7 great national parks in South Australia to take your caravan

Caravan holidays are an Aussie favourite. Not only do you get to spend time connecting with nature, they’re also a low cost alternative to hotels and motels, and you get to take some of your creature comforts from home with you.

With your caravan in tow, your holiday begins as soon as you arrive at your destination. You don’t have to spend hours setting up a tent, so before long you’ll be sitting back in your favourite camp chair enjoying a cuppa or your favourite cold beverage.

Next time you’re thinking about a holiday on wheels, consider staying in one of the 29 national parks in South Australia that have campsites perfect for caravans. Here are 7 of our favourites for your next adventure:

1. Stringybark campground at Deep Creek National Park

Located only 100 kilometres south of Adelaide in the beautiful Deep Creek National Park, this well-equipped campground is nestled among a native stringybark forest and offers plenty of shade and protection from the elements. It’s a great base to explore the park from, with plenty of birdlife to spot and walking trails to explore.

The campground has 12 sites suitable for caravans. Facilities include flushing toilets, hot showers and picnic tables. There are fire pits available too, so do your homework first and make sure it’s not fire danger season, and if the timing's right bring some firewood and a bag of marshmallows.

Before you go: For information about the dimensions of each site and to make booking, visit the Stringybark campground webpage. If you’re looking for ideas on what to see and do, check out our guide to spending a day in the park.

2. Mambray Creek campground, Mount Remarkable National Park

Located 45km north of Port Pire, this large campground at Mount Remarkable has plenty of campsites suitable for caravans. You’ll also find accessible toilets, showers, rain water tanks and picnic tables and fire pits there too.

Many of the campsites have shade and wind protection from the majestic red gums that line Mambray Creek. While you’re there, take advantage of the many walking trails that can be accessed directly from the campground.

Before you go: To check out what campsites are available and to book your next getaway, visit the Mambray Creek campground webpage.

Top tip: There’s so much to explore in this great park. To help you make the most of your visit, local park rangers Brett Coglan and Niamh Douglas have put together this itinerary for a day in the park.

3. Yangie Bay Campground, Coffin Bay National Park

Located on the shores of tranquil Yangie Bay Sanctuary Zone in Coffin Bay, this campground is a great base for exploring Coffin Bay National Park, the Coffin Bay township and southern Eyre Peninsula.

All 19 campsites at this campground are suitable for caravans with a flat road base, and many of them are drive-through sites, making manoeuvrability a breeze! Campground facilities include toilets, picnic shelters and communal fire places.

Contrary to popular belief, there’s plenty of Coffin Bay National Park that can be explored in a two-wheel drive vehicle. This includes Point Avoid, Golden Island Lookout, Almonta Beach and Yangie Bay Campground. But if you want to head north of Yangie Bay Campground to explore more of the exceptional pristine wilderness that this parks offers, you will require a four-wheel drive.

Before you go: To check out the available campsites and to book your next Eyre Peninsula holiday, visit the Yangie Bay campground webpage.

4. Pondalowie Bay Caravan and Trailers Campground, Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park

Located a three-hour drive from Adelaide on the southern tip of Yorke Peninsula, Pondalowie Bay in Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park is the perfect location for a beach getaway. The beautiful beach and bay is only a short walk away from the two campgrounds. Surfing, fishing, boating, swimming and snorkelling are all popular activities to keep you busy.

The Caravan and Trailers Campground has nine sites suitable for large caravans and 16 sites suitable for smaller caravans. All sites are flat with a packed gravel base, and facilities include toilets, fire pits and a public phone.

The campground is a great, centrally located base to explore the park from. Check out our one-day itinerary to get the most out of your visit.

Before you go: Check out the available campsites and to book your next beach holiday by visiting the Pondalowie Bay Caravans and Trailers Campground webpage.

5. Colligans and Black Box Campgrounds, Lyrup Flats section, Murray River National Park

There’s nothing like camping on the banks of the mighty River Murray. The misty mornings and bright sunny days make for a great caravanning holiday. Sit back in your favourite chair with a cuppa in one hand and a fishing rod in the other and relax as you watch the abundant birdlife and the passing houseboats while you wait for a fish to bite.

The Lyrup flats section of the Murray River National Park has seven campsites suitable for caravans in the Colligans and Black Box Campgrounds. Most of the caravan sites have access to the river. You will need to come prepared though as there aren’t any facilities in these camping areas other than a toilet that is about 1km away from the campsites.

Before you go:Check conditions and closures during high water events. Explore and book your campsites by visiting the Lyrup Flats webpage and check out Ranger Shara’s suggested one day itinerary for the park.

6. Pink Gum Campground, Onkaparinga River National Park

Located just south of Adelaide, Pink Gum Campground in Onkaparinga River National Park is a short walk away from the spectacular Onkaparinga River Gorge. There’s a number of walking and mountain-bike trails that will help you explore the finest remaining pockets of remnant vegetation in the southern Adelaide region. The campground is also close to the wineries of the McLaren Vale wine region.

The campsites at Pink Gum Campground are flat with a compacted gravel surface, and three of them are suitable for caravans. Facilities at this campground include accessible toilets, washing-up facilities and fire pits.

Before you go: Visit the Pink Gum Campground webpage to check out the campsites and check out our handy guide to camping in Onkaparinga River National Park.

7. Long Point Campground, Coorong National Park

This small campground in Coorong National Park offers almost 360-degree views of the Coorong Lagoon – a Ramsar wetland of international importance. Popular activities include bird-watching, boating, kayaking, fishing, walking and four-wheel driving.

There are three sites suitable for caravans, two of them have a level gravel surface. Facilities include toilets, rainwater tank, picnic tables, jetty and boat ramp.

Before you go: Visit the Long Point Campground webpage to check out the sites.

Top tip: Want to make the most of your visit to this iconic park? Check out our one-day itinerary to help plan your visit.

Need more creature comforts than a caravan can offer? Check out which national parks have accommodation for you to hire.

This story was originally posted in September 2018.