Coorong Caravan Trip From Adelaide
Ninety kilometres of saltwater lagoon, sand-track beach access and one of South Australia's quietest coasts.
Read the GuideThe Coorong is one of the strangest, quietest stretches of coast in Australia and one of the easiest weekend caravan trips out of Adelaide. From Adelaide it's under two hours to Meningie, the small town at the northern end of the lagoon - and from there you've got 90 km of national park coastline running south parallel to the Princes Highway. Most caravanners base at one of the council parks (Meningie or Salt Creek) and day-trip the highlights.
It's a trip that rewards going slow. The Coorong is a Ramsar-listed wetland, the bird life is extraordinary (and the pelican fishing footage in Storm Boy was filmed here), and the parallel sand dunes between the lagoon and the Southern Ocean give you a different remote-beach experience to anywhere else in SA.
The Drive From Adelaide
Adelaide to Meningie is a quick run - south on the South-Eastern Freeway, then onto the Princes Highway through Murray Bridge and Tailem Bend. The whole route is sealed two-lane and well-suited to caravan towing. Fuel and last-supermarket shopping at Murray Bridge or Tailem Bend before heading into the Coorong proper - Meningie has a basic IGA but the choice thins out further south.
Where to Stay With a Caravan
Two main bases plus a couple of bush options inside the park.
- Lake Albert Caravan Park (Meningie) - powered sites on the lake. Most popular base, walking distance to town.
- Coorong Caravan Park (Salt Creek) - further south, small, quiet, well-positioned for the southern Coorong.
- 42 Mile Crossing campground - inside the national park, beach access. Unpowered, basic.
- Tea Tree Crossing - similar setup to 42 Mile, further south.
- Magrath Flat - bush camp on the lagoon side, suits self-contained vans.
Best Spots in the Coorong
Pelican Point (between Meningie and Salt Creek) is the easiest birdwatching spot - the pelicans congregate around the lagoon mouth and you can park the rig and walk straight to the water. 42 Mile Crossing is the main beach launch - drop tyre pressures to 18-20 psi and you can drive across the dune system onto the Southern Ocean beach. Salt Creek itself is a small settlement with fuel and a roadhouse; from there the Hells Gate Road leads down to the southern end of the lagoon and the Younghusband Peninsula. Sweep the whole length and you'll easily fill three days.
Beach Access With a Caravan
Don't tow your caravan onto the beach. 42 Mile and Tea Tree crossings are 4WD-only sand tracks and even an off-road van adds risk you don't want when high tide comes in. Base camp at the campground side, deflate the tow vehicle's tyres, day-trip onto the beach, then air back up. Sand-launch points get busy in school holidays - go early.
What to Spec Your Caravan For
Each destination has its own demands on the van. Here's what we'd check or pack specifically for Coorong.
- Fly nets and stop-fly aerosol from October through February - Coorong flies are world-class.
- Mosquito mesh for windows - the lagoon edge breeds them.
- Salt-water rinse before you leave - the lagoon side is salt, not fresh. Rinse the underbody and undercarriage.
- Standard van fine - no off-road build needed if you camp at the established parks. Off-road only matters if you want bush-camp at 42 Mile.
- Top up water at Meningie or Salt Creek; bush camps inside the park have no potable water.
Need a pre-trip check? Book the workshop or pick up parts at our St Marys store.
Getting Your Van Trip-Ready
Whether you're upgrading to a van that suits this trip, or you want our team to check the one you've got, get in touch. Pre-trip services are one of our most-booked jobs.
Send an Enquiry
Coorong Caravan Trip - FAQs
No. The beach crossings (42 Mile, Tea Tree) are soft sand tracks designed for 4WD vehicles only. Even off-road caravans risk getting bogged or stranded by tides. Base camp at the campground side of the crossing and day-trip the beach with the tow vehicle alone.
Two nights is enough for a weekender focused on Meningie and Pelican Point. Three to four nights lets you do the full length - Meningie, Salt Creek, 42 Mile beach day-trip and the southern end at Younghusband Peninsula. A week-plus suits the fishing crowd.
Not by SA standards - outside school holidays you'll often have campsites mostly to yourself. School-holiday peaks (especially Christmas/January) book out the established caravan parks well in advance. Salt Creek tends to be quieter than Meningie.
Mulloway is the headline target on the Southern Ocean beach side. Mullet and bream in the lagoon. Crab raking around Pelican Point at low tide. Standard SA recreational fishing licence rules apply - check current regulations and bag limits with PIRSA before you go.
Other Caravan Trips From Adelaide
Kangaroo Island
108 km to Cape Jervis (ferry terminal) + 45-minute crossing
Three to five days. Ferry from Cape Jervis. Wilderness camping plus established caravan parks at Penneshaw, Kingscote and Vivonne Bay.
Read the guide →Flinders Ranges
~430 km Adelaide to Wilpena Pound
Five to ten days. Bitumen all the way to Wilpena. Outback bush camps from Parachilna north. Best Apr-Oct.
Read the guide →Yorke Peninsula
~190 km Adelaide to Edithburgh
Three to seven days. Sealed roads all the way down. Innes National Park at the southern tip is the highlight.
Read the guide →