7 apps that will help you survive a trip to outback Australia
Yes, there are plenty of travel apps out there, but occasionally you might journey to regions where getting from A to B is more important than finding the city's best croissant.
Travelling in outback Australia can be immensely rewarding, but your typical smartphone options won't necessarily improve your trip. Here's a selection of seven apps to help you get the most out of a trip to the Kimberley, Kakadu or Uluru, reception permitting.
Also, please, please take a paper road map. We all remember the Apple Maps fiasco, right?
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AUS Rain Radar
When travelling in rural Australia, nothing is more important than the weather. If you need up-to-date information about the likelihood of rain during a big day of driving, this app will give a quick, easy indication.
Available free on iOS and Android.
George the Farmer
If you're travelling around Australia with a car full of city-slicker kids, George the Farmer could help them get to grips with the rural world they're entering. An interactive story about a farmer and his dog sidekick Jessie, the app helps kids up to eight years of age find out about the day-to-day happenings of agricultural life.
Available for A$4.49 on iOS.
Australian Wildflowers
Although many people think of central Australia as a desert, the place is in fact flush with all manner of plant life. Working off the plant's shape, colour and other features, Australian Wildflowers will help you discover just what unusual Australian flora you're looking at.
Available for A$4.49 on iOS.
Welcome to Country
Built by Ngarluma man Tyson Mowarin, Welcome to Country helps travellers learn about first nations around Australia. Using your smartphone's geolocation capability, the app can help teach you about the Aboriginal tribe local to the area, as well as proper cultural protocol.
Available free on iOS.
Star Walk 2
One of the best things about getting away from the city is the absence of artificial lights. You can finally see the stars in spectacular fashion, weather permitting. Using your smartphone's gyroscope, Star Walk 2 will match its map of the constellations to the position you're facing in the sky, as well as offer astronomical details about what you're looking at. Lie down in your swag and stargaze.
Available for $4.49 on iOS and $3.99 on Android.
Hema Australia 4WD Maps
This app isn't at all cheap, but if you're keen on 4WD expeditions, it's going to help you out. Hema lets you navigate more than 100 regional maps and use GPS tracking offline when you're a long way from the nearest mobile reception tower.
Available for $99.99 on iOS.
Crossy Road
Australian towns are far, far apart. Case in point: Driving from Alice Springs to Darwin takes 16 hours, and you never leave the Northern Territory. If you're not the designated driver, you'll need to amuse yourself. Give the addictive, Australian-made game Crossy Roads a try. All those hours will pass in mere minutes.
Available free on iOS, Android, Amazon and Microsoft.
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Topics Apps & Software
Ariel Bogle was an associate editor with Mashable in Australia covering technology. Previously, Ariel was associate editor at Future Tense in Washington DC, an editorial initiative between Slate and New America.
