Crossroads Ecomotel

The Crossroads Ecomotel sits on the Eyre Highway at the top of Spencer Gulf, built for travellers crossing between Adelaide and the Red Centre. Rammed earth walls keep the rooms cool through outback summers, and the whole place runs on sustainability principles without making the stay feel like homework.

It suits grey nomads breaking a long drive, couples pointing north to the Flinders Ranges, and business travellers passing through this crossroads town where the A1 meets the Stuart Highway.

Dogs at the Crossroads Ecomotel

Per the motel's own pet policy page, pets are welcome in two dedicated pet-friendly motel rooms only, and pets must be declared at booking. One pet per room unless you arrange otherwise, pets stay off beds and furniture, and they cannot be left unattended.

Dogs are on a lead outside the room and you clean up after them. Extra cleaning fees apply where a room needs more than a standard turnaround, including a surcharge for rooms that smell of wet dog and cannot be resold the next night.

The pet rooms are tiled rather than carpeted, with king beds and kitchenettes, and each opens onto its own private enclosed courtyard where the dog steps straight out the door. Bring the dog's own bed or travel mat for the tiles and housekeeping will love you for it.

Guests travelling with dogs report these rooms spotless rather than rundown, and the grounds stay quiet at night: security gates lock after 8pm. A service station sits across the road, and some of the town's long standing dining rooms are an easy walk.

The vibe

Guests talk about the kitchenettes, king size beds and rooms that feel modern rather than tired. The fenced courtyard is the practical win for dog owners: an enclosed outdoor space where the dog can stretch out while you do the same.

Rammed earth walls have real thermal mass, so the rooms stay quiet and temperature stable through hot Eyre Highway afternoons.

Make a day of it

Port Augusta works as both an overnight stop and a base for day trips: the Australian Arid Lands Botanic Garden and the Wadlata Outback Centre are in town, and the Flinders Ranges begin an hour north.

Regulars skip the highway shoulder for the morning walk and point the dog at the botanic garden instead, where leashed dogs are welcome in designated sections. Stock up on supplies here because the next reliable services heading north are a long way off.

Browse more dog friendly stays across the state at SA dog friendly accommodation.