Road-tested: The vanlife apps that keep us rolling

Planning, Vanlife

The essential vanlife apps that helped us lap Australia twice — from free camps and fuel savings to weather and offline maps.

As much as leaving our suburban corporate lives behind was about connecting more with nature, let’s face it — tech is essential in making the most of vanlife.

When we did our first lap way back in 2019, we were super green, and it was kinda overwhelming trying to work out where to park up, how to get water, what the hell ‘self-contained’ meant, and a million other things.

These are the apps and online tools that have kept us rolling, helping us lap Australia twice and live full-time on the road for over two years.

WikiCamps Australia

This app is literally our go-to for finding just about everything — from free or cheap showers, public toilets and potable (drinkable) water taps, to free and paid camps, bins, and more. We seriously use WikiCamps just about daily when we’re on the move. CamperMate is a strong free alternative.

What we love: You can use it offline, it pinpoints your location on its inbuilt map, you can read and leave reviews, and filter results (i.e. show only free camps).
Tip: Be sure to download the offline maps before you hit the road.
Cost: $9.99 AUD one-time purchase

Download WikiCamps Australia

Hipcamp

We use Hipcamp when we’re in areas without many free or low-cost sites, or if we’re trying to find a property that offers something a little special (i.e. an outdoor bath or a communal entertaining area with a fire). While many Hipcamps are listed on WikiCamps, the Hipcamp app has great filters for narrowing down the experience you’re after.

What we love: There are some seriously awesome properties on there.
Tips: Cross-check WikiCamps to see if the property is listed there — you may be able to book directly and avoid Hipcamp booking fees.
Cost: Free

Download Hipcamp

G’Day Rewards

While we stay at caravan parks infrequently, we have a G’Day Rewards membership to access a 10% discount at Discovery Parks. It’s worth mentioning there are 330+ Discovery Parks across Australia, so they’re never far away.

What we love: There are some decent perks, from a free bag of ice per stay to one night of free accommodation.
Tips: With just six separate stays, you’ll reach the top perks tier (make sure you redeem your perks at check-in, as staff won’t usually initiate the convo).
Cost: $50 for two years

Download G’Day Rewards

Petrol Spy & Fuel Map Australia

It goes without saying that fuel can be one of the most costly parts of vanlife. There can also be a huge difference in prices between petrol stations — even when they’re only a few kilometres apart. We use these national fuel apps to find the best place to fill up, and also check state-based apps (like Fuel Check Tas), which can be more reliable with price updates.

What we love: It helps us save cash.
Tip: Combine discounts like RAA (automobile associations) and Woolworths Rewards, as well as apps by the likes of Ampol and United, to maximise savings.
Cost: Free

Download Petrol Spy & Fuel Map Australia

Caravan Park Industry Jobs & Caravan Park Jobs (Facebook)

These Facebook pages are our go-tos for finding roadlife jobs at caravan parks and station stays around the country. We landed our first roadlife gig — three months of housekeeping on Queensland’s Central Coast — through Caravan Park Industry Jobs. There’s heaps of work out there if you’re willing to do it. We’ve also scored work just by chatting with a station stay owner at check-in.

What we love: Employers post opportunities almost daily, and you can also advertise your availability.
Tip: There are loads of harvest-related Facebook job groups too.
Cost: Free

View Caravan Park Industry Jobs & Caravan Park Jobs

Polarsteps

We’ve used this app to document and track our entire journey around Australia — from dusty outback tracks to salty coastal camps — uploading photos, notes and memories at each stop. It’s become a digital travel diary we love looking back on, and an easy way to keep our inner circle updated.

What we love: You can turn your trip into a coffee table book, and it gives you stats like kilometres travelled and number of stays.
Tip: We only share with close family and friends, as Polarsteps shows our exact location.
Cost: Free

Download Polarsteps

BOM Weather and YR

Being across the weather is pretty damn important. There’s nothing worse than being camped by the ocean in gale-force winds and getting sand-blasted, or heading deep into the dusty outback on the cusp of a heatwave. Weather can absolutely make or break your experience, and it plays a huge role in deciding where to head next. We mostly rely on BOM and YR. If we’re in the mountains, Mountain-Forecast is our go-to, as it provides predictions at different altitudes. Windy is also a handy reference, especially when wind is a big factor. When hiking offline, we also use our Garmin satellite phone for weather updates.

What we love: BOM is about as reliable as it gets, while YR offers great hourly forecasts.
Tip: Alpine weather is a different beast and often requires a deeper dive, which is why we rely on Mountain-Forecast in these areas.
Cost: Free

Download BOM Weather and YR

Aussie House Sitters

This is our preferred way to secure house and pet sits when we’re keen for a break from the road, or looking to avoid pricey caravan fees in cities and popular tourist spots. We also use Facebook groups like House Sitting Australia Wide and House Sitting Australia Group (national), but always read host reviews — paid platforms tend to be more reliable.

What we love: We’ve tried other paid services, but found Aussie House Sitters has the widest range of listings.
Tip: Ask plenty of questions upfront to clarify expectations and make sure it’s a good fit.
Cost: $89 for 12 months (Get $10 off your membership cost with our code V4MWR5)

View Aussie House Sitters
(Note, this is not an app)

Gaia GPS

This free hiking and off-road GPS app provides access to offline maps that include sealed and unsealed roads, as well as hiking trails. Having offline maps is crucial when travelling through remote parts of Australia where phone reception is non-existent. Other options include ExploreOz (paid), which is more 4WD-focused and includes campsite info. We also regularly use Google Maps, especially for toll-free routes in cities.

What we love: Reliable offline maps across Australia.
Tip: Definitely have an app like Gaia downloaded — otherwise you could end up seriously lost.
Cost: Free, with upgrade options (we use the free version)

Download Gaia GPS

Final word

Australia is a BIG country, and you won’t always have reception (if any at all). If an app relies on signal, make sure you download maps and key info before you hit the

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