Free Camping in Coober Pedy

Coober Pedy has a couple of free camps for travellers who are set up to be self-sufficient. Neither has powered sites or drinking water, so they suit fully self-contained vans, campers and motorhomes best. Both allow dogs — see our travelling with pets guide for the local dos and don’ts.

Old Timers Mine RV free camp

The pick of the two. Old Timers Mine provides a free, donation-based camping area next to the museum for self-contained recreational vehicles:

• Toilets by the shop are open 24/7 for campers, and there are showers at the service station a two-minute drive away.
• 72-hour maximum stay, first come first served (no bookings). No campfires.
• A donation box in the shop helps maintain the camp and toilets — drop in what you can.
• It’s a CMCA RV-friendly spot and is pet-friendly.

Kempe Road free camp

A large, bare paddock off Kempe Road, a few minutes from town (turn off the Stuart Highway onto Flat Hill Road, then Seventeen Mile Road, then Kempe Road). It’s a genuine no-frills overnighter — flat ground, no toilets, no water, no power — but there’s plenty of room, and the town’s public toilets, water and a dump point are only about three minutes away. Pets are allowed.

Before you go

Conditions, stay limits and access at free camps change often. Check the latest reviews and GPS pins on the WikiCamps app (and Camps Australia Wide / CMCA) before you rely on either spot, and always leave a site cleaner than you found it. For powered sites, cabins and underground stays, see our accommodation listings.