Port Augusta
Located at the top of the Spencer Gulf in South Australia - only 306km from Adelaide, Port Augusta is considered the gateway to the South Australian Outback as well as the magnificent Flinders Ranges.
Talking to travellers at the Caravan Park, I discovered it is also an overnight stop when heading to the Eyre or York peninsular as well as WA but it doesn’t appear to be a standalone destination.
During our stay in March the heat has been unbearable – in the high 30s and it even hit 40 degrees making it too uncomfortable to really get out and explore. We ended up staying four nights to catch up with family and the need to get the camper brakes checked (don’t you hate it when there are mechanical problems)! Fortunately, Port Augusta seems to be well serviced for those needing mechanical support. Recommend https://augustacampers.com.au/ if you have any repairs on your van or camper. They were really busy but still went out of their way to repair the brakes on the caravan so we could keep to our schedule. THANKS!
On the way into Port Augusta you cannot help but notice the huge wind and solar farm. I understand from a local that this replaced a coal-fired power station which closed in 2016 and vastly improving air quality.
We stayed in an ensuite site at the Discovery Park which was fantastic – I felt a little spoilt! I also spent a lot of time in the pool which was surprisingly cool and refreshing considering the heat!
Let’s talk about the elephant in the room. Port Augusta’s reputation. Everyday, guests of the caravan park get a text message reminding us to lock up our valuables. There are even warning signs in the bathrooms, and you need a code to get both in and out of the park. It felt a little like being in Fort Knox – although it did provide a level of security which I was happy about.
Even though I’d heard some horror stories about Port Augusta, I wanted to like the town and find the positives. I was imagining a waterfront precinct (not dissimilar to Darwin) with cafes, restaurants, and swimming pools. Sadly, I was disappointed. No fish & chips overlooking the water, no sipping cocktails at a swanky bar watching the sunset. I could only think there are some real lost opportunities here.
There are certainly day-trips you can take from Port Augusta but as our plans were to head up to the Flinders Ranges for a few weeks we decided to just stick around and explore the town.
What to See
The Wadlata Outback Centre - “Tunnel of Time” located at the information centre is well worth a visit and showcases the area’s history, both Indigenous and European. There’s also a café and you can pick up brochures of other South Australian areas to explore.
We went to the Australian Arid Lands Botanic Garden (although it was too hot to walk around) and I was amazed at how beautiful the gardens were. Certainly different to what we see in Queensland. There are walking trails throughout the centre as well as a café and nursery where you can buy AridSmart plants. It would be great to go back in the cooler months to explore this amazing garden. You can drop into the Matthew Flinders/Redcliff Lookout on the way back from the gardens. Great photo op! The Water Tower Lookout is also a great spot to check out the views to the Flinders Ranges, Baxter Ranges, the salt pans the outback landscape.
We aren’t overly ‘cultural’ so don’t always seek out galleries and cultural centres, but we did stumble on to The Platform Gallery at the railway station (as the name suggests) which had some quirky exhibits. In true form, we also found a café, Mama Lou’s at the railway station.
What did I like most about Port Augusta? J.M. Deli and Bakery. Fabulous vanilla slice and other baked goods plus good coffee. Just kidding (a bit). Another cute cafe recommended to us by the lovely lady in AutoPro was Archers’ Table - great breakfast and coffee.
I really wanted to find more hidden gems in Port Augusta but even talking to locals I’m not sure they are there. I also admit that the scorching heat certainly stopped us discovering more so we only just touched the surface and enjoyed cooling off in the pool.
Just to touch on the Port Augusta Discovery caravan park – excellent facilities, great air-conditioned camp kitchen with microwave, oven, hot plates and a bonus pizza oven. For those who are a little disorganised or can’t make pizza, the office at the park sold frozen pizzas. Good laundry with washers and dryers that take cash or card. Also, the shop caters for essentials and the pool was a life-saver!
I don’t want to be overly harsh on Port Augusta because it definitely was too hot to go out and explore but I probably won’t be rushing back (unless it is for a vanilla slice).
