Having the right apps and tools for your next Aussie road trip in my opinion is the difference between a smooth holiday or a chaotic mess.
Itβs taken us over 1.5 years living full time on the road to dial down the best apps and tools to use. WikiCamps would have to be #1 on our list as we use it daily to find accomodation, dump points, water points and fun local activities for the kids!
I wish I had this checklist on hand when I started off travelling because I would have saved so much time and hassle.
Hereβs what we use now and what I recommend in 2025 β most other blogs are outdated so this is the freshest information youβll find!
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π§π€οΈ Navigation and Safety
β’ Apple Maps β Smooth iPhone navigation
β’ BOM Weather App β Essential for changing conditions and knowing if the wind is going to be blowing to hard to leave the awning out overnight.
β’ Emergency + – Must have for safety and emergencies in remote areas (If no satellite phone) – includes things like exact coordinates, emergency contact numbers, fire alerts and information such as how to perform CPR.
β’ UHF Channel 40 – This is the truckies channel. As an extra safety measure, we keep it on so we can safely pass and overtake trucks.
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ποΈπ₯ Camping & Accommodation Apps
β’ WikiCamps β Go-to for free and paid campsites, water points, toilets, dump points, etc.
β’ Hipcamp β Unique private property stays (some of our favourite camps have been Hipcamps as they are great for kid-friendly farm stays or pet-friendly spots).
Tip: Save your filters like “family stays” or βchild friendly” to save time every time you search. You can also save your favourite camps too.
Tip: Check the most recent reviews β it’s usually a pretty good indication of what the place actually is like (vs. the marketing pics).
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π±π€³πΌ Staying Connected on the Road
β’ Telstra β We use Telstra, but honestly, there are more black out zones than what we expected.
β’ Starlink- If you are going remote and need internet connection, although expensive its 1000000% worth it!
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πΊ πΆ Entertainment (For the whole family)
β’ Netflix & Disney+ β Download before leaving areas with good signal to avoid streaming issues
β’ Audible β Great for audiobooks (for both adults and kids)
β’ Spotify Playlists β Not just for music but podcasts too. Max has been listening to different Disney stories, just type in βDisney Storytimeβ or click the link.
β’ Apple Podcasts – Shaun and I use this on the daily, especially for long drives when the kids are sleeping, its like a little date day without having to go anywhere.
β’ Good Reads – To keep track of what books Iβve read and what other people recommend.
β’ Youtube – Some of our favourite travel YouTubers to watch are Flying the Nest, Kara and Nate, Sailing La Vagabonde, Kinging It, Karstan and Maxine, As We Wander, Haylsa, Back 2 Basics Adventures and B2B Castaways (Strick and Fran).
β’ Kids gaming apps ages 2-4 – Bimbi Boo Preschool Games, Reading eggs, Bimbi Boo Drawing.
Tip: Donβt trust hotspot as the internet is always patchy when driving. Be prepared and download episodes or playlists before each long drive.
Tip: Give each child headphones or try and change your car audio settings to play the kids podcasts, stories and music in the back speakers only- this is a game changer for mum and dads sanity sitting in the front seats!
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πΈ ποΈ Social & Memory Keeping
β’ Instagram β Not only to share highlights and connect to other travellers. You can search what is in the area- In the search bar type the location you wish to explore and click βplacesβ, this will bring up a map of the area with a photo reference for each activity or eatery in the vicinity! We use this daily to find cool things to do when visiting a new place.
β’ Facebook – To connect to the people who may not have instagram. Mainly family to keep them updated on our whereabouts without having to call and check in everyday.
β’ Dazz Cam – For retro βfilmβ style photos.
β’ Inshot – To put together little video clips of your travels with overlaying text and special effects.
β’ Lightroom – For all photo editing needs in one spot.
β’ Google Photos / iCloud β Auto-backups + photo organisation.
β’ Once Upon β Create gorgeous, easy-to-use photo albums from your trip. I simply update mine every few months and order a hard copy at the end of each year.
Tip: Turn on auto-backup so you never lose those special moments from your phone!
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π©πΌβπ» β½οΈ π¬ Admin & Budget Tools
β’ AusPost App β Track all mail and parcels across the country.
β’ Fuel Map β Finds the cheapest fuel in the area.
β’ Time Tree – Our go to shared calendar for all our life admin.
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ππΌββοΈπ€ΈπΌββοΈππ½ββοΈExercise & Movement
β’ Peloton – Even though ill be leaving my exercise bike at home, I still use the app for Pilates and strength training. It also includes programs such as real time running guides.
β’ Strava – This is how Shaun and I track all of our runs and find cool local tracks.
β’ AllTrails – Used to find walking/ hiking trails and their difficulty rating.
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There are honestly thousands of other apps you can use β most do the same thing. But these are the ones that have been road-tested by us and passed the chaos-of-travel-with-kids test.
If your stuck on what to pack for your next family trip, download my FREE Family Van Life Packing Checklist or check out the blog π
Got any faves that didnβt make the list? Drop them in the comments or message me over on our instagram.
β€ Britt
@roam_n_round Instagram
@roam n round Facebook
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