Camping in the Yorke Peninsula

Yorke Peninsula runs about 257 km between Spencer Gulf and Gulf St Vincent, with Cornish copper towns in the north, calm crabbing beaches on the east coast and a wild national park at the southern tip. More than 40 shipwrecks lie off the southern coast, including the Ethel, wrecked in 1904 and still visible from a boardwalk.

Where is the best place to camp in the Yorke Peninsula?

The choice is the Copper Coast towns in the north, the Gulf St Vincent beaches on the east side, or the national park at the southern tip. On the Copper Coast, Moonta Bay Caravan Park is one of the town bases. On the east side, there are caravan parks at Pine Point, Black Point, Port Vincent, Stansbury and Edithburgh, all on Gulf St Vincent. In the south, Marion Bay Caravan Park is at the entrance to Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park, which has seven campgrounds, including Pondalowie.

What is there to do in the Yorke Peninsula with kids?

The Copper Coast towns of Kadina, Moonta and Wallaroo grew from a copper boom that began in 1859, and by 1870 Moonta was South Australia's largest town after Adelaide. At Moonta Bay, Splash Town is right by the caravan park, and at Moonta Mines there is the Model School Museum and the Wheal Hughes Copper Mine. In Wallaroo, the Heritage and Nautical Museum is in town. On the east coast, Pine Point and Black Point are known for summer crabbing on calm beaches.

• Port Victoria Maritime Museum – Museums and history, Port Victoria. Closest campground: Gulf Haven Caravan Park, under 1 km
• Wallaroo Heritage and Nautical National Trust Museum – Museums and history, Wallaroo. Closest campground: Office Beach Caravan Park, under 1 km
• Moonta School Of Mines-National Trust – Museums and history, Moonta. Closest campground: Moonta Bay Caravan Park, 3 km
• Moonta Railway Station-National Trust – Museums and history, Moonta. Closest campground: Moonta Bay Caravan Park, 3 km
• Moonta Mines Model School Museum - National Trust – Museums and history, Moonta Mines. Closest campground: Moonta Bay Caravan Park, 5 km
• Bublacowie Military Museum – Museums and history, Yorketown. Closest campground: Oyster Point Caravan Park, 17 km
• Adelaide Tramway Museum – Museums and history, St Kilda. Closest campground: Middle Beach Caravan Park, 20 km
• National Military Vehicle Museum – Museums and history, Edinburgh. Closest campground: Middle Beach Caravan Park, 25 km
• Ardrossan Museum – Museums and history, Ardrossan. Closest campground: Ardrossan Caravan Park, under 1 km
• Minlaton Museum-National Trust – Museums and history, Minlaton. Closest campground: Minlaton Caravan Park, under 1 km
• Edithburgh Museum – Museums and history, Edithburgh. Closest campground: Edithburgh Caravan Park, under 1 km
• Moonta Miner's Cottage and Heritage Garden-National Trust – Museums and history, Moonta Mines. Closest campground: Moonta Bay Caravan Park, 4 km
• Hughes Pump House-National Trust – Museums and history, Moonta Mines. Closest campground: Moonta Bay Caravan Park, 5 km
• Maitland Museum-National Trust – Museums and history, Maitland. Closest campground: Balgowan Caravan & Camping Area, 18 km
• Agery Reserve - National Trust – Museums and history, Arthurton. Closest campground: BIG4 Port Hughes Holiday Park, 19 km
• Splash Town – Swimming, Moonta Bay. Closest campground: Moonta Bay Caravan Park, under 1 km

What are the best walks and nature spots in the Yorke Peninsula?

In Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park, the Inneston Historic Walk is a 2 km loop around the old gypsum-mining town, and the Stenhouse Bay Lookout Walk is also 2 km. More than 120 bird species have been recorded in the park, including ospreys and hooded plovers, tammar wallabies were brought back in 2004, and southern right whales visit the coast in winter.

• interpretive maritime trail boardwalk – Walk, Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park. Closest campground: Pondalowie Campground, 4 km
• Inneston Historic Walk – Walk, Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park. Closest campground: Stenhouse Bay Campground, 5 km
• West Cape Lookout – Lookout. Closest campground: Pondalowie Campground, 2 km
• Stenhouse Bay Lookout Walk – Walk, Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park. Closest campground: Stenhouse Bay Campground, under 1 km
• Oyster Bay – Swimming spot, Stansbury. Closest campground: Stansbury Caravan Park, 1 km
• Port Julia Lookout – Lookout. Closest campground: Port Julia Oval (reichenbach Memorial P, under 1 km
• Rossiters Point – Lookout. Closest campground: Moonta Bay Caravan Park, under 1 km
• Golblet Bay – Lookout. Closest campground: Pondalowie Campground, under 1 km
• Pelican Point – Lookout. Closest campground: Port Wakefield Caravan Park, 1 km
• Cape Spencer Lookout – Lookout. Closest campground: Stenhouse Bay Campground, 2 km

Is it safe to swim in the Yorke Peninsula?

On the calm east coast beaches, such as Pine Point. The national park has no lifeguards and patchy phone coverage, so take care on its exposed beaches.

Do you need to book campsites in the Yorke Peninsula?

Yes, for the national park: campsites are booked through SA National Parks, up to 12 months ahead. Bring your own water, and note that dogs are not allowed in the park.

Are there powered sites in the Yorke Peninsula?

Yes. 4 campgrounds here have powered sites confirmed, including Wallaroo Holiday Park, Balgowan Caravan & Camping Area and Middle Beach Caravan Park. For the rest we are still confirming, so check with the park or holiday park before you book a powered site.

How far is Yorke Peninsula from Adelaide?

The peninsula starts north-west of Adelaide, and Corny Point, at the far north-western tip, is roughly a three-hour drive from the city. Pine Point is about 18 km south of Ardrossan.

Facts from Wikipedia, "Yorke Peninsula" (CC BY-SA 4.0), Wikipedia, "Copper Coast" (CC BY-SA 4.0), Wikipedia, "Pine Point, South Australia" (CC BY-SA 4.0), Wikipedia, "Corny Point (South Australia)" (CC BY-SA 4.0) and National Parks and Wildlife Service SA, "Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park".

Map of campgrounds in the Yorke Peninsula

33 campgrounds

• Wallaroo Holiday Park — Wallaroo, SA. dump point, pets allowed, powered sites, tent sites, wifi
• Balgowan Caravan & Camping Area — Balgowan, SA. dump point, powered sites, toilets, wifi
• Middle Beach Caravan Park — Middle Beach, SA. powered sites, tent sites, wheelchair accessible
• Daly Head Campground — White Hut, SA. caravan sites, tent sites
• Port Wakefield Caravan Park — Port Wakefield, SA. dump point, powered sites
• Black Point Caravan Park — Black Point, SA. caravan sites
• Pondalowie Campground — Inneston, SA. tent sites
• Shell Beach Campground — Inneston, SA. tent sites
• Ardrossan Caravan Park — Ardrossan, SA
• Balaklava Caravan Park — Balaklava, SA
• BIG4 Port Hughes Holiday Park — Port Hughes, SA
• Casurina Campground — Inneston, SA
• Coobowie Caravan Park — Coobowie, SA
• Corny Point Caravan Park — Corny Point, SA
• Edithburgh Caravan Park — Edithburgh, SA
• Gulf Haven Caravan Park — Port Victoria, SA
• Kadina Caravan Park — Kadina, SA
• Marion Bay Caravan Park — Marion Bay, SA
• Minlaton Caravan Park — Minlaton, SA
• Moonta Bay Caravan Park — Moonta Bay, SA
• Office Beach Caravan Park — Wallaroo, SA
• Oyster Point Caravan Park — Stansbury, SA
• Pine Point Caravan Park — Pine Point, SA
• Point Turton Caravan Park — Point Turton, SA
• Port Broughton Caravan Park — Port Broughton, SA
• Port Clinton Caravan Park — Clinton, SA
• Port Hughes Caravan Park — Port Hughes, SA
• Port Julia Oval (reichenbach Memorial P — Port Julia, SA
• Port Rickaby Caravan Park — Port Rickaby, SA
• Port Vincent Foreshore Caravan Park — Port Vincent, SA
• Price Caravan Park — Price, SA
• Stansbury Caravan Park — Stansbury, SA
• Stenhouse Bay Campground — Inneston, SA

Region boundary: ABS ASGS Edition 3 Tourism Regions 2021 (Tourism Research Australia), CC BY 4.0.