Yorke Peninsula is a popular spot for South Australian caravan and campers to visit for holidays and it’s becoming more and more popular with interstate visitors too with great fishing, pristine waters and white sandy beaches.

As well as beachside caravan parks, there are 19 bush camping campgrounds where you can stay off grid in some equally spectacular coastal locations.

In the past you could purchase a permit that covered any and all of the campgrounds that you may want to visit, but as of the 1^st of July 2024 things have changed and the Yorke Peninsula Council have launched a new online booking system. This new system means you have to book a specific campground, but can still choose a site once you arrive, as sites aren’t marked or numbered.

The booking system came about because of the popularity of the campgrounds and environmental concerns. Campers will now have to book a specific campground because all campgrounds now have a maximum capacity limit. This is a good thing really, so at least you won’t be overcrowded when you visit.

The online booking system won’t allow for any more permit sales if sites have reached their limits, meaning campers should have a more enjoyable and spacious time. The price per night has also increased to $20 per night, but discounts are still available for longer stays. Weekly permits can be purchased where you can stay seven night and pay for five.

The new system will also allow you to update your booking dates, and how many nights you intend staying and refunds can be given for cancellations if made at least seven days before the arrival date. Permits have to be purchased before setting up camp as you may not have internet access in some areas.

These changes now mean that you have to book each individual campsite in advance if you intend travelling around the peninsula using the bush camps, but at least it means you’re guaranteed a space when you arrive.

All but two of the 19 campgrounds have toilets, but campers / caravanners are requested to take their rubbish out and dispose of them in bin banks located in various towns.

The Yorke Peninsula Council is following a lot of other councils where the council owned campsites have to be booked online which on one hand sounds like a great idea to guarantee a spot, but it also raises a couple of questions.

For instance if you’ve never been to the campsites before it makes it hard to know if you really want to stay there, also for a lot of older travellers I know they are averse to booking and paying online for anything, so this will be a tricky one for them.

Sure you can probably also go into the council office to book and pay, but that won’t be helpful out of hours or on weekends. It will be interesting to see if these online booking systems are for the better or not.

For further information and to book a bush campground site, visit the Yorke Peninsula Council bush camping page.

Happy camping

Glenys