Two campground hosts are showing two campers some information on a map

SA's volunteer Campground Host Program celebrates 40 years

19 May 2025
4 min read

It’s National Volunteer Week, and we’re celebrating a special group of volunteers in South Australia’s National Parks: campground hosts. 2025 marks a fabulous 40 years of campground hosting in our state.

To say thanks, it was the hosts’ turn to relax and be hosted by a team from National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS).

Where else to celebrate but at a national park campsite?

Naturally! From 13-14 May, campground hosts and program staff gathered at Stringybark Campsite in Deep Creek National Park. They were treated to delicious catered meals (a camp luxury!), a Welcome to Country and Ngarrindjeri group session by Mark Koolmatrie, telescope stargazing, taxonomy and avian paleontology session, and a ranger-guided walk. Special awards were given to campground hosts for 10 and 35 years of volunteer service, and for the most hours of service. And of course, there was cake.

Approximately 450 volunteers have worked within the program across its lifetime in SA so far, completing close to an amazing 70,000 hours in total. The event was opportunity to formally recognise this outstanding contribution to our national parks and community.

Around 30 people are mingling and chatting at Stringybark Campsite, Deep Creek, with native scrub in the background — Campground hosts enjoyed meeting and swapping stories of their experiences and favourite campsites.

What does a campground host do?

Hosts stay at a campground and offer a welcoming presence to other campers, with friendly information about the site, the park and things to see and do. Hosts also work together with NPWS Rangers and other staff to maintain campgrounds and facilities, and help with tasks like weeding and revegetation.

Hosts might stay for a specific peak period such as school holidays or a long weekend, or they might stay for a few weeks or even months in more remote areas. It all depends upon the needs of the parks, and the host’s availability, training and experience levels.

Campground Host Support Officer Angus Graham says, "the primary role of hosts is the sense of community that they’re able to bring to visitor’s experiences, acting as representatives of NPWS, engaging with the public and sharing useful information".

Learn more about campground hosting here: How you can volunteer to stay in some of South Australia’s national parks.

A group of about twenty people seen from behind as they look out across hills at Deep Creek National Park — Hosts learnt about Deep Creek National Park's approach to native revegetation and fire management on a ranger-guided walk.

Campbell and Elizabeth Black were honoured for 35 years of hosting

Campbell said, “in fact we've now been doing the campground hosting for 36 years. So that makes us feel a little bit special, having seen it evolve from just after it started.”

They’ve seen a few changes over the decades. In the early days, Campbell says, “when we went to Kangaroo Island we were given a big bag of pellets and little white paper bags, and we filled the paper bags which were sold to tourists to feed the kangaroos. And that’s not done now!” And camping facilities have seen a few upgrades. At Stringybark for the 40 years celebrations, “we were blown away by the revamping of toilets and hot showers and so on,” he said.

“Being a campground host is wonderful. You meet people from all walks of life and are in a position to help them appreciate our beautiful national parks. There are some places, like Katarapko in Murray River National Park and Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park on the Yorke Peninsula, that are dear to my heart, but we are so lucky to have so many beautiful parks in South Australia.”

Elizabeth and Campbell Black hold commemorative certificate and teatowel and are flanked by Jemma and Angus from NPWS, at a shady campsite — Elizabeth and Campbell Black, centre, with Jemma and Angus from NPWS, celebrating their 35 years of volunteer service

Applications to be a campground host have just reopened

If campground hosting sounds like your cup of (billy) tea, applications are now being taken. And work is underway to restart hosting in remote parks - Vulkathunha – Gammon Ranges, Gawler Ranges and Witjira National Parks, Innamincka Regional Reserve and Ngarkat and Venus Bay Conservation Parks - which had been on pause for a while.

You can discover more, including a link to the online application form, here: SA's Campground Hosts Program - NPWS.

NPWS Community and Nature Partnerships Manager Helen Donovan said that, if you were an avid camper, you probably had come across a campground host in one of our beautiful national parks.

“Volunteer campground hosts generously give their time to make sure that your stay in a park is a safe and enjoyable one,” Dr Donovan said.

“I want to thank everyone who has volunteered their time as part of this great program, and strongly encourage anybody interested in becoming a campground host to put their hand up and get involved.”