Best Travelling Apps

As much as camping is all about ‘getting back to basics’, if you’re on a long trip around Australia, a few good travel apps on your smartphone or tablet can make your life so much easier. Here is a list of the best travel apps around.

Best travel apps you need to download

1. WikiCamps, $4.99

This is the ultimate travel app for campers. A comprehensive list of free camp sites, caravan parks, rest areas, day stops, hostels, information centres and points of interest around Australia. With photos, star ratings, comments, prices and reviews, the database is user generated and is constantly updated.

You can filter your search by whatever attributes you require, eg ‘Must Allow Dogs’, ‘Must have toilets’, ‘Must be free’ and so on. You can also filter by state and by distance, as well as specify a maximum travel distance and direction.

With the ability to download the entire sites content, it will also work offline, so you’ll never get lost and will always find a camp site. An absolute must have for any camper! 

2. HEMA 4WD Maps, $99.99

This is a very pricey app, but it’s the only offline GPS Navigation app that contains the entire pre-loaded Hema digital map collection.

You can find your location without mobile coverage, plot your route and track your progress, tag and save your favourite places, and share your track-logs and waypoints. It’s an invaluable tool for the off road tourer. 

3. Australian Road Trips, $4.99

The Australian Road Trips app will show you where to go and how to get there. With thousands of entries including everything you need to find the perfect picnic spot, great walking trails, best national parks, scenic lookouts, historic sites, wineries, museums and family attractions, you can use it to create your own unique adventure. 

4. AU Tides Pro, $2.49

The tide data on this app is built in, so there is no need for an internet connection to access the latest tide information. It will automatically search for your location and then advise current and future tide times for nearby locations. 

5. Camp Recipes, $2.49

With over 700 tried and tested recipes, listed by category, time and keyword search, you’ll never have to eat the same thing twice. These recipes are suited to campfires, BBQ’s, and even ‘survivalist’ style cooking. 

6. Australian First Aid Pocket Guide, $2.49

This guide has been created by professional paramedics to help in most emergency situations. It provides simple to follow information and treatment guides, essentials of first aid, and the most common trauma and medical emergencies. 

8. Off Exploring, FREE

For those of you who like to document and share your travel experiences, this free online travel blog is perfect. Update as you go, even while offline, and sync when you next get an internet connection. Friends and family can follow your trip and make comments, and you even get your own web address for them to follow. You can geo-tag posts with your current location, upload unlimited photos and blog entries, and at the end of the trip, you can even get your entire journal printed into a book to treasure forever. 

9. Pocket Weather Australia, $2.49

This detailed app sources its information from the Bureau of Meteorology, so you can be assured of its accuracy. It includes detailed weather information for all suburbs in Australia, rain radars, tide times, warnings, and push notifications for forecasts. It includes hourly temperature and wind forecasts for seven days into the future for all regions except the NT. It also includes sunset and sunrise times. This is the most comprehensive weather app available! 

10. MyEnvironment, Free

This app has been developed by the Australian Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities. It identifies heritage places, wetlands, ship wrecks, protected species, and protected areas near you, or in a location of your choice. 

 What is your favourite travel app? Please let us know!