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Now that you have booked your campervan rental in Australia, finding a campground is the next most important step in planning your road trip in Australia. The good news is, whether you are travelling in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, Darwin, Adelaide or even Tasmania, Australia is a camp friendly country with plenty of campgrounds and facilities nationwide. With these 3 apps in your smartphone, you can easily look for campgrounds and some road trip essential amenities like public toilets, dump stations, petrol stations etc.
1. Campermate (Free)
What we love about this app
The number one thing we like about this app is that it is FREE. Packed with plenty of useful information, users can easily search for campgrounds, dump stations and even popular attractions. The filter function allows you to conduct a more precise search such as campgrounds that allow non-self-contained vehicles. This is useful when you are travelling in a campervan without ensuite shower and toilet.
This user-friendly app bases on the Google Maps interface. The listings have basic information such as a simple description of the place, the address, opening hours and pricing. With a tap on the “Get Directions” button, the app will also redirect you to Google Maps and you can easily navigate to the location. There are also plenty of user generated contents such as photos and reviews that are authentic. This is a community supported app that allows users to add useful information and discoveries at any time.
If you need help with planning your activities, Campermate has some local guides and inspirations and you can also book some tours directly through the app.
What we don’t love about this app
Ads. Every now and then an ad will pop-up and disrupt the flow. But hey, if it feeds the developers, we don’t complain.
2. Hipcamp (Free)
What we love about this app
Being a new player in the market, Hipcamp is one of its kind. With an interface similar to Airbnb, Hipcamp works in a similar way. The platform allows private land owners such as farm owners to list their property and host guests for a fee. So instead of going to a tourist packed campsite, travellers can opt for a more unique and private experience at places like a vineyard, farm, cattle station and ranch etc. In these recent years, farm stays have been gaining popularity for travellers who want to experience the farm life. There are plenty of activities to participate it and it’s both fun and educational for people from all walks of life.
On the app, the prices are listed upfront, and you can easily check availability with the tap of a button. You can make a direct booking and chat with the host on the app as well. A unique filter on the app is the “Tonight” and “This Weekend” filter. This is such a game changer for people who need to secure last minute camp spots.
Another fun feature of the app is the Badge collection score board. Campers unlock patches for every milestone such as First Night, 10 Nights, Camping in Summer etc.
What we don’t love about this app
Can’t think of anything.
3. Wikicamps (Paid)
What we love about this app
Being one of the oldest in the market, Wikicamps is the number one app used by private caravan owners in Australia. It boasts of having over 40,000 site listings and it is not only the largest, but also the most up to date camping app in the market. It is a paid app, but you get what you pay for. Similar to Campermate, you can scroll the map are on the app to look for campsites and amenities. But the best thing about this user-friendly app is that it has a filter for every feature or amenity you can think of. You can narrow your search results to show only pet friendly campsites, campsites with 240v power, or even campsites that have phone signal. The most used filter is of course the “Free Campsite” filter. The individual campsite listing page has easy to read icons for features such as toilets, shower, drinking water, dump station, fire place, 4WD access only etc.
Wikicamps also work offline, so you don’t have to worry about not having a phone signal or Wi-Fi. The built-in trip planner allows you to plan multiple road trips and you can also share your trip with your loved ones. They also have a chat forum where users get together to share their best road trip tips and experiences.
What we don’t love about this app
The cost of this app is AU$7.99
We the help of these 3 amazing app in your palm, we hope you can plan the most epic road trip in Australia. If you are a daredevil travelling in winter, don’t forget to read up on our tips to road trip like a champ in winter. If you on a budget, check out these wallet friendly recipes that will keep you nourished on your road trip. As a campervan rental specialist, our team members are always ready to help. If you have trouble choosing the right camper, simply reach out to us by clicking here.
Friendly advise: Be sure to check the road conditions of a campsite before booking. Most 2WD campervans and motorhomes are only to be driven on sealed bitumen roads. If the campsite access road is a gravel road, you may need to hire a 4WD Camper instead.
Author: Crystal L. (Campervan Specialist since 2017)
