Eco-Friendly Road Trip Locations and Activities in South Australia

Australia is built for road trips, making it the perfect way to explore and take in the beauty this country has to offer. When travelling around South Australia, it’s important that you’re taking steps to preserve the natural beauty and environment of the Flinders range, Fleurieu Peninsula, Riverland and Adelaide regions. There are many eco-friendly destinations around South Australia that are a must see on your next road trip adventure!  

Here are some eco-friendly road trips through the main regions of the South Australia that should be on everyone’s travelling bucket list! 

Flinders Range

Driving through the Flinders Ranges is like you are driving through the unexplored face of Mars, with tall ancient cliffs, deep craters and red coloured roads. This landscape is more than 600 million years old and is rich in Aboriginal Culture, wildlife and walking trails. It is about a 5-hour drive from the capital of South Australia, Adelaide.  

Visit the Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary and explore geological history reaching back 2 billion years. There are many magical geological monuments to explore such as rugged mountains, granite peaks, gorges, waterholes. There is also a massive range of wildlife in the sanctuary such as birds, reptiles, mammals, and in particular keep an eye out for the endangered Yellow-Footed Rock-Wallaby. This sanctuary is the perfect location for mountain bikers, bushwalkers, birdwatchers, geologists and anyone wanting to get out in nature!  

Stay overnight at the Rawnsley Park Station, which is a sustainable and eco-friendly accommodation option. They have a caravan park, perfect to take your Travellers Autobarn Campervan or Station Wagon and pitch up your tent. They are located just on the southern outskirt of the Flinders Ranges and a nearly 5-hour drive from Adelaide. There are many sustainable initiatives that Rawnsley Park have implemented for an eco-friendly experience. They also have an eco-villa accommodation option, perfect for a luxury night and in an eco-friendly environment.  

The Wilpena Pound Resort offer many Cultural Aboriginal Tours. The Adnyamathanha people have lived in the Ikara-Flinders Ranges for tens of thousands of years. You will learn about bush tucker and hear traditional stories on your personalised cultural experience from the traditional owners of the land.  

Fleurieu Peninsula 

The Fleurieu Peninsula is located 40-minutes south of Adelaide and is home to some of South Australia’s best coastline experiences. There are also many eco-friendly and sustainable locations and activities. 

The Fleurieu coastline has some of the best beaches in South Australia and is the perfect destination for kayaking. On the tip of the Fleurieu Peninsula there are many secluded coves and caves to explore by kayak such as Second Valley Beach and Rapid Bay. You can hire a kayak or stand-up paddle board (SUP) from the Second Valley Kayak and SUP Hire at the Second Valley Caravan Park. Second Valley Caravan Park is a 1.5-hour coastal drive from Adelaide and is a great camping location to stay overnight, being within walking distance of the beach.  

Start your Saturday morning by visiting the Willunga Farmers Market. Willunga is a 50-minute drive from Adelaide and is a heritage rich town offering a clean environment. Taste the local regions fresh fruit, vegetables, seafood, meat and more from the local small producers that sell their freshest food directly to customers like you, at the market. Purchasing your food and beverages from these markets is a sustainable option and giving back to the local communities.  

The Newland Head Conservation Park is a location full of eco-friendly activities, only a 1.5-hour drive from Adelaide. It is a popular destination for surfing, fishing, bird watching and hiking. The Coastal Cliffs Loop Hike is a 4-hour return hike with spectacular coastal views from steep cliff tops, watch out for the White-Bellied Sea Eagles local to the area.  

Riverland 

The Riverland is a region where the spirit of nature (rivers) zig zags from the Snowy Mountains of NSW all the way to the Southern Ocean in South Australia. There are many sustainable locations and activities to do around the Riverland, such as canoeing the rivers, birdwatching, stargazing and plenty of walking trails.  

Do you love stargazing? Then the perfect location to visit is the River Murray International Dark Sky Reserve, which is only a 1.5-hour drive from Adelaide. The reserve is known for its dry climate, cloudless skies and some of the darkest skies on the planet. It is the perfect location to camp overnight and see the thousands of bright stars, planets and galaxies. Some of the best locations within the reserve to see the dark night sky is the Blanchetown Oval, Big Bend Lookout and best for photography, the Palmer lookout! 

Adelaide

Adelaide is the coastal capital of South Australia and a gateway to some of Australia’s best wine country, beautiful national parks and pristine beaches! 

If you are a food lover, then you must visit the Adelaide Central Markets and enjoy the discovery tours with Food Tours Australia. During the tour you’ll learn about some history, meet the local stallholders, hear stories and enjoy the local produce in the state of South Australia. They also have City Eco-Caddy Tours and Bike Tours.  

Explore the Adelaide Botanic Gardens, which is in the heart of the Adelaide City where you’ll see the beauty and diversity of native plants from across Australia and also across the world. There are over 50 hectares of maintained gardens and amazing architecture to walk around. This is the perfect eco-friendly activity that is very relaxing. 

Eco-friendly road trips around Australia are possible when travelling to locations that are sustainable and making sure that you as travellers are proactive in your ecotourism research for your travels. With so many eco-friendly destinations and activities, the South Australia is the place to explore for your next road trip holiday!  

The Travellers Autobarn hire locations closest to South Australia are Melbourne and Perth. Now that you know more about eco-friendly road trips in South Australia, it’s time to start your booking today! 

To learn more about eco-friendly road trips around other states in Australia, check our our Eco-Friendly Road Trips Around Australia article.