Useful Apps for Camping, Caravanning and Travelling Australia

When travelling, it’s important to have up to date information on the places you are going, especially if you are somewhere remote. Technology has allowed us to be so much more versatile with regards to the information available. No longer do you need to have tonnes of books and maps taking up room in the car.

The variety of apps available for your phone and tablet to help with campsites, facilities, roads and things to do can be overwhelming. Here is our list of the best and most useful apps to help you when camping, caravanning and travelling Australia.

• Campsite Apps
• Mapping & Road Trip Apps
• Planning Apps
• Caravan Apps
• On Your Trip Apps
• Safety Apps

The apps that are most useful will depend on where you are going and what you are doing, but these are the one’s we think are some of the best apps for camping and caravanning.

Campsite Apps

WikiCamps

WikiCamps is a fantastic app to look for campsites and places to go. It’s designed to be a database of campsites, caravan parks, backpacker hostels, points of interest, visitor information centers, dump stations, water taps, facilities and more.

Wikicamps allows users to comment, review and upload photos of campsites and points of interest so it is current information. It has over 31,000 listings and is one of the biggest apps for finding campsites in Australia.

Use Wikicamps for:

• Finding campgrounds (free, low cost, showgrounds, caravan parks)
• Finding points of interest
• Finding day rest areas
• Finding dump points
• Finding water fill points

You can read our full WikiCamps review.

Campedia

Campedia is an app owned by an Australian traveling family who’s goal it is to have the ultimate app to search and compare camping and caravanning facilities and activities. It’s designed to be a one stop shop for campsites, caravan parks, points of interest, visitor information centres, dump stations, water taps, fuel, facilities, a trip planner and more.

Campedia allows users to rate, review and upload photos of campsites and points of interest so it is current information. Your can get recommendations of the best places to stay, eat and play all around Australia. The app is still fairly new, so it doesn’t have as many sites as an app like Wikicamps, however the ones that are on there are better verified as actual campsites.

Use Campedia for:

• Finding campgrounds (free, low cost, showgrounds, caravan parks etc)
• Finding Accommodation (Hotels, Motels etc.)
• Finding points of interest
• Finding day rest areas
• Finding Visitor information centres
• Finding dump points
• Finding water fill points
• Finding public toilets

Camps Australia Wide

Discover 5,500+ budget camp sites, 2,250+ caravan & tourist parks, plus national & state forest parks, farm & station stays, show ground camping, hotel & pub camping, RV parks and more. It will also show you pet friendly sites plus day use areas, rest areas, information centres, and over 950+ public dump points Australia wide.

This app is free to download and use for 7 days but after that it is a yearly subscription fee.

Use Camps Australia Wide for:

• Finding campgrounds (free, low cost, showgrounds, caravan parks etc)
• Finding Accommodation (Hotels, Motels etc.)
• Finding points of interest
• Finding day rest areas
• Finding Visitor information centres
• Finding dump points
• Finding water fill points
• Finding fuel and gas bottle sway points
• Offline maps
• Trip Planner

Hipcamp

Hipcamp allows people with land to use it for campers. You can use the app to find and book camping sites, caravan spots and even glamping stays on private land. You can search by area, and filter by what you need. It is perfect if you are self contained and looking for something a little bit quieter.

Use Hipcamp for:

• Finding campgrounds on private land

Anycamp

Anycamp is a crowd sources camping app with over 8000 campsites. Browse photos, upload your own, save campsites and review the spots you have already been to. You can also book some campsites straight through the app.

Use Anycamp for:

• Finding campgrounds & caravan parks
• Finding dump points
• Cycling and walking tracks

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Mapping & Road Trip Apps

Hema Explorer Australia

If you’re thinking about doing any 4WD tracks or unsealed roads, then the Hema Maps app is a great travel companion. This app can help you plan and navigate your adventure. The Hema Explorer Map is a multi-scale topographic map that features an entire database of roads and 4WD tracks to guide you anywhere in Australia. You also get access to a range of Hema regional maps  such as Cape York, Fraser Island, Great Desert Tracks, High Country Victoria and the Kimberley.

Plan and navigate your next great adventure both on and off the beaten track.

Fuel Map Australia

Created by the same people as WikiCamps, Fuel Map is a crowd-sourced database of petrol stations and fuel prices from all across Australia. It can also show real time fuel prices in WA, NSW and QLD. Locations of petrol stations are shown on the map as a branded pin with the last known fuel price displayed above. Great if you are in an unknown area trying to find a station, or just if you’re trying to find the cheapest fuel.

National Public Toilet Map

The National Public Toilet Map provides information on over 19,000 publicly available toilets across Australia, including accessibility, opening hours and facilities, such as showers & baby change. Great if you have a kid suddenly decide they’re busting.

Download the National Public Toilet Map App

Playground Founder

Do your kids need to burn off some energy? Find a playground for the kids near you with reviews and photos by other parents.

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Planning Apps

Willy Weather

If you want a comprehensive weather map to plan your travels, then try Willy Weather. It has the general weather forecasts but also wind, tides, rainfall, sunrise and sunset, UV and even the radar. Willy Weather is a good allround app with over 30,000 locations.

Packing List

A simple app to get your organised so you never forget things! Packing list allows you to make lists of what you need to take as well as what you need to do. Get organised before travelling, and even use it as a guide of what to remember when setting up or packing down your campsite.

Travel Spend

Keep track of your holiday spending by using this app. Travel Spend allows you to enter all your expenses to keep track of how much you’re spending. Put in everything from accommodation costs to entertainment, groceries and even laundry costs. You can also set a budget that you would like to spend and the app will tell you how much you have left. It’s a great way to keep track of how much your trip is costing.

Mad Paws

When you go away, what do you do with your furry companions? Mad Paws is a platform that connects thousands of Pet Owners with loving Pet Sitters across Australia. You can search for local pet accommodation for your pet or find someone to come and pet sit for you in your home. You can even get photo updates while you’re away.

You can easily search through Mad Paws database of verified pet sitters to find a solution to suit your pets needs.

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Caravan Apps

Level Remote

If you don’t have a level on your caravan or camper trailer, it can be hard to know if you are actually level. Level remote is an app you can use that will let you know if your van is level, both visually and audibly.

On Your Trip Apps

Gas Finder

If you are camping and run out of gas, it can be a pain to go searching for where you can either fill it up or swap the bottle. The gas finder app allows you to quickly and easily find the nearest store. It even has some prices to compare.

Tripadvisor

If you’re looking for somewhere to eat, visit or stay, then you can get recommendations and reviews off Tripadvisor. TripAdvisor has millions of reviews, photos, and maps from travellers all over Australia and the world. You can use the “Near Me” function for searching for a hotel/restaurant that’s close to you.

Australia Post

If you’re going on the big lap or an extended trip, you might find that you need to get some stuff delivered along the way. Especially if you are remote and can’t get something locally (or you have a late night online shopping habit). The Parcel Locker system allows you to get mail to virtually every post office in Australia and the Australia Post app allows you to organise and keep track of you parcels.

Roadtrippers

You can use the Roadtrippers app to find things like restaurants, fun roadside attractions, scenic points, national parks and more.  You can find stuff around where you currently are, or along a route you are planning. Read reviews and even see photos people have put up.

AllTrails

AllTrails has a large collection of detailed trails and tracks for the avid bushwalker. In fact AllTrails has 3,779 Australian hiking trails, trail running trails, mountain biking trails and more. If you want to spend some time bushwalking (and not get lost) then this app might be a great help.

Sky View

If you love gazing up at the night sky, this app lets you know about the planets, stars and constellations. Just open the app and point the phone around the sky to show you what is currently up there. It even shows you some satellites such as the ISS and Hubble when they are overhead. Use it to follow the sky paths for the sun and moon at any time of day.

Great app for any budding astronomer and fantastic for teaching the kids about stars.

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Safety Apps

Beachsafe

If you’re planning on going to the beach, you want to do it safely. The Beachsafe app gives you detailed information on just about every Australian beach. It includes information on patrol status, facilities and hazards as well as weather, swell and tide. The current lifesaving service for each beach is listed to help you find the nearest patrolled beach. It’s a must have app if you’re planning a beachside stay.

Emergency+ App

If you need to call 000, using this app will allow it to use your phone’s GPS and give your coordinates and address to the emergency operator. This can be essential if you don’t know the actual address of where you are because you’re bush camping or have gone for a drive for the day.

It also provides a list of numbers such as the SES and Police Assistance Line so you can also use it in non-emergencies where you still need help.

Australian Bites and Stings

This app provides information on the various venomous species in Australia including snakes, spiders, aquatic creatures, jellyfish, insects and other creepy crawlies. It also includes what to do if you are bitten or stung and a ‘Be Prepared’ checklist for before you go.

Handy if you are wanting to identify a creature, or if you’ve been bitten and want to know the signs and symptoms of a bite or sting and its treatment.

First Aid

The First Aid app by St John Ambulance Australia gives you step by step emergency first aid information with a large clear image for each step. If you need help administering first aid then this app can tell you what you need to do.

It has topics including allergic reactions, asthma attack, bites and stings, burns, chest pain, choking, defibrillation, diabetic emergencies, fractures, recovery position, severe bleeding, shock and sprains & strains. It also includes the latest CPR guidelines.

Kids Health Info

Instead of consulting Dr Google, head over to this app for over 300 medical facts sheets from the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne. It covers a variety of topics and common illnesses (and not so common one’s).

It is a helpful resource when camping if you or your family get sick and can be referenced for things such as concussion, allergies, rashes, infections and illness.