The most popular way of exploring Australia is by camping - whether with a motorhome, campervan, caravan or a roof tent on top of a car. This gives you the ultimate freedom of going as fast or as slow as you like.
Free camping is permitted (staying somewhere for free) throughout the country and we're reveling in the joy of simply parking up our home somewhere for the night before carrying on our journey the next day.
I first visited Australia in 2019, following the classic backpacker route, mostly visiting big cities, staying in hostels and traveling by public transport.
This time, we bought ourselves a campervan (a 2018 Mercedes Sprinter) and are living in it full-time to drive "the lap" of Australia (completing the entire perimeter of the country). With this freedom, we're trying to hit the lesser known spots along the way. It's a massive undertaking and we're taking all the challenges and wins and all the highs and the lows in stride.
COMING SOON → My complete guide to van life and driving the lap of Australia!
South Australia is not actually the southernmost state in the country but is situated in the bottom middle with Western Australia to the west, the Northern Territory to the north and New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland all touching the eastern border. The south coast lies directly on the Great Australian Bight in the southern Pacific Ocean.
We started our van trip in Sydney, the biggest city in Australia and the capital of New South Wales. In our travels around the country, we haven't quite done a logical lap and have crossed South Australia three times in total, exploring much of the state as we went.
→ Check out my favourite free campgrounds in New South Wales!
Here are all the places we have camped for free at across the state that we loved and would recommend for anyone on their trip down under, in geographical order from east to west:
Every single spot (and more) that I mention in all my blog posts about Australia can be found in my Australia | Ultimate Map!
This is a digital map featuring hundreds of my favourite restaurants, campgrounds, accommodations, shops, photo spots, museums, beaches, lakes, animal spots, bridges, viewpoints, hikes and SO much more in Australia, including its three external territories.
Each pin includes exact locations, images, detailed information, the ability to open and save the spot in your Google Maps and a link to my relevant blog post to read more.
COMING SOON → Buy the Australia | Ultimate Map!
Below is some useful information for preparing for your trip to South Australia. In all cases, please be sure to check with the relevant local authorities for the latest and accurate information.
Language: The official language of Australia is English. In South Australia, Aboriginal people have lived on the land for more than 60,000 years with over 30 distinct language groups.
→ Learn more about the Aboriginal people of South Australia.
Currency: The currency used in Australia is the Australian dollar, denoted as AUD $. I use a Wise account when I travel which allows me to have a single, free account with multiple currencies. I only have to pay once to convert my money in the app and then I can pay in AUD $!
→ Check the latest currency conversion between AUD $ and your local currency.
Data: Before you arrive, I recommend purchasing an eSim on your phone so that you can access data the moment you land. eSims are much more convenient as it means you don't have to put a separate physical Sim into your phone. AirAlo offers great deals for eSims of various data sizes and time lengths with Optus.
→ Load an international eSim on your phone with AirAlo.
If you are visiting Australia long term, you might wish to put a physical Sim in your phone as AirAlo is geared more towards short term visitors on holiday. This way you can access a local phone plan. There are three main mobile phone network providers in Australia: Telstra, Optus and Vodafone. Telstra has the best coverage across the country whereas Optus and Vodafone are good within cities. I recommend Telstra as it means you have the best coverage while you travel around the country, especially in rural areas.
Visa: All passport holders except New Zealand require a visa to visit Australia. All arrivals must fill out an Australian arrival card before landing.
→ Check which visa you need for Australia.
Time of year to visit: Australia can be visited all year-round. South Australia, situated on the southern coast of the country, has different appeals in different seasons. Come in spring (September-November) or autumn (March-May) for pleasant, sunny days. Summer (December-February) can get extremely hot and busy. Winter (June-August) can be cooler and rainy here but it also the best time for spotting whales in the Great Australian Bight.
Adelaide Botanic Garden
As with the rest of Australia, South Australia permits free camping on designated sites. These sites can vary greatly; some offer a variety of facilities such as toilets, trash bins, picnic tables, outdoor cooking stations and others have none of this and might simply be a pull-out on the side of the road.
The best way to find legal free camping spots is to use an app. We use Wikicamps Australia, a cheap app that has every single amenity listed (both free and paid) that you might need on the road. This includes things like where to fill up fresh water, where to dump grey water, where to empty toilets, where to stay, gas stations, information points and also has suggestions for things to do as you go.
→ Download the Wikicamps Australia app.
We found all our campgrounds using Wikicamps Australia (both free and paid).
Here is a map of everywhere we camped in South Australia:
Where we stayed in South Australia
There are hundreds of campgrounds, both free and paid, across South Australia and it would take a lifetime to check them all out!
To get you started and inspire your camping trip through the state, here are all the free campgrounds we stayed at, in geographical order from east to west:
Waikerie Silos
You can camp for free at the beautiful Waikerie Silos with pretty art work painted on them. Located next to the Murray River with scenic views over the cliffs, it's a quiet spot for the night. Grab brunch at Illalangi Gourmet Foods the next morning!
Amenities: none
→ Check out the Waikerie Silos listing on Wikicamps Australia.
Morgan Camp
There is a basic free camp just outside Morgan, a simple and easy stop over for your roadtrip along the B64. We stayed here as we drove between Sydney and Port Augusta.
Amenities: none
Greenock Centenary Park
Greenock Centenary Park is the only free one in the Barossa Valley ($10 donation requested). The grounds are not very flat but does make for a convenient place to camp while visiting the Barossa area.
Amenities: toilets, fresh water, dump station
→ Check out the Greenock Centenary Park listing on Wikicamps Australia.
Narrung Jetty Reserve
Narrung Jetty Reserve is a bit of an out-of-the-way spot on the end of a peninsula in South Australia bordered by Lake Alexandrina on the north and Lake Albert on the south but it ended up passing all our expectations. It's a bit of a niche destination, but we detoured here to spend the night on our way up to the coast from Mount Gambier towards Adelaide. Because it's surrounded by water, we ended up having one of the best nights sleep, void of all sounds of traffic with only pelicans for company!
The next morning, hop on the 24-hour free ferry across the Albert Passage to carry on to Poltalloch Road.
Amenities: toilets
→ Check out the Narrung Jetty Reserve listing on Wikicamps Australia.
Lochiel Oval
This is a fairly basic campground at the athletic oval in Lochiel, near to Bumbunga Lake, a famous pink salt lake. It's a free and easy stopover when visiting the lake and heading to or from Adelaide.
Amenities: toilets
→ Check out the Lochiel Oval listing on Wikicamps Australia.
Fitzgerald Bay
This gorgeous stretch of beach along Fitzgerald Bay is a massive free campground. Drive carefully between former Australian defence grounds where big signs warn of possible unexploded bombs in the grounds before reaching the peaceful Fitzgerald Bay.
Kangaroos abound, gorgeous sunsets await and the water is bright blue and warm for swimming. There are quite a lot of bugs and flies around though, so keep your nets up! It's the perfect stopover on your way into or out of the Eyre Peninsula, just down the road from Whyalla.
Amenities: toilets
→ Check out the Fitzgerald Bay listing on Wikicamps Australia.
Moonlight Bay
Half way between Port Lincoln and Tumby Bay is a beautiful free camp spot right on the beach. You need to drive a bit down a dirt road out of Whites River to reach the beach but it's worth it. It's so quiet and the views are amazing.
Amenities: none
→ Check out the Moonlight Bay listing on Wikicamps Australia.
Wheatsheaf Hotel
The Wheatsheaf Hotel is a classic pub stay where a hotel pub offers free camping behind the building, usually in exchange for a meal. It was the best and closest free camp spot to the city of Port Lincoln, so a great base for exploring.
Amenities: toilets when the pub is open
→ Check out the Wheatsheaf Hotel listing on Wikicamps Australia.
Thick Trees
This free campground is the closest to Ceduna and the start/end of the Nullarbor. It doesn't have much but it's quiet, located right next to town so you're rested before or after your big adventure and has amazing sunsets.
Amenities: none
Tomato Cliff
We free camped here on our way back across the Nullarbor the second time right on the border between South Australia and Western Australia and were greeted with one of the most insane sunsets ever. Tomato Cliff makes you feel incredibly tiny; the ocean stretches out beyond view and the beach is simply massive in front of you from where you stand overlooking it from the high cliff.
Amenities: none
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Hi! I’m Jana, a Dutch-German-British-Canadian with a dream of seeing every country in the world. I am a storyteller, photographer and adventurer passionate about documenting and sharing my travels.
