Standpipe Golf Motor Inn

The Standpipe Golf Motor Inn is a Port Augusta institution on Daw Street, serving travellers since the days when this was the essential stop on every drive across the Nullarbor. The name comes from the old water pipeline that made the town possible, and the inn has grown into a full service motel with a restaurant that has built its own following.

It suits road trippers overnighting between Adelaide and the west, golfers playing the course next door, and anyone who wants a proper meal at the end of a driving day.

Dogs at the Standpipe

Per the motel's own site, pets are accepted in dedicated pet friendly room types only: a Pet Friendly Queen and a Pet Friendly Twin. There is a 20 dollar cleaning fee per stay, payable at check in.

The limit is strict at two pet friendly rooms, so contact reception ahead of arrival to lock one in. Regular rooms are not an option for pets, and once those two rooms are gone, they are gone.

Ask for a ground floor unit with direct outside access when you book: midnight toilet runs beat a hallway trek, and dog travellers regularly order from the kitchen and eat on the step outside the room rather than leaving the dog alone inside.

The golf course next door gives mornings some open air: keep the dog on lead and stick to the perimeter rather than the greens. There is no fenced run at the motel, so a high energy dog needs a proper walk before a long driving day.

The vibe

The restaurant serves an Australian menu with Indian dishes in the mix, and guests single out the food as a reason to book here rather than a plain motel room elsewhere. EV charging on site handles the electric road trip crowd.

Some rooms are dated, which is the honest trade for the location and the kitchen, but guests call the beds comfortable and the staff welcoming.

Make a day of it

The golf course adjoining the motel is a genuine outback layout with Spinifex views, and the town's botanic garden and waterfront walks are minutes away. If you are continuing west, get an early start: the Nullarbor rewards dawn departures.

More dog friendly stays in South Australia are listed for the next leg.