I've been hiking across Australia for years and these are the apps that have earned a permanent spot on my phone.
This is the one I use most. Trail maps across Australia, distance and elevation info, recent reviews from other hikers, and live location sharing so someone can track where I am while I'm out. The web version is solid for planning longer routes too. You can map out multi-day hikes, save them offline, and head out knowing you've done your homework.
If you're doing more remote or off-track hiking, Gaia GPS is worth looking at as an alternative. Better topo map layers and more detail for rugged terrain. I don't use it as much personally but a lot of serious hikers swear by it.
Hopefully you never need it. But it gives you your exact GPS coordinates to pass on to emergency services, and has what3words built in, which is genuinely useful when you're somewhere remote with no clear address. Keep it on your phone, know where it is, and hope it stays unopened.
If you’re hiking in Australia during warmer months, this app is essential. Fires Near Me shows live updates on bushfires, including where they are, how big they are, and whether they’re under control. I always check it before heading out, especially if I’m planning a hike in the bush. It’s helped me avoid risky areas more than once.
Better than the default weather app for hiking purposes. Wind, rain, UV, and tide times if you're near the coast. Useful for figuring out what gear to bring and whether the timing is right for the hike you're planning.
If you're going somewhere without reception, this is essential. Download offline maps beforehand, including official park topo maps, and your GPS still works even with no signal. You can plot routes, drop pins, mark points of interest, and measure distances. I've used it to load in national park maps directly from their store. Really good for anything remote.
Free, works offline, and covers exactly what you'd want in an emergency. Clear step-by-step instructions for common hiking injuries and emergencies, FAQs, and even quizzes if you want to actually learn the content rather than just have it sitting there. Worth downloading before your next hike even if you're confident with first aid, just as a backup reference.
Good for finding campgrounds, rest areas, and overnight spots. User reviews and photos make it easy to work out what you're actually getting before you show up. Useful for multi-day trips where you're planning stops along the way.
This one's more specific to how I hike, but if you're shooting with a Sony camera, it's worth having. I use it to control the shutter and frame shots remotely from my phone, which is a lifesaver when you're solo and want to actually be in the photo without sprinting back to hit the button.
For planning sunrise, sunset, and Milky Way shots. You can see exactly where the sun or moon will be at any given time, and the augmented reality feature lets you visualise it on location before you've even set up your camera. If photography is part of why you hike, this is worth the download.
