Is it worthwhile camping at Mintabie, NT?

Mintabie and Marla are in SA

Yes, Mintibie is in SA. (Bit like the BORDER TRACK it is in SA NOT VIC - the best parts anyway) It is a mining town and whilst I have not been there for 10 odd years, I would suggest that it would probably not provide acceptable camping areas. I would head for Kulgera.

Enjoy!!

We went there in 2003 and stayed in our caravan in the pub grounds. Lovely people,we had a great time. The locals took us for a tour of the area treated us very well. We did a bit of fossicking but didn't find anything but one of the fellows we met there gave my partner a triplet for a souvenir. The road in was dirt but was no trouble.
Geoff

Neither Mintabie, Marla or Kulgera are very exciting places.....unless you want to listen to big diesel generators, road trains and tourist vehicles thru the night.

There are a vew bush camps off the Highway which offer more secluded overnight camping

Cheers

We visited the Painted Desert in July. You need to see the Hills and the Colours at either Dusk or Dawn and there are some short walks to the top of the ridges that are worth doing.It is a vast place and you need to take some time to have a look around.
We stayed overnight at the Station Homestead where they have a Flat Area at the back of the house set up for camping with Hot Showers on Gas and a big Fire Ring with Logs to sit on.Quite a good place for an overnight stop ,we had a 4wh drive club in on the same night so it was a little crowded. This will give you a good chance to explore the Painted Desert between 4 pm and Sundown after you have set up Camp at the Homestead.$15.00 was the charge for a Basic Camp.

Mintabie aside, if you are going to camp along the Stuart Hwy, we found it pays to slow right down about 10km outside of the towns - you should find heaps of little tracks leading off into the scrub - lots of people bush camp either side of places like Kulgera and Marla etc - as Willem said, they can be noisy in the wee hours - you can have a whole clearing to yourself, highway traffic can't see you if that concerns you, and you can relax for the night - with the stars out and only minor noise, it can be great.

Rolande. Yes go to Mintabie, it is fantastic to see how people live in these places. The pub is great and the people are very friendly. We just camped in the bush close to town. Had a shower in the pub and the women used the pubs dunnies.
Loved the place and the experience. Totally worth the drive in.