Pondalowie Campground is located in the Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park. It is a well-planned campground with good facilities. It is nestled in Mallee vegetation. Pondalowie Campground is an excellent place from which to explore the national park.
Activities close to the campground include exploring the nearby coast, fishing and watching wildlife. The national park contains wonderful coastal scenery and a historic town to explore.
Pondalowie Campground is divided into three distinct zones designed for the camping equipment you plan on using. Each of these will be dealt with in a later section.
The campground is accessed by sealed roads and is located 12km to the west of Marion Bay at the southern tip of the Yorke Peninsula.
As the campground is located in a national park, you must be self-contained if using your own facilities. However, toilets are provided. Also, pets are not allowed.
Pondalowie Campground Quick Facts
| Campground Name | Pondalowie Campground |
|---|---|
| Nearest Town | Marion Bay |
| GPS | 35°14'16.92"S 136°50'23.97"E |
| Number of sites | 9 caravans, 17 camper trailers and 26 tents |
| Toilets | Yes |
| Water | No |
| Dump point | No |
| Power | No |
| Pets | No |
| Fires permitted | Yes outside of restriction periods |
| Telstra coverage | No |
| Optus coverage | No |
| Cost | $25 per night |
| Booking | Caravans and camper trailer booking Tent site booking |
Campground Layout and Features
As previously stated, the campground is divided into three zones. In fact, the area is named by two different names. One area is called the Powdalowie Caravan and Trailer Campground, and the other Pondalowie Bush Campground. The former is divided into two zones: one for larger caravans and other large vehicles and one for smaller vehicles. The image below shows the layout of the campground and the different areas. We will now cover each area in more detail.
Powdalowie Caravan and Trailer Campground
The Pondalowie Large Vehicle Campground has nine sites for caravans and large rigs in the west of the camping area. The larger sites and sites 1 to 9.
Adjoining the large vehicle area is an area containing 17 sites designed for camper trailers. Of these 17 sites, some are suitable for small caravans. These sites are numbered from 10 to 26.
The pads are typically very firm and level. As with all these types of pads, getting pegs into the ground can be difficult. Screw-in pegs are a great bit of geat to add to your setup.
All of the larger sites are orientated to allow easy reversing.
Close to the large vehicle area is a Telstra pay phone that allows free calls within Australia.
Toilets are located between the two areas. There is also a rainwater tank next to the toilet.
If you wish to book this area, head to Powdalowie Caravan and Trailer Campground.
Pondalowie Bush Campground
Pondalowie Bush Campground is designed for tents and contains 26 sites. It is located directly to the east of Powdalowie Caravan and Trailer Campground. It is easy to walk between these two areas.
The vegetation is thicker in this area than in the trailer area providing better protection from the wind.
A toilet is located in the south-west of the area on the track heading to the trailer area of the campground.
In the centre of the loop is a free gas BBQ.
If you wish to book this area, head to Pondalowie Bush Campground.
Pondalowie Campsite Location
The map below shows the location of Pondalowie Campground. You may zoom out for a general location of the area.
What to Watch Out For at Pondalowie Campground
This is an excellent campground and we found no issues. There are a couple of natural hazards that you may come across.
While we visited, we had a small problem with march flies at the campground. At the campground, there were a few. However, in other areas of the national park, they were much thicker. It would be a good idea to carry some relevant if they bother you.
We also spotted some warnings about bees. They were no problem while we were there but perhaps at other times they are a problem. If bees are present, do not leave water around, as that attracts them. Never put water out for them near your camp, as we have found it only makes the problem worse.
Final Words
Overall we liked this campground and the park is wonderful,
To book either area, you need to visit the Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park Accommodation page and select the area that you are interested in.