Wauraltee Beach, South Australia: Camping, swimming & surfing

Wild Wauraltee Beach, South Australia, is 15km long and backed by high dunes. Get the true feeling of escape by pitching a tent at the Wauraltee Beach campground.

Where is Wauraltee Beach?

Wauraltee Beach in South Australia is perhaps one of the state’s most underrated beaches – and a popular spot for beach camping.

Between Port Victoria and Port Rickaby on the Yorke Peninsula, Wauraltee Beach manages to impress on both size and vibe.

If you’re wanting a buzzy seaside resort scene, with plenty of cafés and a primped esplanade, this is not the beach for you. Wauraltee Beach is happily remote and wild.

How long is Wauraltee Beach, South Australia?

This Yorke Peninsula Beach is around 15km long, and goes by different names on the way up. Bush Beach is the other most common name, although you might also hear The Bamboos or Kemps Beach.

Wauraltee Beach can be narrow at high tide, but come at low tide and there are big rock flats to the south, and huge sand flats in the middle.

Wauraltee Beach dunes

The dunes, however, are what give Wauraltee Beach its character. They climb 15 to 20 metres high behind the beach, like a crumbling wall trying to hold back the ocean.

As a surf beach, Wauraltee Beach is frankly pathetic. Swimmers can have a good time, but should be aware that no surf lifesavers patrol the beach. Get into any trouble, and you’re very much on your own.

Camping at Wauraltee Beach, South Australia

The big appeal of Wauraltee Beach, however, comes from the feeling of being in the wild, miles away from your worries.

The Wauraltee Beach campground is extremely basic, with no facilities except toilets. If you want to stay at the Wauraltee Beach campground, you need to be almost entirely self-sufficient.

Wauraltee Beach bush camping permits cost $10 per night and are available via the Yorke Peninsula Council.