Pichi Richi; a great free camp not far from Port Augusta
After a long day in the car, driving from Gawler Ranges through to Kimba and onto Port Augusta for fuel, water and a huge shop, we were exhausted and keen to find a nice, free camp nearby. What we stumbled across ticked all the boxes, and Pichi Richi was a brilliant night camping near Port Augusta.

Where is Pichi Richi?
You’ll find this place 20 odd minutes out of Port Augusta, heading up to the Flinders Ranges, along a beautiful road (Flinders Ranges Road). If you are heading up, its on your left hand side and is fairly obvious as you drive past.

What’s at Pichi Richi free camp?
This is a basic free camp with a couple of spots to pull in, the Pichi Richi Railway running nearby and lots of green grass and fire pits. We pulled in, did a lap around to find the most suitable camp site and then set up right at the bottom, as far away from the road as we could get.
There were two other campers here, all camped within 10 metres of the road, which although was quiet on our stay is a bit too close for our liking!

Pichi Richi amenities
There are zero amenities at Pichi Richi, meaning you need to take everything you need, and take it all out too. We always carry a camping toilet, and you should be able to depart with zero evidence of you ever being there.

Do we rate it?
We’ve certainly been to much worse free camps, and I quite liked this little spot. We had a nice, laid-back morning with the kids playing on the rocks, and me trying to warm up over a tiny fire, and then packed up onto Quorn, then the Flinders Ranges at Mern Merna Station.
Overall, this is one of the better free camps I’ve been to, and I’d happily return any day of the week. Looking for more free camping in South Australia? We’ve got you covered.
