Australian Caravan Park Reports

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South Australia

Far North

Cadney Homestead Caravan Park, Cadney Park (DFP)
Oasis Tourist Park, Coober Pedy
Opal Inn Caravan Park, Coober Pedy (DFP)
Riba's Caravan Park, Coober Pedy (DFP)
Stuart Range Caravan Park, Coober Pedy (DFP)
Coward Springs Campground, Coward Springs (Campground DFP)
Farina Station Campground, Farina (Station Stay DFP)
Marla Roadhouse, Marla (DFP)
Oasis Town Centre Caravan Park, Marree (DFP)
Oodnadatta Roadhouse Caravan Park, Oodnadatta (DFP)
William Creek Campground, William Creek (Campground DFP)

We have recently stayed here and have stayed there before in previous years. We found this park a good overnight stop with clean amenities, pool, fuel, dinner available from 6 to 9 pm. Being a truck stop and near the highway it can be a little noisy at times, but worth the stop. Friendly staff, staff offered tourist advice, staff explained park layout and facilities. Very good value for money ($23 2A per night, powered, peak season). Amenity number would not cope in peak times, were clean, water pressure is good, there was adequate hot water, dry change area, paper towels/dryer provided, exhaust fans/good ventilation. Adequate number of tourist sites, mostly level sites, good night lighting, sites will accommodate large motorhomes and 5th wheelers, no sites with annex slabs, very few sites are shaded, drive-through sites, adequate taps close by, adequate sullage close by. Good laundry, no rec room, good camp kitchen, van parking, no wireless internet available, mobile wireless not available. Noisy, open & roomy park, not enough shade, no permanents. Clean UC electric bbq ($1), congenial bbq area atmosphere, bbq area lighting, seating provided at bbq. No playground. Clean pool. Suitable for overnighter.
Likes: clean amenities, open and room to move around. good value for money.
Dislikes: bit of noise from trucks and passing traffic on highway
Roads: road good, plenty of room and vision to get on road safely
Date 07/2011. Park Rating 4:
Report submitted by Julie W (1).

This is a good stop on the way to Alice Springs from Adelaide. If you back up to the fence you can get TV reception using a cable supplied when you book in. No mobile reception.
Date 06/2010. Park Rating 2.5:
Report submitted by Peter & Jean Reynella SA (52).

I stayed here twice, once on the way N and again coming back S and found it to be a pleasant stopover on both occasions. Don't expect grass or a lot of shade, it is in the desert after all. Back up to the back fence and you get TV reception if you get the cable from the office for $10 deposit. Other sites are drive through. Probably easily spend 2 nights here to have a break from the drive N or south. Very friendly staff, staff explained park layout and facilities. Reasonable value for money ($25 1A per night). Amenity number was adequate to cope with the number of people, are close to most sites, were clean, condition is good, water pressure is good, there was adequate hot water. Adequate number of tourist sites, mostly level sites, good night lighting, sites will accommodate large motorhomes and 5th wheelers, no sites with concrete annex slabs, very few sites are shaded, drive-through sites, adequate taps close by. Kiosk, mobile wireless not available. Quiet, open & roomy park, no permanents. Clean pool. Suitable for overnighter.
Likes: great pub tucker and friendly staff
Added Touches: First rate tucker in the pub.
Local Information: No tourist highlights really only the Adelaide to Darwin railway which is about 200 m over the back fence. Noise is not an issue here.
Date 09/2010. Park Rating 3.5:
Report submitted by Neil S (6).

Reasonable place to break the journey up the Stuart Hwy. Water, power but no sullage, just let it run into the dirt. Facilities were older but clean and well maintained. Some drive thru and some against the back fence. Better to reverse up to the fence and leave your tow vehicle attached. It is out of the way and doesn't block access. No TV reception. Roadhouse has bar and pub meals if required. No Next G coverage till Marla or Coober Pedy if heading south. Staff friendly. Good value for money ($23 2A per night, powered, peak season). Suitable for overnighter.
Likes: Sites against the fence, Easy to turn and reverse into.
Parking: Just pull up clear of the pumps and head into the servo to check availability and pay.
Date 07/2010. Park Rating 3:
Report submitted by Richard & Marilyn, Langwarrin (23).

Not a bad place to break the trip - this was the alternative to the others places either side and was much better. Very basic but the roadhouse/tavern offered good food. Unfriendly staff. Amenity number was adequate to cope with the number of people, are close to only some sites, cleanliness was average, condition is reasonable, water pressure is good, there was adequate hot water. Adequate number of tourist sites, mostly level sites, good night lighting, no sites with concrete annex slabs, very few sites are shaded, drive-through sites. Basic laundry, mobile wireless not available.
Date 02/2010. Park Rating 2.5:
Report submitted by Necani Nomads (40).

A park in the middle of the desert where water is scarce. We paid $5 for water on our site, with no restrictions on usage. Is a basic, clean, tidy park with great staff. Games room and pool are in old oil tanks - unique and well looked after. Our town tour with Rudy was really good value - a real raconteur who knows the opal business and the town very well, having lived and worked there since 1974. Combining that tour with the Sunset tour to the Breakaways, cost $150 for two. The park's owner, George, took us out to the Breakaways - it was wonderful with a light supper as the sun set in the West. Lots of information too. Possibly the highlight of our 8 month trip around Aus, was the day trip we did with the Postman, Peter, from Coober Pedy to Oodnadatta, 4 Stations (including Anna Creek, the largest in the world) and William Creek - a trip of 600+ kms. On our day, there were only 4 passengers - Peter, you gave us a day to remember with your stories, local information, friendliness and as many photo stops as we wanted. Coober Pedy is one town we will come back to.
Date 11/2011. Park Rating 3:
Report submitted by Sue & Peter Hackett (12).

You're in the outback where water is scarce, it is the same in all parks. Very friendly staff, staff offered tourist advice, staff explained park layout and facilities. Reasonable value for money ($30 2A per night). We paid $27.50 because of member BIG4. Amenity number was adequate to cope with the number of people, are close to most sites, were clean, condition is reasonable, water pressure is good, there was adequate hot water, extra charge for shower, soap provided, dry change area, paper towels/dryer provided, exhaust fans/good ventilation. Adequate number of tourist sites, sites will accommodate medium to large vans, no sites with annex slabs, no sites are shaded. Good laundry, kiosk, dump point, secure entry, book swap available, no wireless internet available, you can use your mobile wireless (carrier used was Telstra, reception quality was 5). Quiet, not enough shade, no permanents. Suitable for few days.
Likes: For Coober Pedy it is good. Friendly staff.
Local Information: Coober Pedy is a place that is a must see
Date 06/2011. Park Rating 3.5:
Report submitted by Neil n Raine (22).

You cannot connect you van up to water. Water is available in Hutchison Street (the main street) 20 cents for approx 30 litres. Showers are 20 cents for 3 minute, enough time to wash hair and oneself. Washing machines $5.00 per load. You are in the middle of nowhere and water is scarce. Shower block in demountable only small showers but clean. Friendly staff, staff offered tourist advice, staff explained park layout and facilities. Reasonable value for money ($30.00 2A per night, powered). We paid $27.00 because of BIG4 discount. Amenity number was adequate to cope with the number of people, are close to most sites, were clean, condition is reasonable, water pressure is good, there was adequate hot water, extra charge for shower, soap provided, dry change area, paper towels/dryer provided, exhaust fans/good ventilation, disabled facilities. Adequate number of tourist sites, mostly level sites, good night lighting, sites will accommodate large motorhomes and 5th wheelers, no sites with annex slabs, shade to some sites, drive-through sites, adequate sullage close by. Basic laundry, good rec room, basic camp kitchen, disabled facilities, dump point, secure entry, you can use your mobile wireless (carrier used was Telstra, reception quality was 5). Peaceful, open & roomy park, not enough shade, no permanents. Clean UC gas bbq (free), congenial bbq area atmosphere, bbq area lighting, seating provided at bbq. No playground. Clean pool is shaded, tables and chairs provided. Suitable for few days.
Likes: Park does tours of town at a reasonable price.
Local Information: A plane trip to Lake Eyre is reasonable from here and well worth it
Date 04/2011. Park Rating 3:
Report submitted by Kevin & Lyn (85).

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at this park. The water was hot and the showers were clean. Soap was supplied at hand basins and hand dryer. There is no water to the sites, except for 4. Maybe book ahead. All sites were even, noticed some had overhead cover. The staff were extremely friendly which was very pleasing. There is adequate night lighting. The water is very fresh and drinkable. If you stay at this park or in Coober Pedy take the opportunity to go on the tours that are conducted from this park. We took the morning tour, $35 each, for 3 1/2 hours, our driver Rudy had been an Opal Miner and lived in Coober Pedy since 1975. A very informative tour. A nice little park, but be aware that there is no water to the sites. Very friendly staff.
Date 06/2010. Park Rating 3:
Report submitted by Sue and Eddy (5).

I would rather stay at one of the other parks when I pass through Coober Pedy again. Friendly staff. Price was as expected ($24.00 2A). Amenity number would not cope in peak times, are close to only some sites, cleanliness was average, condition is poor, water pressure is bad, extra charge for shower. Adequate number of tourist sites, some unlevel sites, poor night lighting, no sites with concrete annex slabs, very few sites are shaded. Basic rec room. Noisy, not enough shade, a few permanents. UC electric bbq (pay), congenial bbq area atmosphere, bbq area lighting. Heated pool is shaded, kid-safe pool area. Suitable for overnighter.
Dislikes: The shower block is a demountable block that is cramped and very tacky. The camp kitchen is small and nasty with holes in the laminex benches. Out of the 2 BBQ plates one has been out of order so long it's rusted. The pool is so over chlorinated it's revolting and there is no shower to rinse off under, you have to go to the demountable shower block and pay to rinse off all the chlorine. There was shade cloth for the permanents but no shade at all for the travellers.
Date 01/2010. Park Rating 2:
Report submitted by P&H (3).

We had an ensuite site, and had trouble getting our 20'6" van into the site. In order not to block our door into the side of the ensuite, we had no room left to put the car, and weren't able to open the awning or we wouldn't have been able to open the ensuite door. Smaller vans wouldn't have as much trouble. The ensuite was good, with good towel rails and a cupboard. No water to the van on most sites, including the ensuite sites, although there were a few drive through sites that appeared to have water. Some sites near the front of the park had shade cloth over, the rest weren't shaded. Average staff friendliness, good staff response to complaints, staff offered tourist advice, staff explained park layout and facilities. Price was as expected, reasonable value for money ($36.50 2A per night, ensuite, peak season). Water pressure is bad, there was adequate hot water, extra charge for shower. Adequate number of tourist sites, some unlevel sites, good night lighting, small sites, no sites with concrete annex slabs, shade to some sites, drive-through sites, hard to negotiate into site, adequate sullage close by. Good laundry, good rec room, dump point. Quiet, open & roomy park, not enough shade, family/friendly atmosphere, a few permanents. Clean UC gas bbq ($1), congenial bbq area atmosphere, bbq area lighting, seating provided at bbq. No playground. Clean pool is shaded, pool area not considered kid-safe, tables and chairs provided. Suitable for few days, suitable for families, well maintained park, park is considered kid-safe.
Added Touches: Discount vouchers for pizza place and next door servo - which already had the cheapest diesel in town so the extra 2c off per litre was a bargain. Tours offered, if you go on the morning tour you can leave your vehicle in the park on the day of departure.
Local Information: We were there on Easter Saturday for the Opal Festival - a real old fashioned picnic atmosphere. Started with a parade of floats down the main street and finished with fireworks and a band in the evening. Most of the town seemed to be there, it was a lot of fun.
Date 04/2009. Park Rating 3.5:
Report submitted by Nicholstones (122).

Park is pretty good for Coober Pedy as there is not a blade of grass in the town. Friendly staff and great tours from the park itself with the owner George. Water is a precious resource in Coober Pedy so fill your tanks before you get there as there are no taps on sites. You can fill your tanks down the road before you leave and costs 20c for 10 litres, showers are 20c for 2 mins. Good management, friendly management, management was helpful. Good value for money. Good amenities, close to sites, were clean. Good sites, sites were level. Laundry. Good atmosphere to park, quiet. Suitable for a few days.
Likes: Tours and proximity to town.
Dislikes: Not to much due to limited water in town.
Parking: Some sites were a little small.
Date 04/2008. Park Rating 3.5:
Report submitted by Dunco (4).

Company Owned. Bear in mind you are now in central Australia, well and truly "outback" - don't expect too much from the parks out here except clean facilities. This park charges 20c for a 4 minute shower. Water is a big issue out here. Friendly staff, staff explained park layout and facilities. Reasonable value for money ($30.00 2A per night, powered, shoulder season). We paid $27.00 because of Top Tourist member. Amenity number was adequate to cope with the number of people, are close to all sites, were clean, condition is good, water pressure is good, there was adequate hot water, extra charge for shower, dry change area, paper towels/dryer provided, exhaust fans/good ventilation. Adequate number of tourist sites, mostly level sites, good night lighting, sites will accommodate small to medium vans, no sites with annex slabs, no sites are shaded. Basic laundry, no rec room, you can use your mobile wireless (carrier used was Telstra, reception quality was 3). Quiet, not enough shade, no permanents. No playground, no bbqs, no pool. Suitable for few days.
Likes: The park is close to the CBD and you can walk around town. The staff are obliging; we advised our van was too big for the site allocated and took up part of the second site adjacent, they said not to worry about it. The 20c charge for a 4 minute shower was enough for a good shower.
Dislikes: No water to sites, but understandable in this desert location. There are provisions throughout town at service stations to fill your water tanks but be prepared to pay for the privilege. Best to cart you own water in if you can.
Parking: Just park in the driveway leaving room for others to pass.
Local Information: There are a few good eating places in town; and several tours are available. If you have not been before take the tour out to the "Breakaways" - this includes a town tour and is a very good tour.
Roads: Good roads into and around town. Dirt roads to all points of interest out of town.
Date 03/2011. Park Rating 3:
Report submitted by Bob & Marion Cassidy (23).

Check in at the motel reception. Pull over at the entrance but try not to block access as it is quite busy with access to the motel area. Friendly staff, good staff response to complaints. Reasonable value for money ($30 2A, powered, shoulder season). Amenity number would not cope in peak times, are close to most sites, were clean, there was adequate hot water, extra charge for shower, soap provided, paper towels/dryer provided. Inadequate number of tourist sites, mostly level sites, good night lighting, sites will accommodate small to medium vans, no sites with concrete annex slabs, very few sites are shaded, drive-through sites, hard to negotiate into site. Good laundry, no rec room, wireless internet is available, you can use your mobile wireless (carrier used was Telstra, reception quality was 3). Not enough shade, no permanents. Bbq ($1), dismal bbq area atmosphere. No playground, no pool. Suitable for few days.
Likes: Close to town is the main benefit. Discount vouchers for the bottle shop and other items. Facilities whilst older were well maintained and clean. Showers are 20c for 4 mins with adequate hot water.
Dislikes: The sites are generally small and have small trees placed so you can't open the van door on some sites. We were allocated a site but couldn't get a 19ft van into it so chose another site and told the reception later. They were fine with that. There are a few drive thru sites that are closer to the motel units so you get the noise of workers leaving early, (I know I have been one of those workers a few times) I would stay at the Stuart Ranges instead for the same price
Local Information: if you want a town tour then walk over the road to the visitor information and book one for $50 instead of the discounted $60 the Opal Inn charges. Water is available next to the drive-in adjacent to the dump point. Pressure from the nozzle hose is too high to get much water into a tank so use a hose on the tap connection instead. Note that none of the parks offers water hook-up so make sure your tank is well filled before setting up. Water is good as it comes from a desal plant
Date 07/2010. Park Rating 3:
Report submitted by Richard & Marilyn, Langwarrin (23).

A very clean and welcoming park. Friendly staff, staff offered tourist advice, staff explained park layout and facilities. Very good value for money ($27 2A per night, shoulder season). Amenity number was adequate to cope with the number of people, are close to most sites, were clean, condition is very good, water pressure is good, there was adequate hot water, extra charge for shower, paper towels/dryer provided. Adequate number of tourist sites, mostly level sites, good night lighting, sites will accommodate medium to large vans, no sites with concrete annex slabs, shade to some sites, drive-through sites. Good laundry, wireless internet is available, you can use your mobile wireless (carrier used was Telstra, reception quality was 4). Peaceful, plenty of shade, no permanents. Clean UC gas bbq (free), congenial bbq area atmosphere, bbq area lighting. Suitable for few days, suitable for families, well maintained park, park is considered kid-safe.
Likes: Cleanliness and closeness to CBD.
Dislikes: Lack of taps but this is understandable for the area.
Date 06/2010. Park Rating 3.5:
Report submitted by Jon Williams (9).

This park is in a central situation in the main street. Located at rear of motel and hotel premises. Check-in is at the motel reception office. A member of Top Tourist Parks. The procedure upon arrival is to pick a site and sign in later. The cost of $28 per night 2A less the 10% discount was quite fair and reasonable. Access to the sites was not quite clear as it was necessary to ensure that you were not parked on a double site. Some sites were quite 'cosy' in that we were backed right up to the other van on our double sited block. There was no grass or concrete slabs for any site nor was there water to connect to the van. Water in the park was drinkable and tanks could be filled at a particular outlet in the park and also in the town for a small cost. As was expected there was plenty of dust around. The amenities were fine but not cleaned every day. The laundry was one of the rare ones that provided a hot water wash for only $3. TV and phone reception were good. The park was filled by 4pm each day. Discounts were given for the bottle shop and adjoining bistro etc. Once set up it was not necessary to use your car to get around town everything is a short walk to nearby shops. A good tour to really see the area was the Desert Caves tour. The coach picks up from the front of the park.
Likes: Its central location
Dislikes: Very small sites.
Date 08/2009. Park Rating 3.5:
Report submitted by Wandering Walls (24).

We really liked this park as an 'experience' stay in itself. Owner Rick will take you through a tour of the onsite opal mine (a bit pricey but we were educated about opal mining right from the start of our stay in Coober Pedy so..), and there is the underground camping area and TV room to be explored also. Most caravan sites were under a huge shadecloth structure, which had singular bays, and it saved us putting up the annex. BYO water as it is not available to the sites. 'Free' showers were available, which is a bit of a rarity in Coober Pedy and Barbara (co-owner) did a good job of explaining that water is precious and expensive in Coober Pedy and should be used sparingly-which was fair enough. Park was quiet and a little out of town, however was really well maintained with nicely done succulent gardens and really, really clean. At $28 per night we think it was very good value for money and would stay again. Recommended ventures in Coober Pedy - a $5 p/p personal tour through 'Fay's House' (a dug out) was exceptional value and very interesting; the underground history feature in the Desert Cave Hotel in town is free and open to all (lunch was great and reasonably priced in the hotel also); Coat of Arms pizza at John's Pizza in town was delicious and again very well priced especially with such exotic ingredients. Miner's Grocery Store (next to Post Office) had a surprisingly wide range of multicultural food stuffs and was very reasonably priced also. A trip out to the Breakaways and Painted Desert was magnificent - very different to what we had encountered driving through outback NT and SA.
Date 08/2011. Park Rating 3:
Report submitted by GeeNEmm (17).

Friendly staff, staff offered tourist advice. Reasonable value for money ($28 2A). Amenity number was adequate to cope with the number of people, are close to only some sites, were clean, condition is reasonable, water pressure is good, there was adequate hot water, soap provided, paper towels/dryer provided. Inadequate number of tourist sites, mostly level sites, good night lighting, sites will accommodate medium to large vans, no sites with annex slabs, shade to most sites, drive-through sites. Good laundry, good rec room, good camp kitchen, no wireless internet available, you can use your mobile wireless (carrier used was Telstra, reception quality was 4). Quiet, claustrophobic park, not enough shade, no permanents. Clean UC gas bbq (free), congenial bbq area atmosphere, bbq area lighting, seating provided at bbq. No playground, no pool. Suitable for overnighter.
Likes: Interesting underground campground
Date 06/2011. Park Rating 3:
Report submitted by Neil n Raine (22).

This park is very different to most, they do an underground tour of the mine, which in my opinion is far too expensive, from memory $20 each, but you get a discount on site fees. Friendly staff, staff offered tourist advice, staff explained park layout and facilities. Reasonable value for money ($18.75 with discount, 2A per night, powered, shoulder season). Amenity number was adequate to cope with the number of people, are close to most sites, were clean, condition is good, water pressure is good, there was adequate hot water, soap provided, dry change area, paper towels/dryer provided, exhaust fans/good ventilation. Adequate number of tourist sites, mostly level sites, good night lighting, no sites with concrete annex slabs, shade to some sites, drive-through sites, adequate taps close by, adequate sullage close by. Basic laundry, no rec room, camp kitchen, van parking, no wireless internet available. Peaceful, open & roomy park, not enough shade, no permanents. Clean UC gas bbq (free), congenial bbq area atmosphere, bbq area lighting, seating provided at bbq. No pool. Suitable for few days.
Likes: The site we were given had shade sails above which would be great in the hot weather (raining when we stayed)
Dislikes: Overcharge for mine tour. The road in can be very muddy and slippery, but ok if taken quietly
Date 05/2010. Park Rating 2.5:
Report submitted by Baz&Mick (113).

Manager's name is Rick and Barbara. Personally wouldn't stay at this park again, especially if you have young children. We have 4 year old and 16 month with us, nothing for them to do and manager not child friendly. Would stay closer to town at Sturt Range after talking to others in town, especially in wet times. Also toilets closed for 3 hours for cleaning (ridiculous amount of time for size of facility), which mould needs to be removed from ceilings, though they have 1 thunder dunny outside for when toilet/showers closed. On one day found 2 of the 3 toilets had no toilet roll about 1/2 hour after cleaning. Sites are very clean though could do with being re-levelled. Average staff friendliness, staff offered tourist advice, staff explained park layout and facilities. Reasonable value for money ($25 2A per night, powered, shoulder season). Amenity number was adequate to cope with the number of people, are close to most sites, cleanliness was average, condition is reasonable, water pressure is bad, there was adequate hot water. Adequate number of tourist sites, some level sites, poor night lighting, sites will accommodate medium to large vans, no sites with concrete annex slabs, shade to most sites, drive-through sites. Basic laundry, no rec room, good camp kitchen, no wireless internet available, mobile wireless not available(carrier used was Optus, reception quality was 1). Peaceful, open & roomy park, not enough shade, no permanents. Clean UC gas bbq, seating provided at bbq. No playground, no pool. Suitable for few days.
Dislikes: Found the manager is child-unfriendly, we are travelling with our children and grandchildren. Tight to get our larger van into site due to posts. The drawback with the shadecloth overhead is when it rains the water pools and drops become large, though in the summer heat would be great.
Local Information: many things to see around the area, breakaways a highlight as well as the old timers mine to name a couple.
Roads: if any rain expected would avoid the park as the William Creek Road becomes very slippery. We had concerns on the last night of our stay and was a concern on leaving.
Date 09/2010. Park Rating 2.5:
Report submitted by Bert and Sandy (1).

Manager's name is Rick & Barbara. This is a very interesting park set amongst the mine mounds on the outskirts of Coober Pedy. This park not only has sites for caravans, but also has underground camping facilities and underground budget accommodation. Rick and Barbara make you very welcome. Like most caravan parks in Coober Pedy water is extremely scarce, so make sure you have sufficient water in the van as you can't connect up to water, but there is drinking water available from the camp kitchen. Riba's is the only park that doesn't charge for showers. This is a very small park with a limited number of powered sites, although they are currently waiting for an electrician to put in power to the current unpowered sites. Very friendly staff, staff offered tourist advice, staff explained park layout and facilities. Price was as expected, reasonable value for money ($22 2A per night powered). Amenity number was adequate to cope with the number of people, are close to all sites, were clean, condition is good, water pressure is bad, there was adequate hot water, dry change area, exhaust fans/good ventilation, disabled facilities. Adequate number of tourist sites, mostly level sites, good night lighting, average sized sites, poor water quality. Good laundry, good camp kitchen. Peaceful, open and roomy, not enough shade, family/friendly atmosphere, no permanents. Clean UC gas bbq (free), congenial bbq area atmosphere, bbq area lighting, seating provided at bbq. No playground, no pool. Suitable for a few days, suitable for families, well maintained park, park is considered kid-safe.
Likes: The park is out of the town and is very peaceful.
Parking: At reception.
Added Touches: Rick does a mine tour by appointment, as the park is built over the old mine and if you take the tour then you get a discount on your first night's accommodation.
Local Information: Would recommend you do the town tour which leaves daily at 1.30 from the tourist centre. You can easily spend a few days visiting the underground houses, churches and Tom's Mine and browsing the numerous shops selling opals. Another must is to watch the sunset over the Breakaways (where the Mad Max films were made).
Roads: Good.
Date 05/2008. Park Rating 3:
Report submitted by Fran & Trevor (Shakazulu) Melbourne (131).

Very friendly staff, large sites, no slabs, some undercover sites, some shade, gravel sites, dump point, but no water at dump point to rinse cassette or around dump point. Remote site area do not expect grass, due to water supplies, all powered sites do not have water to them, however on entering there are facilities to fill your tanks for 20c for 40ltrs. Amenities clean, 20c shower, undercover pool, playground, good for week or more. Amenities closed from 10-1 each day which can be a pain if at camp all day. Pizza restaurant on site with great pizzas. Discount on pizza if you book the tour from the caravan park, plus $3 off at the Caltex for staying at the park. $27 2A per night, with Family Parks discount. Coober Pedy has lots to see, the tour from the park is great and very informative.
Date 08/2011. Park Rating 3:
Report submitted by Cob and Oma (43).

This park has some spots under a roof, first in best shaded, others are very open, trees don't grow too well in Coober Pedy. Covered spots would be tight fit height-wise for big rig if you want TV antenna up. Park has a pool, playground, well constructed facilities but showers need additional 20c coins and the lights turn off quickly at night. Pizza kitchen at office (nice but expensive). All sites self-choose, room for big rigs, especially on sites on the bends of the oval. There is a dump point but in an awkward spot for a big rig. Main downside is price, $30 per night powered and no water available. Apparently no water at any parks in Coober Pedy so make sure your tanks are full from Port Augusta from S or Alice from N. Park's afternoon tour was good though, best way to see this area as tracks are often unmarked around the opal fields, or only open to permitted vehicles. Recommend the Greek Taverna in town for an excellent special meal out (the mixed meat platter for 2 was delicious, and the Greek desserts big and luscious). The outback diner did great kebabs too, but nothing is cheap in Coober Pedy.
Date 07/2011. Park Rating 2.5:
Report submitted by Jenny and Adrian (19).

This park a little out of town which proved to be best due to other parks in town are close to noisy locals. No parks in town have water connected, however you can purchase water for a small fee. Showers are 20cents, however 40cents will give a good shower. Friendly staff, staff offered tourist advice, staff explained park layout and facilities. Good value for money ($30.00 2A per night, powered, peak season). We paid $27.00 because of Family Parks Discount. Amenity number was adequate to cope with the number of people, are close to most sites, cleanliness was average, condition is good, water pressure is good, there was adequate hot water, extra charge for shower, dry change area. Adequate number of tourist sites, mostly level sites, good night lighting, sites will accommodate large motorhomes and 5th wheelers, no sites with annex slabs, shade to some sites, drive-through sites. Basic laundry, no rec room, basic camp kitchen, kiosk, dump point, you can use your mobile wireless (carrier used was Telstra, reception quality was 4). Quiet, open & roomy park, not enough shade, no permanents. Clean UC bbq, bbq area lighting, seating provided at bbq. Clean pool is shaded, kid-safe pool area, tables and chairs provided. Suitable for few days.
Likes: Away from town, drive though sites in large part of park
Dislikes: No mops in the amenities
Parking: separate lane for check-in
Added Touches: Pizza Restaurant attached to park, best pizza's even better than the one in town. If stay more than one night your are offered to take your receipt to Caltex to redeem 3 cents off per litre of fuel. Park has own tours that take you around the area
Local Information: Tom and Mary's Greek Taverna is a great place, but best to book in busy times. Crocodile Harry's is a little out of the way, but well worth a look at this quirky place. Old Timers Mine gives you a good idea of the history. Star Opal at the bottom of the main street has reasonably priced opal.
Date 07/2011. Park Rating 3.5:
Report submitted by Our Donnie (86).

There are no water taps in this park. Water can be purchased in the park and in town. The town water is cheaper and the fill point is on the main street opposite the Centrelink office. There is also a dump point at this location. Average staff friendliness, staff explained park layout and facilities. Reasonable value for money ($30 2A per night, powered, peak season). We paid $27 because of Chain discount. Amenity number was adequate to cope with the number of people, are close to only some sites, were clean, condition is good, water pressure is good, there was adequate hot water, extra charge for shower. Adequate number of tourist sites, mostly level sites, poor night lighting, sites will accommodate large motorhomes and 5th wheelers, no sites with annex slabs, very few sites are shaded, drive-through sites. Basic laundry, no rec room, you can use your mobile wireless (carrier used was Telstra, reception quality was 4). Quiet, open & roomy park, not enough shade, no permanents. Good playground in good condition. Clean pool is shaded, kid-safe pool area, tables and chairs provided. Suitable for few days, suitable for families.
Local Information: There is a pizza cafe on site and also an award winning pizza restaurant in town. Lots to see and do in and around the town and most of it is free. The park also run half day trips around the town and out to The Breakaways at a cost of $60pp. Although we had a good time, and met some nice people, we didn't visit anything that we couldn't have done on our own.
Date 04/2011. Park Rating 3:
Report submitted by TeePee (117).

Large sites which are easy to get into, many are drive through. Park is all gravel but in this climate that is to be expected and despite some unusually heavy rain while we were here there was no problem with mud. There are no water connections at this park or at any Coober Pedy park, but you can fill your van tanks for 20c per 40 litres as you enter/leave the park. Showers are 20c per 3 mins. Average staff friendliness, staff explained park layout and facilities. Reasonable value for money ($30 2A per night, powered, shoulder season). Amenity number was adequate to cope with the number of people, are close to all sites, were clean, condition is good, water pressure is good, there was adequate hot water, extra charge for shower, soap provided, paper towels/dryer provided, exhaust fans/good ventilation, disabled facilities. Adequate number of tourist sites, mostly level sites, good night lighting, sites will accommodate large motorhomes and 5th wheelers, no sites with annex slabs, very few sites are shaded, drive-through sites. Good laundry, no rec room, good camp kitchen, kiosk, dump point, you can use your mobile wireless (carrier used was Telstra, reception quality was 4). Peaceful, open & roomy park, not enough shade, no permanents. Clean UC electric bbq ($1), congenial bbq area atmosphere, bbq area lighting, seating provided at bbq. Good playground in good condition. Clean pool is shaded, tables and chairs provided. Suitable for few days.
Date 05/2011. Park Rating 3.5:
Report submitted by The Meadows (20).

Water has to be paid for so the gravel is understanding and a lot has been done around this issue. There is a shade cloth area as part of a drive through and there are trees in various stages. Shower is 20c for 3 mins plenty of time (long shower for 40c); other places charge a lot more. Friendly staff, staff explained park layout and facilities. Good value for money. Amenity number was adequate to cope with the number of people, are close to most sites, were clean, condition is good, water pressure is good, there was adequate hot water, extra charge for shower. Adequate number of tourist sites, mostly level sites, good night lighting, sites will accommodate large motorhomes and 5th wheelers, no sites with concrete annex slabs, shade to some sites, drive-through sites. Good laundry, camp kitchen, you can use your mobile wireless (carrier used was Telstra). Peaceful, open & roomy park, not enough shade, a few permanents. Clean UC gas bbq (free), congenial bbq area atmosphere, bbq area lighting. Good playground in good condition. Clean pool. Suitable for a week or more, well maintained park.
Likes: The owner Yanni (john) does a tour of Coober Pedy over 4 hours very informative value for money and good sense of humour. The pizza was the best not only enjoyed by us but others as well.
Local Information: The Coober Pedy tour encompasses the Breakaways, opal mining the dingo fence and the dugouts worth the $50.00 each
Date 09/2010. Park Rating 3.5:
Report submitted by Turtle Tourers (8).

Click here to see more reports for Stuart Range Caravan Park

Manager's name is Prue & Geoff. A nice neatly kept campground, with hot showers (donkey boiler) and very clean toilets but no power. The toilets are drop toilets but are very clean and well maintained. The camp sites are scattered between trees around the park. You self register then find yourself a site but at $10 per person we thought it a bit expensive for what is supplied. There is a thermal pool (very small) which is very refreshing after a long days drive. Amenity number would not cope in peak times, are close to only some sites, were clean, condition is good, there was adequate hot water - but not if busy, soap provided. Peaceful, open and roomy. Suitable for families, well maintained park, park is considered kid-safe.
Roads: Not bad for gravel roads.
Date 05/2011. Campground Rating 2:
Report submitted by Fran & Trevor (Shakazulu) Melbourne (131).

Very friendly staff. Good value for money ($10.00 2A per night, unpowered, shoulder season). Amenity number was adequate to cope with the number of people, are close to only some sites, cleanliness was average, condition is reasonable, water pressure is good, there was adequate hot water, dry change area. Adequate number of tourist sites, mostly level sites, poor night lighting, sites will accommodate large motorhomes and 5th wheelers, no sites with concrete annex slabs, shade to some sites, drive-through sites, poor water quality. No rec room, late checkout allowed, no wireless internet available., mobile wireless not available. Peaceful, open & roomy park, plenty of shade, no permanents. Dirty wood bbq (free), congenial bbq area atmosphere, seating provided at bbq. No playground, no pool. Suitable for few days, suitable for families.
Likes: Flushing loos and donkey boiler for hot showers. Memorial to pioneer settlers from the area. Restoration of the township of Farina. No booking is required.
Added Touches: Able to purchase wood from owner of campground. A good 2-3 hour tag along tour is available of the station property
Roads: Birdsville track at this point is a mixture of dirt and bitumen.
Date 08/2010. Campground Rating 3:
Report submitted by P & E, Aberfoyle Park (48).

We rated this park at the start of 2010 and it was abysmal. This time around we have stopped there twice about 4 days apart and had two contrasting results. The first stop was early in the week and the place looked much better than it did. Staff were quite friendly, lawns a little unkempt but at least they looked cared for and the amenities block was clean, loads of hot water to boot. The pool still looked like it needed a major overhaul though. Our second stop 4 nights later and it looked like the amenities block hadn't been touched. We stopped early in the day due to the heat and not once did a staff member appear in the park/pool/motel units area. We ended up turning the sprinkler next to us off just after dark. It is an easy option rather than pushing through to the next place either north or south. And it looks like a great place to park up and explore the outback a bit minus the caravan. The shop area feels a lot more cared for this time around, however no office staff meant check in via the supermarket and no chance to get any touristy info.
Date 01/2012. Park Rating 2.5:
Report submitted by Necani Nomads (40).

Lovely little park. Staff friendliness is average. There is a pool. You pay a $5 deposit for the key to the gate which is refundable on return. Dirt sites. Amenities in good condition and clean. Plenty of hot water and good pressure. Good value $25 2A per night. We stayed two nights. Would definitely stay again.
Date 05/2011. Park Rating 3:
Report submitted by S D D (13).

Very bad: Staff were totally uninterested in us, no information was offered until I asked for it, a few 'grassed' areas that were posted with keep off signs, so parking was basically in the roadway. The most disturbing aspect of our stay would be one of many things, the disgusting amenities block that was not clean mid afternoon of our stay and was full of bugs and other items that belonged elsewhere, the total absence of hot water, or the fact that staff dogs were apparently allowed to roam free, of the four that we saw, all approached our van and our dog, one became rather threatening when it approached the door of our van and only left when we threatened it back. After this, while taking our dog for a walk (leashed and doing the right thing) we were approached by a different dog who became very aggressive and threatening. This is not acceptable in any way. Upon mentioning this to a staff member the following morning we were told that they were trying to do something about that particular animal, but no mention of how long this had been a problem. We were also quite concerned for the welfare of the tourists in tents, we did not allow our dog outside for the night as were that worried. Unfriendly staff, average staff response to complaints. Amenity number was adequate to cope with the number of people, are close to most sites, were dirty, condition is poor, water pressure is bad, there was inadequate hot water. Adequate number of tourist sites, mostly level sites, poor night lighting, no sites with concrete annex slabs, very few sites are shaded. Noisy, not enough shade.
Date 01/2010. Park Rating 1:
Report submitted by Necani Nomads (40).

Average staff friendliness, staff explained park layout and facilities. Price was as expected, reasonable value for money ($29 A3 2C per night, powered, off-peak season). Amenity number was adequate to cope with the number of people, are close to most sites, were clean, condition is reasonable, dry change area, paper towels/dryer provided. Adequate number of tourist sites, mostly level sites, poor night lighting, average sized sites, no sites with concrete annex slabs, shade to some sites, drive-through sites, poor water quality. Poor laundry, no rec room. Peaceful, open & roomy park, plenty of shade, family/friendly atmosphere. No bbqs, no playground. Dirty pool is open to sun, kid-safe pool area. Suitable for overnighter, park is considered kid-safe.
Likes: Better than we had expected and best we had seen since leaving Ayers Rock, some grassed area with shade, good overnighter. Roadhouse had a good bar, restaurant & supermarket.
Date 10/2009. Park Rating 2.5:
Report submitted by The Nielsens (50).

Desert type park with dirt sites little shade no water. Very basic amenities block. Hotel serves meals and has a bar. Safe over night stay on your trip alone the Stuart Hwy
Date 09/2009. Park Rating 1:
Report submitted by S, S and S (40).

No bookings taken, first in is best dressed. You pick a spot next to your choice of piece of grass, because you are parking on the roadway they are all equivalent to drive through sites. Check services first - most spots didn't have water, just power. Average staff friendliness, staff explained park layout and facilities. Price was lower than expected, reasonable value for money ($18 2A per night, powered Amenity number was adequate to cope with the number of people, are close to most sites, cleanliness was average, condition is poor, water pressure is good, there was adequate hot water, paper towels/dryer provided, exhaust fans/good ventilation. Adequate number of tourist sites, mostly level sites, poor night lighting, large sites, no sites with concrete annex slabs, shade to some sites, drive-through sites, poor water quality, kiosk. Quiet, open & roomy park, plenty of shade, no permanents. Dirty UC gas bbq (free), dismal bbq area atmosphere. Dirty pool, pool is open to sun, kid-safe pool area, toddlers catered for. Suitable for overnighter, suitable for families.
Dislikes: Facilities were not well maintained, some showers had a tap missing or spurted water all over, no shower curtains meant 'dry' area was wet and dirty after the first shower. No plugs or soap for basins. BBQs were in poor condition, with warped plates and very dirty.
Added Touches: Road house has general store, fuel, bar, cafe, post office, Commonwealth bank branch.
Local Information: Spend an extra night and do a day trip down the Oodnadatta Track, lunch at the Pink Roadhouse in Oodnadatta then return via the Painted Desert. The trip down is a bit boring, easy dirt road (the interesting bits of the track seem to be S of Oodnadatta where the old Ghan railway ran) but the trip back is fantastic, 4WD only. Deflate tyres at Marla as per Pink Roadhouse website, reinflate at Cadney Homestead.
Roads: 'Track' from Oodnadatta is very good wide dirt road, saw one other vehicle in 200km from Marla.
Date 04/2009. Park Rating 2.5:
Report submitted by Nicholstones (122).

A powered site is $25 per night. Managers were friendly and helpful and organised good value campfire dinners, tourist information, Lake Eyre flights etc. However the owner allows the park to be in a generally unattractive and poorly maintained state with little shelter provided from wind or dust. The amenities are housed in old and nearly derelict transportables eg in the Ladies showers water pours straight through the rotten floorboards into a spreading puddle of grey water beneath the building. It is impossible to clean the decaying lino. There are many travellers on the tracks in the area and Marree is at a significant junction so there is plenty of business available for this park but the owner seems to have no idea of organisation or maintenance of a caravan park. Many owners of parks/campgrounds in equally isolated outback places do much better. This park was disappointing and we could not recommend it.
Date 06/2011. Park Rating 1.5:
Report submitted by John and Lynne (14).

Average staff friendliness. Poor value for money ($25 2A per night, powered). Amenity number was adequate to cope with the number of people, are close to all sites, were dirty, condition is poor, water pressure is bad. Adequate number of tourist sites, mostly level sites, poor night lighting, sites will accommodate medium to large vans, no sites with annex slabs, very few sites are shaded, drive-through sites, poor water quality. No rec room, no camp kitchen, no wireless internet available, mobile wireless not available. Peaceful, not enough shade, a few permanents. No playground, no bbqs, no pool. Suitable for overnighter.
Likes: The pub and roadhouse/cafe are only a short walk away
Dislikes: The amenities block is extremely run down, lots of spiders in there, the showers had no doors only a curtain and the only drying area was communal. The taps on sites all leaked really badly at the spigot, we had to only turn the tap on when we were running a tap in the van.
Local Information: Took a flight over Lake Eyre from Marree which was a highlight.
Roads: Roads into Marree are all dirt, good in dry weather, but can become impassable quickly if it rains.
Date 04/2011. Park Rating 1.5:
Report submitted by The Meadows (20).

Centrally located but very tired. Showers and toilets are in run down dongas, few in number and very short on room. Did not appear to be clean at any time during our two night stay. Due to the camel races, all sites were occupied and space was limited. Best aspect is location which allows a stroll to the hotel or roadhouse cafe or Lake Eyre Yacht Club. Manager was perfunctory and not overly helpful. No site bookings are allowed and we were told twice by phone that we would not have a problem getting in. On arrival we jagged the last powered site and subsequently witnessed a continual stream of people being turned away. Each night, the generator shut down at least twice in the early morning hours. Average staff friendliness, staff explained park layout and facilities. Poor value for money ($25 2A per night, powered, peak season). Amenity number would not cope in peak times, are close to most sites, were dirty, condition is poor, water pressure is good, there was inadequate hot water. Adequate number of tourist sites, mostly level sites, poor night lighting, sites will accommodate large motorhomes and 5th wheelers, no sites with concrete annex slabs, very few sites are shaded, poor water quality. Basic laundry, no wireless internet available, mobile wireless not available. Noisy, not enough shade, a few permanents. Clean gas bbq (free), congenial bbq area atmosphere. Suitable for overnighter, suitable for families.
Likes: Central location within walking distance from hotel.
Dislikes: Not being able to book. Poor amenities.
Local Information: Proximity to Lake Eyre and Cooper Creek Ferry. The hotel is an icon and serves great meals.
Roads: Despite being gravel or dirt, all three major roads into the town were in good condition with care needed at creek lines and floodways.
Date 07/2010. Park Rating 2:
Report submitted by Jon Williams (9).

Manager's name is Bruce. Average staff friendliness, average staff response to complaints. Poor value for money ($25.00 2A per night, unpowered). Amenity number would not cope in peak times, are close to only some sites, were dirty, condition is poor, water pressure is good, there was inadequate hot water, exhaust fans/good ventilation, disabled facilities. Adequate number of tourist sites, mostly level sites, poor night lighting, sites will accommodate large motorhomes and 5th wheelers, no sites with annex slabs, very few sites are shaded, drive-through sites, poor water quality. Basic laundry, no rec room, no camp kitchen, no wireless internet available, mobile wireless not available. Quiet, open & roomy park, not enough shade, no permanents. Dirty UC wood bbq, dismal bbq area atmosphere. No pool. Suitable for overnighter.
Likes: Fire pits
Dislikes: cleanliness of amenities, no drinking water, no sullage, too many rats and mice. Too expensive. Diesel was $2.20 per litre, the dearest on the Oodnadatta track. Unable to buy any groceries e.g. bread, milk, bottled water.
Parking: Ok
Roads: Dirt road, just graded when we were on it.
Date 07/2011. Campground Rating 1:
Report submitted by P & E, Aberfoyle Park (48).

Book in and pay at the hotel. The campground is over the road from the hotel. We stayed one night. Poor value at $35 per night 2A, plus on talking to a family they also charge $17.50 per child to stay there. The dongas look good, but upon inspection the showers are in bad condition. It is bore water but a bit of TLC would not go astray. I had to hold the shower rose so that the water ran on me and not the wall. There was plenty of hot water and reasonably good pressure. No drinking water that I could see. We had dinner at the hotel and it was great. The girls working there were so friendly. Prices for meals were not too bad. However a lot of things food-wise were very expensive. Diesel was $2 a litre. There were a lot of mice and we spent a lot of time getting them out of our camper. But this is to be expected with the amount of rain.
Likes: Not much. Friendly staff on check-in
Dislikes: state of the amenities and price.
Parking: plenty of parking.
Local Information: Great meal at the hotel. Lake Eyre.
Date 05/2011. Campground Rating 1.5:
Report submitted by S D D (13).

Not being aware of the standard of the campground, we had booked a hotel room. Knowing what we know now, we would have opted for a powered campsite without doubt. Hotel rooms have no kettles but if you ask, you can get one plus milk. Poor value for money ($130 2A per night, hotel room, shoulder season). Room was clean, condition is good, water pressure is good, there was adequate hot water, separate bathroom, soap provided, exhaust fans/good ventilation Friendly staff, staff offered tourist advice. No wireless internet available, mobile wireless not available. Campground: Mostly level sites, good night lighting, sites will accommodate large motorhomes and 5th wheelers, no sites with concrete annex slabs, shade to some sites, drive-through sites. Peaceful, open & roomy park, plenty of shade, no permanents. Suitable for overnighter, suitable for families, well maintained park, park is considered kid-safe.
Likes: We were impressed at the newness of the amenity dongas and overall cleanliness of the park. It is immediately across the road from the pub. The pub has very good quality food and the staff were very helpful and efficient. The campground is within an easy stroll to the airfield. You do need to be mindful that you are crossing a main road when you leave the pub and be aware of traffic.
Date 07/2010. Campground Rating 3:
Report submitted by Jon Williams (9).