I have Camps 9 at the moment so here is hoping it has updated info.

I have been looking at apps for trip planning but the free ones I have looked at are old information or not worth the trouble.
There may be some good up to date apps available but they are at a cost.

I am not opposed to paying for what I want and need but I was hoping for some input as to their suitability prior to me outlaying any of my hard earned...

-- Edited by Dickodownunder on Wednesday 23rd of January 2019 11:23:35 AM

Hi Peter,

Thanks for the info however when I went to the App Store to view the Explorer App offered by HEMA I was extremely surprised to read the very poor comments posted by current users.
I am not opposed to the $50.00 but I would be reluctant to buy any app with such bad reports attached to it.
Here is a pic of the one I looked at.

Be careful about some digital maps for accuracy, copy of news item from Queensland.........



The Queensland government is urging Google to urgently fix its Maps app over claims inflated travel times are deterring tourists to the outback.

Acting premier Cameron Dick said he would send a letter to the head of Google Australia and New Zealand, Mel Silva, asking her to fast-track amendments of the travel times, which outback businesses say add up to six hours to journeys.

One particular drastic example was the trip from Birdsville, on the Queensland border, up to the Western Star Hotel in Windorah.

Google Maps first had the trip, a 380km journey, listed as taking close to 11 hours.

After the company was contacted about the inflated hours, Google dropped the travel time to seven hours, 49 minutes.

While less extreme, the quoted travel time would still leave the driver doing around 50km/h the entire trip.

Local businesses say distances in outback Queensland have been inflated.

We are so dependant on those apps now to get us around cities, to get us around towns, and to get us around big states like Queensland and we need to ensure those apps and the information they are providing are as accurate as possible, Acting premier Cameron Dick told ABC radio today.

Google has already updated some travel times at the request of outback businesses, but even updated journey times are still not accurate.

Outback Queensland Tourism Association General Manager Peter Homan said those planning an outback trip should steer clear of Google Maps until the problem is fixed, and head straight to the source of local knowledge.


Every shire has a Visitor Information Centre, with the best information about travel times, whats going on in the local area, distances, the best watering holes, where to catch fish, Mr Homan told AAP.

They can just give them a call, and theyre also full of local characters so theyll have a good yarn, too.

Mr Homan said tourism was crucial for outback towns struggling with drought, which is entering its eighth year in some regions.

Its incredibly important; its the industry thats keeping a lot of the local communities together, he said.

Its more than money coming into their towns, it gives retailers an opportunity to sell their products, its giving people pride in their towns.

Dickodownunder wrote:

---

I have been recently studying online maps and find that many are sadly lacking in as much as they are not up to date.

It was bought to my attention when I learned that the road from Rolleston to Blackwater in Queensland has been upgraded to bitumen and I believe this work was completed in late 2017 or early 2018.

Maps such as the digital type used by Wiki Camps can be also very outdated in some areas.

The old paper maps were great but for obvious reasons most are not being printed any more probably due to cost.

Does anyone on here have a link or even an app that might be a more accurate resource for trip planning and travel in general?

---

 Hi Dicko

We use a app called OsmAnd with some success, in Austraia and overseas. It was real handy in UK on our Samsung 10.1 tablet when wevhired a car and drove around ith no plan.

My wife enjoys using the  mapping system, we did pay the small price for it but we run the free version, I can not remember why but was encouraged by our son to pay or donate for app.

When I was planning a tour to Mareeba via Karumba from Brisbane I searhed though paper maps looking for latest sealed roads and found it a bit hit and miss. Did find for Queensland a webb page which allowed me to down load called "a Guide to Queensland Roads". Also had another page with dump points, weighbridges and rest areas. Now all on my tablet, very hany.

Just thinking about it, 8 years now been using the app. Ralph.

-- Edited by Radar on Wednesday 23rd of January 2019 06:08:22 PM

Dickodownunder wrote:

---

Thank you Radar, I will have a google look at your suggestion.

Just as a matter of interest with paper maps I went to thr Hema site and had a look and I clicked on a link for a paper map to outback Qld.
I find that this map was actually last updated in 2013 and is for sale currently for $11.95
Not a big cost but no where near up to date either.
I can understand that paper maps need to be printed and would expect this could be a problem with up to date information but 6 years may have updates to roads which would not be included.
On the other hand digital maps on line could quite easily be updated within a much shorter time line but apparently this is generally not happening either.
My search will go on..

---

 Hi Dicko

Do you have state that you are more interested in or all Australia.

I mostly just concentrate on one state or area in particular, that working for me. Ralph.

Hi Radar,
At present I am more interested in Queensland rural and outback.
There are developmental roads that are being upgraded and other roads improved for mining activities.

From my observations some of the best remote roads in this country are supported by mining activity.
I dont know what it is but the companies that construct these mining roads actually know where to hire qualified final trim grader operators.

  

-- Edited by Dickodownunder on Wednesday 23rd of January 2019 09:30:10 PM

The Belmont Bear wrote:

---

..I have heard a lot about the Camps books from you guys do they have road maps for all areas of Australia and are they a reasonable substitute for a paper map ? The other question I have is should I buy Camps 9 or wait until Camps 10 comes out mid February which may be just after we leave ?

---

Camps books use HEMA maps, but with less information (there is no places index at the back and the refuelling info for outback places is missing) compared with the HEMA Touring Atlas which is similar, but also available in larger format and has more detailed maps for some areas. The HEMA Atlas is the only paper maps that we carry, but a Camps book would generally be sufficient (we carry both).

Camps comes out every second year, so that will be reflected in the accuracy of 10 Vs 9. 

Cheers,

Peter

-- Edited by Peter_n_Margaret on Thursday 24th of January 2019 09:27:27 AM

Peter_n_Margaret wrote:

---

The Belmont Bear wrote:

---

..I have heard a lot about the Camps books from you guys do they have road maps for all areas of Australia and are they a reasonable substitute for a paper map ? The other question I have is should I buy Camps 9 or wait until Camps 10 comes out mid February which may be just after we leave ?

---

Camps books use HEMA maps, but with less information (there is no places index at the back and the refuelling info for outback places is missing) compared with the HEMA Touring Atlas which is similar, but also available in larger format and has more detailed maps for some areas. The HEMA Atlas is the only paper maps that we carry, but a Camps book would generally be sufficient (we carry both).

Camps comes out every second year, so that will be reflected in the accuracy of 10 Vs 9.

---

 Agreed. They are are my preferred paper maps when on the road. I think that NRMA still provide the Oz wide map. The navigator did get one a year or two back when she went in to see if hey still had any remnants of the more detailed maps.

It's a pity you did not raise this earlier. Around the new year, CAW were offering discounts on pre-ordered editions.

The wife dropped into the NRMA today to see what they had and they defintely didn't have any touring maps available. Thanks for the tip Peter I think that I will invest in the Hema Australian Road and 4WD Atlas and later on probably pick up Camps 10 after it's been released. We will be hooking up the van and heading to Broken Hill, then down to Kangaroo Island and back along the Murray when we get back from our Tassie road trip so no doubt we will make good use of them then. My paper maps are more sticky tape than paper they have been used so much they tend to split where you fold them.

Cheers

BB

-- Edited by The Belmont Bear on Thursday 24th of January 2019 06:57:17 PM

Must have driven 50kms around Newcastle today before I finally found a copy of the Hema Road Atlas spiral bound in the larger size. The bigger retailers who advertise it on line like BCF, Auto One etc. said that they never carry the Road Atlas in stock but place orders for it if people want them. Finally found the 2018 edition on the shelf at RTM (Road Tech Marine) for $34 I could have also got Camps 9 but I,ll wait for a couple of weeks and get the new version 10.

Thanks guys for your advice the road atlas looks good.

BB

-- Edited by The Belmont Bear on Friday 25th of January 2019 07:28:39 PM