This campground, while basic in features, was peaceful, safe and with plenty of trees around, shady. We would definitely stay here again when passing through.
Website: N/A
Fee Category: Free
Booking: No
Powered Sites: No
Dog Friendly: Yes
Amenities: No
Dump point: No, in town
Pool: No
Fire pits: Yes
Telstra: Yes
Starlink: Trees may be a problem
Generator: Yes
A sandy beach next to the river providing easy access to the water for a swim
Our Experience
This is quite a large campground, with lots of places to set yourself up away from other campers. You can also swim in the river, with easy access just a short walk away.
The road goes down into the campground, you veer left at the fork to go closer to the river, or go right, and be further away from the river. The main difference will be the trees, if wanting shade, stay by the river, on the other hand if you want to use Starlink, better off further away form the river, less trees. We had no problems with Telstra reception here.
The ground is relatively level, though if it has been raining it could get very slippery, so caution will be needed.
The campground felt safe, and was peaceful when we where there. Plenty of campers around and having camp fires is a bonus.
There is a sign about 1080 poison, being used in the area, not at the campground, but these things can be carried by birds etc, so some caution needed for your fur babies.
Boulia
Boulia is a tiny settlement on the edge of the desert. It is the administrative centre for the Boulia Shire Council which covers an area of 61,176 sq. km “of rugged landscape, open Mitchell grass downs and channel country which is noted for being one of the best Australian natural wool/beef producing country” as the Mayor of Boulia puts it. This is a true outback experience.
Boulia town itself is small, but it is home to the famous Min Min lights, there is the excellent Min Min encounter show , which we thought was very well done. There is also the Heritage Center to have a look at as well.
Basic supplies are available here, just watch out for the hours, the grocery store closes at midday on a Sunday. Caught us out.
Below is a table for the average weather conditions in the area, take note that during the summer months temps are high and so is the potential for rain.
Weather averages for Boulia
Month
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
June
July
Aug
Sept
Oct
Nov
Dec
Temp Max C
38.5
37.5
35.5
31.6
26.7
23.3
22.9
25.8
30.2
34.3
37.0
38.6
Temp Min C
24.7
24.1
21.9
17.3
12.6
9.1
7.8
9.6
13.7
18.0
21.5
23.5
Rain Avg (mm)
48.0
48.3
36.8
12.8
12.6
10.5
9.6
6.3
7.8
14.0
21.2
30.5
This table will show the average temp min/max rainfall per month
Feedback
We love hearing from fellow travelers — your thoughts help others too!
Have you stayed at Burke River Boulia? Let us know in the comments below. And if you’re enjoying our campsite reviews, subscribe to get new posts straight to your inbox:
When you’re towing a caravan across Australia’s vast and varied roads, safety and reliability are everything. One often overlooked factor that can make or break your trip is wheel alignment. A caravan that’s even slightly out of alignment can cause uneven tyre wear, poor handling, increased fuel consumption, and, in the worst cases, dangerous sway on the highway.
Why Wheel Alignment Matters
Tyre life: Misaligned wheels chew through rubber much faster, leading to costly replacements.
Fuel efficiency: More drag equals higher fuel consumption — a hidden cost of misalignment.
Safety: Poor alignment can reduce stability, especially at highway speeds or on rough outback roads.
Stress reduction: A van that tows smoothly takes stress off the tow vehicle, driver, and passengers.
Monitoring Alignment on the Road
Australia’s roads can be unforgiving, potholes, corrugations, and long stretches of uneven bitumen can all knock your caravan’s wheels out of alignment mid-trip. That’s why it’s important to keep an eye on things as you travel.
A simple DIY method I use on my own caravan is marking the alignment adjusters with a permanent marker. This way, I can visually check at a glance if anything has shifted while I’m on the road. It only takes a second during a fuel stop or at a campsite, and it gives you peace of mind.
This method only works if you know the wheel alignment is correct to begin with. So, the best thing to do, before going on any trip, is to load the caravan up and get it wheel aligned professionally.
I have been advised that when you get a new caravan, the initial wheel alignment (if any) would be done on an empty caravan, as the caravan gets loaded up, just like your car the alignment changes.
So if you have just got a new van, or second hand one, best to get a wheel alignment done by someone who knows what they are doing.
Other quick checks:
Look for uneven tyre wear when you stop.
Pay attention to changes in towing feel (does the caravan start pulling to one side?).
Check wheel temperatures after long hauls — one wheel running hotter can be a sign of trouble.
A Habit Worth Keeping
This is something I did from the beginning, when we first got the caravan, I marked the adjusters, and every now and again I poked my head underneath to have a look, they just stayed there, nothing moving. All good.
It was not until we started the Oodnadatta track that the adjusters would start moving, every night, at camp I would check, and get the spanners out and put them back to where they should be.
By the time we got to Alice Springs, I was adjusting them back nearly every night. Even when we left the dirt roads and back on the tar seal, they would still move out of adjustment. It was not until I got a wheel alignment done at Alice Springs that ever since then everything has been ok.
We even went from Alice Springs to Boulia over the Plenty/Donohue Hwy, no problems.
I am convinced, had I not marked the adjusters, I would have not known about the wheel alignment moving, and I would have probably destroyed 2 tyres, or worse got stuck somewhere with a blowout.
Feedback
We love hearing from fellow travellers — your thoughts help others too!
Have you got any tips to share? Let us know in the comments below. And if you’re enjoying our campsite reviews, subscribe to get new posts straight to your inbox:
We have been on the road for 11 months, and my understanding of what happens to waste water in a caravan grey water tank has changed over that time. In the beginning I thought grey water was just that, grey water, what I did not know was it can turn into Black water quickly.
In the not too distant past, when there wasn’t so many travelers dumping the grey water on the ground at campsites probably wouldn’t have caused any problems, but as this lifestyle and caravaning/camping in general has become so much more popular, the volume of grey water getting dumped has increased markedly. So changes are needed as to how grey water is handled.
What is Grey Water?
Grey water is the water that comes from your kitchen sink, shower, washing machine (non toilet waste), it will contain soaps, food waste, hair, dead skin cells and any other grime and gunk that can fit down a plug hole.
In a lot of caravans, it goes into a grey water holding tank and/or straight out on the ground, or down a drain.
Now if you have observed the water coming straight out of the pipe, you may notice it does not have a pungent smell and you would be correct in thinking this is relatively harmless water, ok you wouldn’t drink it, but if you got it on your hands you wouldn’t be too concerned. Also it would be unlikely to harm any plants/wildlife, so in a dry area you would be doing the plants a favor by giving them some extra water.
Where Does Black Water Come From?
The grey water tank in a caravan can contain grey water for an unlimited amount of time, but the problem here is that after a short amount of time, as short as 12 hours in hot humid conditions, the bacteria and other nasties start to multiply, you see, this environment is a perfect breeding ground for bugs/germs.
If you have ever emptied a grey water tank that has contained grey water for a few days or more, then you will immediately notice the smell. Very pungent. Unlike before, with the grey water coming straight out, you would not even want to touch this stuff, let alone smell it. Imagine someone pulling up at a campsite and just dumping this stuff on the ground? If everyone did this we would all be going into cesspits.
So when on the road what should you do with this grey/black water? A difficult question as sometimes you can be in places where it is not easy to get rid of it.
What We Do
We have not been perfect, to begin with we did not appreciate the grey water turning to black water, we learnt this later on. Also the caravan getting a bad smell in it after driving with a partially full grey water tank, yes we have been there, and also scratching our heads as to why was this happening.
So moving forward, after much research and thought, we have put some plans into place to handle grey water responsibly.
If able, don’t store it. Unless there is a sign which says you must be fully self contained, or no grey water on the ground, then it goes on the ground or down the drain straight away.
If possible, use a sullage hose to direct it to a tree or in the bushes.
Sullage hose
Minimize water usage.
Caravan parks usually have drains for grey water. Make this your next stop after a campsite that requires you to keep your grey water contained.
Dump points, using a portable container. Many dump points are above road level, meaning getting your sullage hose out won’t work. You won’t be able to empty the grey water tank properly. Use a portable container.
Draining grey water to a portable container
Food scraps are a nightmare for your grey water tank, (and they smell). Scrape leftover food into the bin before washing your dishes, we use wet wipes or paper towels to remove most of the left over foodstuffs off the plate before giving the plates a final wash.
Use biodegradable products
What Not To Do
Don’t let your grey water go into your neighbors campsite
Don’t empty onto the road while driving, easily detectable and fineable and not nice for those following.
Never dump grey water in natural waterways like rivers, lakes, or storm drains. It’s harmful to the environment and often illegal.
Feedback
We love hearing from fellow travelers — your thoughts help others too!
How do you handle the grey water? Let us know in the comments below. And if you’re enjoying our Van Life series, subscribe to get new posts straight to your inbox:
If you’re thinking about getting into caravaning but haven’t bought a van or a tow vehicle yet, you’re in the perfect position to get things right from the start. Before you fall in love with a caravan at the dealership or grab that dual cab ute on sale, you need to understand one thing: weights.
Acronyms like GVM, ATM, TBM, and GCM aren’t just red tape, they’re make-or-break numbers that will decide what you can tow, how safely you can do it, and whether your setup is even legal.
In this guide, we’ll break down each of the key towing terms, show you how they fit together, and help you avoid the common traps that leave new caravan owners stuck, overloaded, or frustrated.
What All the Caravan and Towing Acronyms Really Mean
Before you buy a caravan or a tow vehicle, get yourself familiar with these key weight terms. They form the rules of the game when it comes to safe and legal towing.
Let’s start with the “empty weights,” but keep in mind—no one tows empty. The loaded figures are what actually matter on the road.
Kerb Weight (Car, Ute, SUV)
The weight of the tow vehicle with a full tank of fuel, all standard fluids, and no passengers or cargo and no accessories, not even a tow-bar.
Why it matters: It’s your starting point to work out how much payload (stuff) you can carry.
Tare Mass(Caravan)
The weight of the caravan or tow vehicle when it leaves the factory. Includes standard equipment but no water, gas, luggage, food, or people.
Why it matters: Tells you how much capacity you have before hitting your legal limits.
Reality check: Kerb weight and Tare are rarely what you’re driving or towing with. You’ll always be over those numbers. In theory, they’re useful. In reality? They’re mostly academic.
GVM – Gross Vehicle Mass
The maximum legal weight of your tow vehicle, fully loaded with driver, passengers, fuel, gear, and if towing the tow ball weight (TBM)
Set by the manufacturer. You can get this upgraded, but bear in mind there are a lot of caveats, like it may not include GCM or rear Axle loads upgrades, then there is pre / post rego, and each state has different rules.
Why it matters: Many people exceed GVM without realizing it, especially when towing.
ATM – Aggregate Trailer Mass
The maximum loaded weight of the caravan when it’s not hitched up.
Includes everything: water, gas, food, clothes, bikes, annexes.
Why it matters: This is the top limit stamped on your caravan compliance plate. Exceed it and you’re illegal. This is where the caravan payload comes in. Too small and you will blow it easily.
TBM – Tow Ball Mass
The downward force the caravan applies to the vehicle’s tow ball.
Usually 8–12% of the ATM, but it depends on loading and caravan design.
Why it matters: It counts toward your car’s GVM and rear axle load. Too heavy, and you could be overloaded even if your van is “legal.”
GTM – Gross Trailer Mass
The caravan’s total weight when hooked up, meaning part of the weight is on the car via the tow ball.
GTM = ATM – TBM
Why it matters: GTM sits on the trailer’s own wheels, so it’s what your caravan axles and suspension are handling.
diagram showing ATM and GTM
GCM – Gross Combination Mass
The maximum total weight of the tow vehicle and the caravan combined.
Set by the tow vehicle’s manufacturer.
Why it matters: Even if both your car and van are under their own limits, you can still be over GCM. That’s a common mistake.
Rear Axle Load
Even if you’re under GVM and GCM, you can still be overloaded if your rear axle is carrying too much.
Tow Ball Mass (TBM) transfers directly to the rear axle.
Add a canopy, drawers, fridge, tools, and passengers, all of that piles onto the rear.
Most utes and wagons have lower rear axle limits than you’d expect.
Payload
How much weight you can add to the car or caravan before hitting the GVM or ATM.
Payload: Car=GVM – Kerb (Caravan= ATM – Tare)
Why it matters: Accessories, tools, people, food, water, camping gear—all this eats into your payload.
Where to Find Towing Specs for a Vehicle
Sometimes it is not easy to find on the manufactures website. You can try the handbook for your car or my favorite way is a search through Google on Redbook.com.au, I would do a search like below –
Google search i.e redbook Isuzu D-max 2023, or use the search on redbook.com.au
Redbook search
Find the particular model of car that you have, then scroll down and go to Overview –> Specifications –> Dimensions & Weights
Below are the main specifications we are concerned about for this example vehicle.
Tare Mass 1960 kg
Kerb Weight 2015 kg
Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) 3000 kg
Gross Combination Mass (GCM)5850 kg
Payload 985 kg
Towing Capacity (braked) 3500 kg
Maximum Towball Download (TBM) 350 kg
Maximum Front Axle Load 1450 kg
Maximum Rear Axle Load 1910 kg
For the caravan you should be able to get the ATM from the manufactures site, or the compliance plate.
Summary
Whether you’re towing a small pop-top or a full-size off-road caravan, your tow vehicle needs to match the weight, the purpose, and the legal limits. Here’s a breakdown of the main classes of tow vehicles in Australia with one or two examples for each.
Also you need to consider how long your road trips are going to be, a few weeks/year, then you probably want an all rounder vehicle, longer time frame say a year + then probably might want to move up a size or two.
For maximum stability when towing, you want the tow vehicle to be heavier than the towed vehicle.
1. Dual Cab Utes (Most Common for Touring)
Great balance of towing capacity, payload, and versatility. Perfect for towing most caravans under 3,000 kg.
Isuzu D-MAX — 3,500 kg towing, 6,000 kg GCM, known for reliability and simplicity.
Ford Ranger — 3,500 kg towing, strong GCM and tech, great all-rounder.
2. Large 4WD Wagons (Comfort + Capability)
More comfortable for long-distance touring with the family. Often slightly lower payload than utes, but better ride quality.
Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series — 3,500 kg towing, strong GCM, built for towing big vans.
Nissan Patrol Y62 — 3,500 kg towing, reliable, great option under $90k, same as the Landcruiser, built for towing and off-road conditions.
3. American Pickups (Heavy Towing Power)
Ideal for big caravans, toy haulers, or towing with high payload. Expensive, but very capable.
NOTE: If your GVM goes over 4,500 Kg, you will need to get a LR truck license.
RAM 2500 — up to 12,000kg GCM, with correct setup
Chevrolet Silverado 2500 — Heavy-duty towing, over 12,000 kg GCM, engineered for serious loads.
4. Light Trucks (For Big Vans or Conversions)
For those towing extremely heavy rigs or converting to motorhome/truck + fifth-wheeler setups. Higher GVM and GCM than most utes or 4WDs.
Isuzu NLR 45-150 — 4,500 kg GVM, 8,000 kg GCM, car licence legal.
Hino 300 717 — 6,500+ kg GVM, great base for truck camper builds or heavy towing.
As we’ve been travelling around Australia, we’ve come to realise that towing weights aren’t just about caravans. The problem is often the entire setup: tow vehicle and caravan together. You pass other vehicle setups along the road, and ask yourself, “how is that even close to being legal?”
I came across a YouTube video that really drove this home. The numbers were staggering: almost three-quarters of towing rigs tested were overweight somewhere. Here’s what stood out to me—and why anyone planning a lap of Australia needs to pay attention.
Summary
Three-Quarters of Rigs Are Non-Compliant – About 75% of caravan/tow vehicle combinations tested failed somewhere—ATM, GVM, axle load, or towball weight.
Caravans Over Their ATM – Nearly half of caravans were over their Aggregate Trailer Mass, and 29% had unsafe towball mass.
Tow Vehicles Overloaded – Tow vehicles were no better: rear axles (47%) and GVM (40%) were the most common failure points.
American 1500 Trucks Aren’t a Magic Bullet – Nearly 80% of 1500 series pickups failed compliance, mostly because of poor rear axle limits. Without a GVM upgrade, they can’t tow heavy vans legally.
The LandCruiser 200’s Hidden Weakness – Australia’s most popular tow vehicle has just 650 kg of payload, quickly eaten up by passengers, accessories, and towball download. Even with upgrades, 80% of setups failed.
Heavier Vans Drive Vehicle Failures – Caravans averaging 3.3 tonnes put huge pressure on tow vehicles. Lighter vans behind utes or SUVs had fewer compliance issues.
Payload Reality Check – More than half of vans had less than 650 kg payload capacity—barely enough for two adults with water and gear, let alone families.
Accessories Add Up Fast – Fridges, slides, batteries, drawers, and canopies often tip vehicles into overload. A GVM upgrade is often essential, but even then you have to load smart.
Canopies Are Payload Killers – Heavy canopies and trundle drawers add big weight behind the rear axle, one of the worst places to carry extra kilos.
The Realities of Towing
If you find yourself bringing everything—extra tools, every camp gadget, half the shed—it’s time to compromise. Compromising is the answer to staying within legal limits.
The same thing for vehicle accessories, you don’t need everything imaginable on the car.
Even with our modest setup, we are close the the ATM for the caravan, and the TBM (Tow Ball Mass) is getting close to the limit as well.
If you are starting the journey of buying a caravan, then on a reasonably standard vehicle, the following statement should be a good starting point, a good practical shortcut to get you started.
A good starting point is to aim for 70–80% of your vehicle’s maximum tow rating. At 70%, you’ve got a big safety margin. At 80%, you can tow a little more caravan but still stay on the safe side. What you should avoid is running right up at 100% — that’s when the problems begin.”
Final Thoughts
Overweight towing setups are far more common than most travellers realise. It’s not just the caravan—it’s the vehicle, the axles, the towball, the whole rig.
If you’re planning your trip, I strongly suggest watching the video linked above. It shows the scale of the problem and why safe towing in Australia comes down to compromise, smart loading, and sometimes upgrades.
At the end of the day, we’re out here to enjoy the journey. Staying within limits means peace of mind, and an easy drive, so we can enjoy the sunsets.
Feedback
We love hearing from fellow travellers — your thoughts help others too!
If you’re enjoying our campsite reviews and other articles, subscribe to get new posts straight to your inbox:
This station has prepared the campground a bit better than the last place. There is actual grass to camp on, nice after being in red dirt for the last 2 days.
The amenities block is in a tin shed, it is bigger, with multiple flushing toilets, hot showers for males and females.
There are multiple fire pits spotted around the campground, trees for shelter, and the grounds were reasonable level. A camp kitchen is also available.
Unfortunately for us, when we were there the station was on skeleton staff, so nothing was open, except the gas pumps, and the campground. There is a bar and a shop.
Petrol and Diesel is available, at outback prices.
There are free camps along the Plenty / Donohue Hwy, but why not support these stations along the way, and make you trip a bit more comfortable.
Feedback
We love hearing from fellow travellers — your thoughts help others too!
Have you stayed at Tobermory Station? Let us know in the comments below. And if you’re enjoying our campsite reviews, subscribe to get new posts straight to your inbox:
This was our first stop over when doing the Plenty Hwy. At 340 Km from Alice Springs, and being a relatively easy drive, it was good to get here, as we were uncertain as to what to expect of the Plenty Hwy.
This is a basic campground, we paid $20 for the night, firepits are placed around the campground, just pick one to park next to.
There is no powered sites here.
The facilities are basic, but clean enough. They are combined toilet and shower, one each for males and females. Bonus is the toilets are flushing and the showers are hot. That’s pretty good considering how remote this place is.
The more important thing to consider is fuel, there is petrol and diesel here. The tuck shop has basic supplies, drinks, chippies, chocolate.
The campground felt safe, as well as being relatively level, there is the typical red dirt everywhere.
You can free camp along the Plenty Hwy, but why not support these Stations, and maybe the facilities will make the journey a bit more pleasurable.
Feedback
We love hearing from fellow travellers — your thoughts help others too!
Have you stayed at Jervios Station? Let us know in the comments below. And if you’re enjoying our campsite reviews, subscribe to get new posts straight to your inbox:
We have recently completed the Plenty/Donohue Hwy, starting from Alice Springs going over the Queensland border the highway becomes Donohue Hwy to Boulia. An epic 750 Km stretch of road.
When we wanted to go from Birdsville to Alice Springs in 2019, we gave the Plenty hwy a miss due to it being too rough. We drove up to Berkely Hwy, then back down to Alice Springs. A massive detour. This is why the Plenty/Donohue Hwy is sometimes described as the world’s longest shortcut.
Back then, we stayed at the Gemtree Campground, during our stay we were advised that there was a plan is to completely seal the Plenty Hwy by 2025.
I can advise , that as by the date of this post, the Plenty/Donohue Hwy is about 50% sealed.
We split this journey up into 3 sections, Alice Springs to Jervios Station, next section is to Tobermory Station, then the last section is to Boulia.
Road conditions
KM from start of Plenty Hwy
Description
0 – 171
Sealed
171 – 210
Un sealed, pretty good condition
210 – 271
Sealed
271 – 277
Unsealed, road works, – Jervios Station
277 – 507
Unsealed, Bull dust in sections, deep ruts in places.
Getting to Jervios Station was not too difficult, with about 45 Km unsealed, and non of it too challenging. Ruts to deal with, but not too severe.
The toughest part is between the 2 stations. Google maps will say 6 – 7 hours, for a stretch that is about 230 Km long. We managed it in about 4.5 hours, and that was taking our time, with as much care as possible. Our average speed in this section was about 70 Km, we also lowered our tyre pressures. Bull dust patches need to be handled with care, especially if towing a caravan.
From Tobermorey Station to Boulia (Donohue Hwy), this is the easiest stretch, even the unsealed parts are some of the smoothest we have come across, not many areas had much in the way of ruts to deal with.
Checking Present Road Conditions
Before embarking on this trip you should check to see present road conditions –
These roads can flood easily, this will make them un-passable.
Also time of year, This is NOT a summer road, November – April, temps will get close to if not exceed 40 C, also this is the wet season, so expect flash flooding.
It was an adventure, not one I am keen to repeat too soon. Would I do it again? Yes I would, especially in a few years time, as hopefully they have made more progress on sealing the road.
This is a free campground just a short drive from Roxby Downs. Lots of space, and if you go over the sand dune, lots of flat spaces to choose from .
Once you turn right into Andamooka Rd, turn right again to go over the sand dunes, the pictures here are of that side.
Website: N/A
Fee Category: Free
Booking: No
Dog Friendly: Yes
Amenities: Nill
Dump point: No
Pool: No
Fire pits: No
Telstra: Ok
Starlink: No problems
Generator: Yes
Champagne Corner campsite at dusk
Our Experience
We stayed here for a full day, there were some people on motocross bikes buzzing around, but they stayed well away from us.
You have to be fully self sufficient here, there are no facilities.
While there is plenty of red dirt around, the ground is level, and there is plenty of space to spread out. If it is wet, I would not suggest coming here.
There is minimal road noise, and having the town of Roxby Downs about 5 minutes drive away is a bonus. Most supplies that you would need will be available there, and at normal prices too.
Today Roxby Downs, originally the name of the local station, is a pleasant modern town which houses mine workers and their families. It is a classic modern mining town which provides its residents with all the amenities. Being purpose-built it has an attractive wide main street, good quality housing, pleasant streetscapes, a modern school, a cinema, shopping centre, sports facilities, a hotel motel and caravan park
We thought this was a great place to hang out for a day or two. Even though we have no idea whose land this is, we found it quite central to two towns.
Feedback
We love hearing from fellow travellers — your thoughts help others too!
Have you stayed at Champagne Corner? Let us know in the comments below. And if you’re enjoying our campsite reviews, subscribe to get new posts straight to your inbox:
Spuds Roadhouse outside pub area, view of the campground and gas station
Our Thoughts
The campground next to Spuds Roadhouse is not actually run by them, it is managed by the Outback Communities Authority. Having a look at their website for details about his campground did not reveal any information.
There are no bookings, so first come first serve. Take note that this place can fill up fast in the afternoon during peak travel season. You would want to get here by 2pm. We got here at 3pm, and managed to get one of the last spots available.
At the roadhouse you can get a beer, meal, and a few supplies. Bear in mind it will be outback prices, and the selection is not the best.
Petrol / Diesel is available, at slightly inflated prices, we paid $2.28/ L for petrol, Diesel will be similar.
As you can see there is a lot of puddles everywhere, there was some rain the previous day, so some campsites were just mud and hence unusable.
All in all, it was a good campground with all the usual facilities, it felt safe, the ground was reasonably level, we would definitely stay here again when passing through.
Feedback
We love hearing from fellow travellers — your thoughts help others too!
Have you stayed at Spuds Roadhouse? Let us know in the comments below. And if you’re enjoying our campsite reviews, subscribe to get new posts straight to your inbox:
This is our review of this campground, which is a donation camp, we stayed here for one night. We would definitely stay here again, the whole campground and facilities are top notch.
Website: N/A
Fee Category: Donation
Booking: No
Dog Friendly: Yes
Amenities: Toilets / Showers
Dump point: Yes
Pool: No
Fire pits: No
Telstra: Good
Starlink: Good
Generator: Yes
Blyth Showgrounds entrance
Our Experience
The campground is well maintained, with great (near new) facilities, even including showers. It is about 140 Km north of Adelaide.
You must be fully self contained, which means keeping grey water, and disposing of it down the dump point which is by the toilets.
The campgrounds are reasonably level, quite, and felt safe. There is a notice about sports days, while the grounds are not closed to campers, it will become busy.
The town Blyth is just a short 5 minutes walk away, there is unfortunately not much going on there, with a population of 300. Even the local hotel as closed down, maybe that’s temporary.
The sporting facilities are top notch for a town with not many people in it.
A more popular town for visitors is Clare, which is just 13Km down the road. It is a major wine town with about 30 wineries.
Blyth is a small town in the Mid North of South Australia, located 13 kilometres west of the renowned Clare Valley. The town is located on the lands of the Kaurna people, the indigenous people who lived there before European settlement.
It has a population of 306, the farming community spanning the plains between the Clare Hills and the Barunga/Hummocks ranges.
Located approximately 132 kilometres north of Adelaide, the district’s climate and soils are well suited to wheat, barley, legumes, hay, sheep, cattle and pigs.
We love hearing from fellow travellers — your thoughts help others too!
Have you stayed at Blyth Showgrounds RV Park? Let us know in the comments below. And if you’re enjoying our campsite reviews, subscribe to get new posts straight to your inbox:
The first visit was in the middle of summer where the temps were hitting mid 30’s. It was hot, and also no power (powered sites already pre-booked).
The facilities were decent, clean, so no problems there. You do have to be self contained as the is no water hookups, and also, where we parked there is no where to put the grey water. You park on a solid road surface. If it has been raining for a bit then this place will be good.
There have been changes between the two times we have visited.
The second time here and they changed the way you can park in the first area you come to. You now reverse in and the last two sites closest to the Golf shed are powered sites so don’t go in there unless you want power. More unpowered sites further down by the bowling green and toilet/showers.
This second time was in winter, good thing though is we were on power, so we could run our A/C for heating.
Town is a short walk away, about 5 minutes, and the Murray River is right nextdoor.
If we are passing through, we would definitely stay here again. Just have to watch out for the weather, in summer it can get very hot, in winter overnight can get very cold.
Feedback
We love hearing from fellow travellers — your thoughts help others too!
Have you stayed at Tooleybuc Sports Club? Let us know in the comments below. And if you’re enjoying our campsite reviews, subscribe to get new posts straight to your inbox:
