Free Camps Uluru Katherine and King Canyon

I suggest you download Wiki Camps and check out the spots you are looking to visit. I know there are free or cheap campsites in the area.

I've had trouble finding free or low cost anything in that area. The closest I know of is the unpowered sites at Curtin Springs 130 odd kms out.

Straight over the road from Kings Creek Station. One of our travelling group stayed there when we were there.

There is no camping allowed in the National Park areas around Uluru or Kings Canyon. You can camp at Curtin Springs Road House but by the time you drive in and out to visit the Canyon or Uluru you might as well stay in the CPs and save the fuel (which is expensive). There is a rest area with no facilities about 50ks out from Yulara where we have seen people stopped but it is still a long way out from Uluru and probably not a great spot to leave an unattended van or camp. We found the CP and campground at Yulara to be reasonable value if you stay for three days which you really need to get full value out of your Desert Pass and see the various locations, sunsets etc. Lynne

If you have a tablet or laptop with Win8 or 10 then get WikiCamps. Here is what's available in the area.

There is a rest area with a tank on the south side of the road before you get to Yulara. Some people drive over the dune and stop there.

Commuting is not time or cost effective. Stay at Yulara and be on the spot to start walks early (they can close if the day gets hot or windy), and there are sunset viewing areas within the caravan park, although not as close as the sunset and sunrise viewing areas at Uluru.

Driving to Kata Tjuta also is best with an early start. Best to stay at Yulara for economy and best use of your time there.

Similarly if doing the rim walk at Kings Canyon (I think this is the best walk in the area), it starts with a climb which needs to be done in the cool of early morning. Neither the resort camping area at Kings Canyon nor Kings Creek Station are cheap, but both have their merits in different ways.

John and Lynne's post gives good advice.

Hi Johno,
In 2012 a couple of us free camped approximately 7/8 k's out from Yulara on the left in some scrub land. If you look on google maps you can see some tracks leading into and around it. We were well covered from the road and after a short walk to the nearest sand dune we were able to enjoy the sunset over Uluru. There is no signs to discourage camping and is not part of the national parks. We did however take our vans with us into the parks on the two following days as we were not prepared to leave them behind. Seen the biggest feral ginger cat hunting our native wildlife. It practically gave us the bird when we shone the torch on it. It remains one of our favourite places during our trip around oz.
Cheers and have a good trip.
Kerry

Opposite the Agricultural College about 10ks north of Katherine on the right hand side. It's just gravelly areas but ok for an overnighter. There are plenty of others between there and Katherine as well, one only has to look.