Privacy Policy

Privacy Policy

VanLife Connect Pty Ltd
Effective date: January 2026

This Privacy Policy explains how VanLife Connect Pty Ltd (“VLC”, “we”, “our”, “us”) collects, uses, stores and protects personal information when you use the VanLife Connect platform.

1. Definitions

“Booking” means a confirmed contract between Traveller and Provider facilitated through the VLC Platform

“Community Noticeboard” means the centralized hub for local events, meetups, assistance requests, and community announcements

“Convoy” means a group of travelers who choose to coordinate their journeys through the Travel Mates feature

“Personal Information” has the meaning given under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth)

“Provider” means a user who lists and supplies services through the VLC Platform

“Smart Arrival” means our intelligent location technology that automatically surfaces relevant services, community updates, and Travel Mates information when you check into new locations

“Traveller” means a user who books services through the VLC Platform

“Travel Mates” means the optional social-connection feature that allows Users to discover and connect with other nearby travellers, build convoys, coordinate trips, and communicate through in-app messaging and location-based functionality

“VLC Platform” means our mobile applications, websites, APIs and related services

2. Personal Information We Collect

We collect the following categories of personal information:

Account Information:

  • Full name, email address, mobile phone number
  • Date of birth (for age verification and eligibility – minimum 18 years)
  • Postal address and location data (when location services are enabled)
  • Travel Mates profile information including visibility preferences, interests, convoy participation settings, and status indicators
  • Profile photographs and user-generated biographical content

Financial Information:

  • Payment details processed through secure third-party payment processors (Stripe)
  • Bank account details for Provider payouts (Stripe)
  • Transaction history and booking records
  • Refund and dispute information
  • Tax-related information including ABN for Providers

Platform Content:

  • User-generated content including service listings, photographs, reviews and ratings
  • Communications between users through in-app messaging
  • Travel Mates interactions, connection requests, convoy participation data, and communications between Users within Travel Mates
  • Community Noticeboard posts, comments, and interactions
  • Support communications and enquiries

Technical Information:

  • Device information, IP address, browser type and version
  • Usage data and analytics (including cookies and similar technologies)
  • Login timestamps and session information
  • Location information when Travel Mates is enabled, including approximate location, check-in points, proximity indicators, and Smart Arrival signals
  • App performance data and error logs

Verification Information:

  • Identity verification documents (driver’s licence, passport)
  • Australian Business Number (ABN) for Providers (where applicable)
  • Vehicle registration details (where applicable)
  • Insurance documentation (where applicable)
  • Background check results and verification status (where applicable)

3. How We Collect Personal Information

We collect personal information through:

Direct Collection:

  • Registration forms, booking processes, user profiles, and communications
  • When you create or update your Travel Mates profile or interact with other Users within the Travel Mates feature
  • Community Noticeboard posts and interactions
  • Service listings and marketplace activities
  • Customer support interactions

Automatic Collection:

  • Cookies, device sensors, usage analytics, and app functionality
  • When you enable Travel Mates or Smart Arrival, we collect location signals necessary to determine approximate proximity to other Users
  • Smart Arrival location detection and check-in processes
  • App usage patterns and performance metrics

Third-Party Sources:

  • Payment processors, identity verification services, and social media platforms (with your consent)
  • Background check providers and verification services
  • Government databases for tax and regulatory compliance

4. Purpose of Collection and Use

Core Platform Operations:

  • Operating and providing the VLC Platform services
  • Facilitating service listings, bookings, and secure payments
  • Enabling communication between Travellers and Providers
  • Processing transactions and managing refunds
  • Maintaining user accounts and profiles

Safety and Security:

  • Verifying user identity and eligibility to use the Platform
  • Assist to prevent fraud, unauthorized access, and misuse of the Platform
  • Investigating disputes and policy violations
  • Maintaining Platform security and integrity

Legal and Regulatory Compliance:

  • Complying with Australian tax reporting obligations
  • Meeting anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing requirements
  • Responding to lawful requests from government authorities
  • Enforcing our Terms & Conditions

Service Improvement:

  • Personalizing user experience and recommendations
  • Analyzing usage patterns to improve Platform functionality
  • Conducting research and development
  • Providing customer support

Marketing and Communications:

  • Sending service-related notifications and updates
  • Providing marketing communications (with your consent)
  • Conducting user surveys and feedback collection

Travel Mates Functionality:

We use personal information to operate and improve Travel Mates, including:

  • Displaying approximate location to other Users who have opted into Travel Mates
  • Showing nearby travellers, convoys, and check-ins
  • Supporting messaging and connection requests
  • Enabling Smart Arrival to surface Travel Mates information at new locations
  • Ensuring safety and trust through identity requirements
  • Coordinating convoy activities and group travel

5. Legal Basis for Processing

Our legal bases for processing personal information include:

  • Contract performance: Processing necessary to perform our contract with you
  • Legal obligations: Compliance with Australian laws and regulations, including tax reporting and AML/CTF requirements
  • Legitimate interests: Fraud prevention, security, service improvement, and platform safety
  • Consent: Marketing communications, optional features like Travel Mates, and non-essential data processing

6. Disclosure of Personal Information

We may disclose your personal information to the following categories of recipients:

Platform Users:

  • Other users as necessary for booking fulfillment and communication
  • Public display of usernames, ratings, and review content (as per Platform settings)
  • Community Noticeboard interactions and posts

Travel Mates Visibility:

If you choose to use Travel Mates:

  • Your profile, approximate location, check-ins and availability status may be visible to other Users who have enabled Travel Mates
  • Convoy members may see additional coordination details you choose to share
  • You may turn Travel Mates on or off at any time

Service Providers:

  • Payment processors (including Stripe and other financial institutions)
  • Cloud hosting and IT infrastructure providers (AWS Sydney region)
  • Identity verification and background check services
  • Customer support and communication platforms

Government and Legal:

  • Law enforcement agencies and government authorities (when legally required)
  • Courts and tribunals (in response to lawful orders)
  • Regulatory bodies including the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (AUSTRAC)
  • Australian Taxation Office (ATO) for tax reporting compliance

We do not sell your personal information to third parties for their marketing purposes.

7. Sharing-Economy Tax Reporting

Payments are processed through Stripe Connect. VLC acts solely as limited payment agent for collecting, holding and releasing funds.

In accordance with Australian tax law and our Master Terms & Conditions:

VLC may collect and disclose Provider information including ABN, gross payouts, payment dates, and other required information to the Australian Taxation Office and other relevant authorities as required by the Sharing-Economy Reporting Regime or other applicable laws.

VLC is not obliged to provide additional notice before making compulsory disclosures required by law.

What This Means for You: If you earn income through the Platform, we will report your earnings to the ATO as required. This helps ensure compliance with Australian tax obligations.

8. Data Retention Schedule

We keep personal information only for as long as needed to operate VanLife Connect, meet legal obligations and maintain accurate business records. When information is no longer required, we delete it or permanently anonymise it unless the law requires us to keep it longer.

Account and Profile Information
We retain account details while your account is active. After closure, we keep limited information for up to 7 years to meet legal and audit requirements. Inactive accounts may be deleted or anonymised after a period of non-use.

Bookings and Payments
Records relating to bookings, payments, refunds and disputes are kept for up to 7 years to comply with tax, audit and regulatory obligations.

Communications and Content
Messages, support interactions and community posts are kept only for the period needed to operate the platform, manage safety, or meet legal requirements. Some content may be anonymised rather than deleted.

Verification and Compliance Documents
Identity documents, licence information and other compliance material may be kept for up to 7 years after your last transaction or account closure, as required by law.

Technical and Location Data
Device, usage and analytics data is kept for short operational periods. Certain logs, including security records, may be retained for longer where needed for safety or compliance. Location signals used for features such as Smart Arrival are kept for a limited period and Travel Mates location data is removed as soon as the feature is turned off.

Legal Requirements
Where information relates to legal matters, regulatory reporting or tax obligations, it may be kept for the period required by law.

After retention periods expire, we securely delete or anonymise the information.

9. Peer-to-Peer Marketplace Privacy

VanLife Connect operates as a peer-to-peer platform, which means certain information must be shared between Travellers and Providers to enable bookings, payments and safe interactions.

Provider Verification
We collect identity documents, ABN details and, where relevant, insurance information or background checks to confirm a Provider’s eligibility to offer services. This information is kept only for compliance and audit requirements.

Payments and Escrow
All payments are processed through Stripe. Funds are held securely until the service is completed. Transaction and payment information may be kept for dispute handling, refunds and tax reporting.

Reviews and Ratings
Travellers and Providers can review each other after a booking. Reviews are public and may be moderated to remove personal information or inappropriate content. Review history helps maintain trust on the platform.

Booking Communications
Messages between users are routed through the platform. Contact details or precise service locations are only shared when needed to complete a booking. Communication logs may be kept for dispute resolution and safety purposes.

Trust and Safety
Users can report concerns at any time. We may suspend accounts where safety or rule breaches occur. Relevant information may be preserved for investigations or provided to law enforcement where required by law.

10. Smart Arrival Technology

Smart Arrival is VLC’s intelligent location technology that enhances your nomadic experience by automatically surfacing relevant information when you arrive at new destinations.

How Smart Arrival Works

Detection Mechanisms
  • GPS Geofencing: Automatic detection when you enter a new city or region
  • Manual Check-in: User-initiated check-ins to specific locations
  • Movement Patterns: Analysis of travel routes to predict arrival destinations
Information Surfaced

When Smart Arrival detects you’ve reached a new location, it automatically provides:

  • Local Services: Available services from Providers
  • Travel Mates: Other travellers who have opted into Travel Mates
  • Community Updates: Local events, meetups, and assistance requests on the Noticeboard
  • Safety Information: Local emergency contacts and important regional information

Privacy Protections

  • No Location Sharing: Your arrival information is not shared with other users
  • Algorithm Only: Location signals used only by our systems, not visible to other users
  • Data Minimization: Only essential location signals retained, detailed GPS tracks deleted

User Controls

  • Manual Override: Force Smart Arrival activation or manually set location
  • Complete Disable: Turn off Smart Arrival entirely while keeping other features
  • Selective Surfacing: Choose which types of information to surface automatically

11. Travel Mates Location Handling

Travel Mates Privacy

Travel Mates helps you connect with nearby travellers while maintaining strong privacy and safety controls.

Location Sharing
Travel Mates only displays an approximate area to other users. Your exact GPS location is never shown. You may choose to share more detailed information when coordinating a convoy.

Convoy Features
Users travelling together can optionally share plans, routes and live updates. This information is visible only to convoy members and is not shared elsewhere on the platform.

Profile Visibility and Controls
You can choose who can view your Travel Mates profile, set your availability, and block or report other users at any time.

Data Handling and Storage
Travel Mates uses a separate system for proximity signals, with added security measures. Temporary location data is deleted immediately when you turn Travel Mates off.

Safety Measures
Identity verification is required for all Travel Mates users. Contact details are shared gradually as connections form. Optional safety prompts and the ability to disable the feature instantly support safer in-person interactions.

12. Data Breach Notification

If a data breach occurs that may affect your personal information, we will respond quickly and notify you appropriately.

Our Response Process

  • Immediate Action: Contain the breach within 12 hours of discovery
  • Assessment: Evaluate the risk to affected users within 24 hours
  • Regulatory Notification: Notify the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) within 72 hours if required

How We’ll Notify You

High-Risk Breaches (Within 72 Hours)

For breaches involving payment information, identity documents, or other sensitive data:

  • Email to your registered email address
  • SMS notification (especially for remote area travelers)

If we experience a data breach that may affect your personal information, we will act quickly, assess the impact and notify you in line with Australian legal requirements.

Our Response
We will contain the breach as soon as possible, assess the risks, and notify the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner where required.

How We Notify You
If a breach is likely to cause harm, we will contact you promptly by email and may also notify you through the app or other appropriate channels.

For lower risk incidents, we may provide a general notice by email or through updates on the platform.

What You Will Be Told
Any notification will explain what happened, the type of information involved, what we are doing to address the issue, and steps you can take to protect yourself.

Support
Where appropriate, we may provide additional support such as identity or credit monitoring, safety guidance or priority assistance.

Contact
If you have concerns about a data breach or need help, you can contact our support team at

13. Your Rights and Choices

You have rights under Australian privacy law to access, update and manage your personal information.

Access and Correction
You can view and update most of your information in your account settings. If you need help correcting something you cannot change yourself, you can contact us. We may ask for verification before making certain updates.

Deletion
You can close your account at any time and request that we delete your information. We delete most personal information within 30 days, except where we must keep it for legal, safety, fraud prevention or audit reasons.

Privacy Controls
You can manage location and visibility settings in Travel Mates, turn features on or off, and control app notifications and marketing preferences at any time.

How to Make a Request
You can contact us through the app or at privacy@vanlifeconnect.com.au. We will acknowledge your request within a few business days and aim to respond within 30 days.

If You’re Not Satisfied
If you are unhappy with our response, you can contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner at www.oaic.gov.au.

14. Third-Party Service Providers

We use trusted service providers to help operate VanLife Connect. These partners only receive the information needed for their services and must protect it under strict confidentiality and security requirements.

Examples include:
• cloud hosting providers
• payment processors such as Stripe
• identity verification services
• analytics and performance tools
• email, SMS and customer support systems

These companies may process information on our behalf but cannot use it for their own purposes.

15. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology or legal obligations.

  • Material changes that affect your rights or how your information is used will be communicated clearly, usually by email or an in-app notice, at least 30 days before they take effect.
  • Minor updates such as clarifications or formatting changes will apply once published.

If you continue using the platform after the updated policy takes effect, you accept the changes. If you do not agree, you may close your account at any time.

16. Contact Us

TIf you have questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to make a privacy request, you can contact us at:

Email: support@vanlifeconnect.com.au
For urgent safety or trust concerns, you can use the in-app reporting tools or contact our trust and safety team.

17. Governing Law and Jurisdiction

This Privacy Policy is governed by the laws of Western Australia and the Commonwealth of Australia. International users may also have rights under local privacy laws, which we respect where applicable.

If any part of this Policy is found to be invalid, the remaining sections will continue to apply.

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