Camping @ National Road Transport museum

This campground sits behind the National Road Transport Hall of Fame on the old Ghan railway corridor at Arumbera, about ten kilometres south of the Alice Springs CBD off the Stuart Highway. What makes it unusual for dog owners: dogs are welcome not just at the campsite but inside the museum itself, which is a rare thing for any attraction.

Dogs at the campground

Dogs are permitted on both powered and unpowered sites, on a lead and under control at all times, and reports indicate they are welcome through the museum exhibits as well. No pet surcharge is listed; you pay the standard site fee, around $30 a night powered or $20 unpowered. There is no published size limit. Bring your own water and food for the dog, since this is a remote-feeling site and supplies are a drive away.

Max: The gate code changes regularly. If you are rolling in after hours, ring ahead from the highway rather than testing a locked gate with a tired dog in the car.

The campground

It is a secure, gated outback campground with resident birdlife, five shower and toilet blocks and laundry facilities. Sites are gravel or dirt rather than manicured drive-throughs, but there is room for big rigs, buses and every caravan type. A combination lock secures the main gate, and the code is updated regularly and handed out at check-in. Check in at reception before 3pm or call ahead for the code. Book ahead in the cooler months, when grey nomads fill the town.

Nearby with the dogs

For a coffee and a look at more rail history, the Old Ghan Museum and Tearooms is close by, and Temple Bar Caravan Park is another dog-friendly base in the same pocket.

More options across the territory are on the dog-friendly stays in NT page, and the area is covered on the Arumbera guide.