fleurieu Peninsula, then onto Yorke Peninsula, up to Lake Bumbunga, and, finally, back to Melbourne. Here's a detailed account of each campsite we visited, including locations, photos, pricing, and our thoughts on each one. Enjoy the adventure! 😊
Beauchamps Falls Campground
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Price: Free
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Facilities: Drop toilets
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Essentials to Take: Drinking water, shower, toilet paper
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Dog Friendly: Yes, on-lead
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Our Overall Rating: 9/10
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Power: Not Powered
Note: While not technically in South Australia, this was our first stay on our trip, and it was fantastic, so we've included it anyway.
A wonderful bush campsite with breathtaking sunset views over the hills. The site is well-maintained, offering lovely campfires with a cooking plate for open-fire meals. Although the campsite is relatively small, it provides several options, all on a first-come, first-served basis; unfortunately, prebooking is not available. The area overlooking the mountains is designated for camper vans and trailers, accommodating two camping setups each. For those preferring tents, there's a grassy area away from the car park.
During our stay on a Saturday night in the school holidays, we arrived around 3 pm, finding all designated sites occupied. Consequently, we camped in the car park, which surprisingly offered excellent views over the opposite hill. The campground experienced significant activity and late-night celebrations, typical for school holidays, but it likely transforms into a peaceful retreat outside of peak periods. Rising early for sunrise allowed us to explore the waterfalls undisturbed, enjoying the site to ourselves—a truly blissful experience! We look forward to returning and hope for a less crowded visit.
The Granites Campground
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Price: Free
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Facilities: None
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Essentials to Take: Drinking water, shower, toilet, toilet paper
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Dog Friendly: Yes, on-lead
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Our Overall Rating: 8/10
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Power: Not Powered
This campsite, essentially a beach car park, offered no facilities and was located in the middle of nowhere. Despite its lack of amenities, it provided a serene and peaceful atmosphere, making it an excellent stopover before reaching the Fleurieu Peninsula the next day. The beach, adorned with large rocks emerging from the sand, was stunning and perfect for exploration. While the beach was dog-friendly, it was also designated as a 4x4 area, so caution with your pups is advised. The sunset, though impressive, came with strong winds.
Jetty Caravan Park
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Price: $10
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Facilities: Toilets, water
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Essentials to Take: Shower, shade on hot days
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Dog Friendly: Yes, on-lead
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Power: Not Powered
While our initial plan to stay at Rapid Bay Campground fell through due to full occupancy, we arrived at around 1 pm during the school holidays and found the sign indicating full capacity. Despite a few departures, the status remained unchanged. Undeterred, we explored the beach and sought an alternative camping spot. Although we didn't stay, I wanted to provide a review as the site appeared promising, situated right next to the beach.The campsite was a spacious field with no designated spaces, albeit lacking shade. Facilities were limited to a single toilet block with no showers available, foreseeing potential congestion during the summer months. Payment for the site was collected by a van attendant, who came around to collect $10 for each night stayed. The beach itself was beautiful, offering tranquility and a captivating cave for exploration.
Rapid Bay Campground
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Price: $10
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Facilities: Toilets, water
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Essentials to Take: Shower, shade on hot days
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Dog Friendly: Yes, on-lead
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Power: Not Powered
Our original plan was to stay at Rapid Bay Campground, but upon our 1 pm arrival during the school holidays, the sign indicated it was fully booked. Despite a few departures, the situation didn't change, prompting us to explore the beach and find an alternative camping spot. Despite being unable to stay, I still wanted to provide a review for Rapid Bay as the site looked promising, situated right next to the beach.
The campsite itself was a spacious field with no assigned spaces, although shade was scarce. There was a single toilet block, lacking showers, which I can imagine gets quite busy in the summer months. For payment, a man in a van comes around to collect $10 for each night stayed. The beach itself is stunning, offering a serene atmosphere and featuring a captivating cave for exploration.
Parara Bush Campground
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Price: Permit required - Link to permit
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Facilities: Drop toilets
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Essentials to Take: Toilet paper, shower, water, bin bags
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Dog Friendly: Yes, on-lead
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Our Overall Rating: 6.5/10
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Power: Not Powered
Our initial campsite on the Yorke Peninsula, Parara Bush Campground, is one of the 19 bush campsites on the peninsula requiring a camping permit (permit available on the official website). All 19 campsites on the Yorke Peninsula are dog-friendly, and you can find a comprehensive list with facilities here.
Situated right on the ocean, Parara Bush Campground is vast in size. While it offers only drop toilets, they are well-maintained. Please remember to bring your own toilet paper, as it is not provided at any of these campsites. Additionally, there is no designated area for rubbish disposal, so be prepared to take your waste with you. Our time here was brief as we arrived later in the afternoon. Despite the rain cutting short our plans for a coastal hike, we enjoyed exploring the expansive beach during low tide. The potential for a great 5 km walk along the coast was evident, and we hope to return for a more extended stay in the future.
Daly Head Bush
Campground
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Price: Permit required - Link to permit
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Facilities: Drop toilets
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Essentials to Take: Toilet paper, shower, water, bin bags
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Dog Friendly: Yes, on-lead
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Our Overall Rating: 9/10
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Power: Not Powered
Daly Head Campground is another gem among the 19 bush campsites on the Yorke Peninsula requiring a camping permit (permit available on the official website). All 19 campsites on the Yorke Peninsula are dog-friendly, and you can find a comprehensive list with facilities here.
This expansive campground at Daly Head offers plenty of room for campers to spread out, with each site boasting ocean views from its elevated position on the hill. Direct access via boardwalk stairs leads to an incredibly beautiful and vast beach below. The sunset experience is unparalleled, providing a perfect view of the ocean and rolling hills as it sets—a truly picture-perfect scene. The campground features only drop toilets, but they are well-maintained. Remember to bring your own toilet paper, as it is not provided at any of these campsites. Additionally, there is no designated area for rubbish disposal, so be prepared to take your waste with you. We regretted not being able to extend our stay at this picturesque location.
Tiparra Rocks Bush
Campground
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Price: Permit required - Link to permit
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Facilities: None
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Essentials to Take: All necessary basics
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Dog Friendly: Yes, on-lead
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Our Overall Rating: 10/10
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Power: Not Powered
Tiparra Rocks Campsite, another of the 19 bush campsites on the Yorke Peninsula requiring a camping permit (permit available on the official website), stands out as one of the most stunning and remarkable campsites experienced. All 19 campsites on the Yorke Peninsula are dog-friendly, and you can find a comprehensive list with facilities here.
This campsite, a true gem, exceeds expectations even after viewing photos and videos. Despite being entirely self-sufficient with no facilities (we hiked 12 km before finding the next drop toilet), Tiparra Rocks Campsite offers an idyllic retreat. Accessible via a dirt road, the campsite is situated on a cliff next to the ocean, with the beach on one side and the campground on the other—mere meters from the beach. The deep orange rocks, white sand, and turquoise waters create a breathtaking scene. Activities range from sunbathing, hiking, and exploring rock pools to paddleboarding and enjoying BBQs. The campsite provides a front-row seat for incredible sunsets, and when darkness falls, the brilliantly bright stars illuminate the night sky without the need for a torch. Limited sites are available, so arriving early is advisable. Please note there is no designated area for rubbish disposal, so be prepared to take your waste with you. Although our stay was short, the experience was so exceptional that a return visit is a definite plan.
Marion Bay Caravan Park
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Price: $42.50
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Facilities: All amenities provided
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Essentials to Take: Everything needed was available
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Dog Friendly: Yes, on-lead
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Our Overall Rating: 2/10
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Power: Powered
While staying at this campsite, priced at $42.50 with all necessary facilities available, we encountered some challenges that contributed to our overall rating of 2/10. Mavis, our van, had mechanical issues, forcing an unplanned overnight stay. Unfortunately, this campsite became our least favorite. At the time of our visit, a block of showers was unavailable due to a burst water pipe, and temporary portal showers were in use. Despite the less-than-ideal situation, the opportunity to shower after five days proved to be a welcome relief. However, the assigned spaces were cramped, offering minimal privacy, and being there during school holidays exacerbated the crowded conditions. The campsite did provide convenient access to the beautiful Marion Bay beach and was within walking distance of a great pub.
Port Wakefield Caravan Park
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Price: $30
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Facilities: All amenities provided
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Essentials to Take: Everything needed was available
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Dog Friendly: Yes, on-lead
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Our Overall Rating: 7/10
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Power: Powered
When we explored the vast pink Lake Bumbunga, we needed a nearby place to stay before starting our journey back to Melbourne. This campsite, about a 25-minute drive away, accommodated our call on a Sunday evening and stayed open until our arrival. The staff checked us in and guided us to a camping spot next to a small lakeside. Their hospitality impressed us. The sunset over the water and hills in the distance was a beautiful sight. The amenities block was impeccably clean and well-maintained. We departed early in the morning, bidding farewell to the welcoming family-owned site. What a great experience!
Greenhill Lake Campground
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Price: Free (Donations welcome)
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Facilities: Toilets and shower block
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Essentials to Take: Basic essentials
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Dog Friendly: Yes, on-lead
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Our Overall Rating: 8/10
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Power: Not Powered
Although not technically in South Australia, this free campsite offers showers, toilets, and a splendid view. Located conveniently on the route to or from SA, it's tucked away from the motorway, discovered through the WikiCamps app. The popularity of this site is no surprise, being one of the best free campsites with facilities in Australia. You can camp freely in any available space. It can get busy, so finding a spot away from the lakeside worked for us. A mini-hike around the site revealed its beauty, but be cautious of snakes; we spotted a baby one. The toilet block was remarkably clean and well-maintained for a free campground.
