good camping spots in S.A

[sidewaysvc]

hey guys recomend and good spots to camp in good ole sa i been to maize island thats not too bad couple of small sand tracks around the joint too which gives u a chance to give them a crack

cheers

 

[millsy]

Here's a few that I know;

- World's End creek ( or Burra Gorge ) about 20km south east of Burra.
- on the east side of the river opposite town centre of Mannum. Public loos here, and a tap. Free camping. Great if you have a boat to play with.
- Bookmark Biosphere ( Chowilla floodplain Conservation Park ) about 20km north of Renmark. There are about 20 or more different campsites in here, many along the Chowilla creek that usually has water in it since it is connected to the Murray. Probably good fishing. Plenty of bird life and roos, emus
- Just over the Border in the Sunset Country, south east of Loxton ( east of Meribah ), on Pheeney's Track. Longdrop, no water. Good start point for a trip eastwards through the Sunset Country. Or at various spots along the Border Track, or the Millewa South Bore Track. And some nice camp spots scattered through the Sunset PArk, with long drops. see a map for exact locations.
- In the Morgan Conservation Park, just across the river from Morgan
- along the Coorong beaches
- Pine Hut Soak campground, about 20km south of Pinnaroo. Very pretty. Plenty of surrounding vegetation, including new growth. Popular as a launch point for the Border Track, so can be busy on a long weekend. Long drop, no drinkable water, but rainwater for washing.
- along the beaches in the Innes Mational Park at the bottom of Yorke Peninsuala
- just south of Port Augusta, about 10km, in the scrub on the east side of highway one
- Flinders Ranges - Rawnsley, Wilpena, and in many of the gorges there are campsites with long drops, but no water
- in the new Conservation Park, I think called Carooma, about 25km north east of Burra, . . .
- lots of good spots along the river between Blanchetown and Renmark
- in the Conservation Park just south of Robe. Ideal for doing the Robe to Beachport 'beach' run

 

[Split pin]

Here's a few that I know;

- World's End creek ( or Burra Gorge ) about 20km south east of Burra.
- on the east side of the river opposite town centre of Mannum. Public loos here, and a tap. Free camping. Great if you have a boat to play with.
- Bookmark Biosphere ( Chowilla floodplain Conservation Park ) about 20km north of Renmark. There are about 20 or more different campsites in here, many along the Chowilla creek that usually has water in it since it is connected to the Murray. Probably good fishing. Plenty of bird life and roos, emus
- Just over the Border in the Sunset Country, south east of Loxton ( east of Meribah ), on Pheeney's Track, or at various spots along the Border Track, or the Millewa South Bore Track
- In the Morgan Conservation Park, just across the river from Morgan
- along the Coorong beaches
- Pine Hut Soak campground, about 20km south of Pinnaroo
- along the beaches in the Innes Mational Park at the bottom of Yorke Peninsuala
- just south of Port Augusta, about 10km, in the scrub on the east side of highway one
- Flinders Ranges - Rawnsley, Wilpena, and in many of the gorges there are campsites with long drops, but no water
- in the new Conservation Park, I think called Carooma, about 25km north east of Burra, . . .
- lots of good spots along the river between Blanchetown and Renmark
- in the Conservation Park just south of Robe. Ideal for doing the Robe to Beachport 'beach' run

Thanks for the info Millsy. We are in the process of planning a trip next year and are looking to visit some of the non tourist type areas that are advertised by the tourist boards.
Once again thanks for the Ideas.

 

[millsy]

Thanks for the info Millsy. We are in the process of planning a trip next year and are looking to visit some of the non tourist type areas that are advertised by the tourist boards.
Once again thanks for the Ideas.

No probs. Just added a bit more info to the Pheeney's Track, and Pine Hut Soak.

 

[sidewaysvc]

cheers heaps for that and most of them you dont need to let rangers or anything kno your there? eg inns park

 

[millsy]

cheers heaps for that and most of them you dont need to let rangers or anything kno your there? eg inns park

No need to let anyone know, but most, if not all, camping in national parks in SA reqires a $5 fee per vehicle per day. There is usually an honour box at the camp sites, or just as you enter a park. Check out their web site.

 

[MUDRICK]

MT Crawford forest - rocky paddock campgrounds , tower road, forreston

Nice place to camp, plenty of firewood available, very close to tracks, plenty of campsites.

 

[OFFROAD RICH]

Millsy how good are the camp grounds at Burra Gorge?, I have been to Burra a few times and think its a top area. I think next time I might camp out at the Gorge, Is it worth camping there ect?

Cheers Rich

 

[shane 45]

The Burra Gorge is a good camping spot but you have to be self contained as there are very few faciltilies there. If the burra creek is flowing you might get a few yabbies out of it but stay on the high ground if there is a chance of rain any where in the area as the creek can flood without warning.

 

[millsy]

Its a beautiful oasis in the middle of the barren hills and sheep paddocks surrounding it. Lots of huge ancient gum trees. The camp ground is in the depression, flood 'plain' of the Burra Creek. So its quite cosy, despite the bare paddocks not far away.

It has one long drop.

There is a locked gate at the end of the camp ground, and I gather that if you walk through that you get to a swimming hole. Not sure if that's on private property, or if the gate is just to keep the cars away from it. Shane might know. You could probably get a good idea if you looked it up on the satellite view on Google Maps, or Google Earth.

Sometimes you are lucky to have the whole place to yourself. Other weekends there might be just two or three other campers stretched out over the 1 km or so length. But on long weekends you will probably be sharing it with about 20 other vehicles. But still OK. Seems to be big enough that you can get a reasonable 50metres or more away from your nearest neighbor.

I try to park a bit away from the nearest old gum tree. They look like they might drop a branch at any moment - very old! Last week I had two expereinces of that just driving through Elizabeth. A tree on the median strip dropped a big branch just as I was driving past it. And then the next day, not far away on another road, a small branch fell on my bonnet and bounced off the windscreen as I was driving along at about 50km/hr. No damage luckily, but gave me fright.

There is also another good camp ground about 30km north east of Burra. I will see if I can find more info on that one if you like. I think it is in that new conservation park. Will have to check it out. Read about in the 4WD Action magazine.

 

[geoffsa]

Its a beautiful oasis in the middle of the barren hills and sheep paddocks surrounding it. Lots of huge ancient gum trees. The camp ground is in the depression, flood 'plain' of the Burra Creek. So its quite cosy, despite the bare paddocks not far away.

It has one long drop.

There is a locked gate at the end of the camp ground, and I gather that if you walk through that you get to a swimming hole. Not sure if that's on private property, or if the gate is just to keep the cars away from it. Shane might know. You could probably get a good idea if you looked it up on the satellite view on Google Maps, or Google Earth.

Sometimes you are lucky to have the whole place to yourself. Other weekends there might be just two or three other campers stretched out over the 1 km or so length. But on long weekends you will probably be sharing it with about 20 other vehicles. But still OK. Seems to be big enough that you can get a reasonable 50metres or more away from your nearest neighbor.

I try to park a bit away from the nearest old gum tree. They look like they might drop a branch at any moment - very old! Last week I had two expereinces of that just driving through Elizabeth. A tree on the median strip dropped a big branch just as I was driving past it. And then the next day, not faraway on another road, a small branch fell on my bonnet and bounced off the windscreen as I was driving along at about 50km/hr. No damage luckily, but gave me fright.

There is also another good camp ground about 30km north east of Burra. I will see if I can find more info on that one if you like. I think it is in that new conservation park. Will have to check it out. Read about in the 4WD Action magazine.

The gate is just to keep vehicles from entering the gorge, you are able to walk in a fair way.

The camping NE of Burra is in the new Caroona Creek CP. It is okay, but not a lot of room when there are a few vehicles there. Only two appointed camp areas with good toilets, no showers. The first camp site is near an old shearing shed, has the most room, but not a lot of shelter.
No 4WDriving in the area although the 4WD magazine said so, we managed all tracks in 2WD. Good areas to the north to explore, Collinsville Station and Mt Dare drive, etc.

 

[shane 45]

The locked gate in the Burra Gorge is to stop vecheal going right into the gorge its self. The camping grounds are at the entrance of the gorge as far as I know there is some rare Flora in the gorge and they dont want people distroying it with motor vecheals. I wouldnt camp there in the warmer months as that area can get very warm durning the day the best time for camping up there is April to October.

 

[millsy]

"I wouldnt camp there in the warmer months as that area can get very warm durning the day the best time for camping up there is April to October."
__________________
But at least there is plenty of shade mate! Did all go well up north this week?

I have camped there a couple of times in the summer as a late night stop over on my way further north. Its about 3 hours north of Adelaide, and although I have arrived on both occasions after 10.00pm, I reckon the big trees and the effect of the gorge and the creek would help cool it down pretty quickly after the sun goes down, earlier in the evening. Slept like a baby both nights! Nothing like a valley between the hills after a 40 degree day.

Then a glorious sight to behold when you wake, surrounded by all the trees and reeds in the creek, and the cool, fresh morning air. You are well refreshed and ready to head bush and explore the tracks into the rugged sheep country, just ten minutes up the road, without first having to drive a boring 3 hours out from the city. Bugger, my car is still in pieces!! Calm down, calm down.

 

[shane 45]

I have only stayed between April and October as after little rain the Gorge turns on its best show as does the rest of the area with all the diferant shades of green and a lot of the native wild flowers come out. Its also a good stop off point to go futher north or to head west into the Southern Flinders. It was good up north Millys I got along weekend as we finished early.

 

[millsy]

Good one! Hope that happens more often for you.

Yes, its quite nice out there in the winter. But I also like the occasional drive up that way in the middle of summer, and even enjoy it on a stinking hot day, even though the car has not got airconditioning. Its not too bad with the windows down because you get a good breeze, as long as you keep moving to provide a gentle breeze over the perspiration. Automatic evaporative airconditioning system, and its very kind on the temp gauge! Not too fast or you are just sitting in a blast furnace.

This sort of weather gives you a really good connection with the country, since for 6 months of the year, or more, its brown, dusty and hot. But you would get plenty of that in your job anyway - probably don't need it on your weekends too!

But I think it must bring back fond memories for me, of the 45 times, over 20 years, when I have outlanded in a wheat paddock with my glider. Sometimes 100's of km from where I took off. Then I had hours soaking up the dust and heat waiting for my mates to come and find me with the car and trailer. But before that happened I had to find the nearest phone. And that could take a long walk across the often drought stricken paddocks. Furthest I walked was 20km.

Sometimes I was out there for 6 or 7 hours, as they either get lost on the back roads, or visited a pub or two on the way! For a guy who lived in the north west of WA as a kid, but for the next 12 years was trapped in the big city, this was pure bliss!

They were the days before the .05 rule. How the 500 kg glider was pulled apart and lifted on to the trailer, often well after midnight and well under the influence, was a miracle. I was the only sober one of course, and since it was my car, I was the driver to take the merry mob home.

Once I had a couple of my senior students crewing for me. The older one took me down to the Bordertown regatta in his 'new' XA Falcon 500. Very nice! I landed about 40km north west of Bordertown, and the two lads went tearing off in the opposite direction for some reason. After a long time searching through the tracks over the border, south of Serviceton, they finally rang back to the gliding club to sort themselves out. That was a long wait on the side of the road!

 

[shane 45]

We are getting off topic here Millys. It about good camping spots in S.A. I have another one for People to try out there is a small cost involed and that is at the bottom end of the York Pen at Innes NP. there is bush camping at Pondalowie Bay with some basic amenties there or Stenhouse Bay with camping there with just long drop toliets. You can go surfing, fishing, bird watching, and bushwalking. Drurning the warmer months watch out for the Tiger snakes they are big and mean.

 

[sidewaysvc]

browns beach isnt too bad in the cooler months just have to bring in your own wood cos there isnt any in sand dunes long drops and tap good fishing on the beach?

What tracks are near rockys paddock at crawford ive been there in my dunnydoor and didnt find any tracks i couldnt go down or up?