Whether you’re looking to head for a surf before and after work whilst living in New South Wales or extend your working holiday visa whilst experiencing the wild west of Western Australia, we’ve got hostels that’ll become your new home away from home. What a way to make a living!
Pop in and you'll notice that many of our hostels have job boards, there are a special few who have strong links with local businesses and farmers and can assist working holiday makers to find jobs. Even better, they offer great weekly rates and cheap (or free!) meals.
Sydney Beachouse YHA boasts a close relationship with many local businesses from hospitality, labouring, landscaping, cleaning and office work with jobs varying from 1 day to 6 months. This hostel, located so close to the beach that you can hear the waves as you're drifting off to sleep, offers a true family experience and many guests end up calling this place home due to the weekly and monthly rates. Beach-side lifestyle with busses to get you into the city in less than 40 minutes - sounds alright to us!
Well, can you get more central than Sydney Central? Right next to the main transport hub of Sydney, you can go anywhere from Sydney Central YHA. A hotspot for working holiday makers due to its close proximity to the CBD and easy links to Greater Sydney, their Weekly Rates and deals will leave you feelin' fine in no time.
Two hours north of Sydney lies the second biggest city in NSW - the coastal, cool Newcastle; which offers lots of opportunities for skilled and qualifies workets across a range of industries, as well as hospitality work for working holiday makers. Newcastle Beach YHA is located directly across from the beach, so workers can make the most of the free surfboard hire before and after work. Isn't that exactly why you wanted to work in Australia in the first place?! As well as surfboard and boogy board hire, their weekly rate includes some free food and wine. Just what you need after a long day at work!
Coffs Harbour YHA is located directly across the road from the beach, offers a weekly rate for working holiday makers and has close ties to local farmers, meaning they have a very high success rate in placing guests in seasonal blueberry picking jobs which count towards your second year visa.
Whilst work is not guaranteed, farmers tend to call for workers at very short notice, so it’s best if working holiday makers are on site during the season (late June to December), and your own transport will also help (but isn’t mandatory). Local hospitality work is always available if you’re not working towards your second year visa.
Cairns Central YHA offers a killer weekly deal and has a job board up in the hostel which local businesses and business owners populate with current availabilities.
If you're a 462 Visa Holder, you can undertake jobs in the tourism and hospitality industry in the Northern Australia region, rather than completing farm work (score!). Port Douglas is located north of Cairns and the perfect place to rest your head after a hard days' work!
A steady location for farmwork, check in with the great reception team to find out what's going and how to score some farm work to help make that visa process as smooth as possible. Plenty of farmworkers have entered the doors of Rockhampton YHA, and you'll find yourself in good company!
Get comfy in a multi-award winning hostel close to the coastline and close to farm work, bar work and more. Located just up from the sunshine coast and close to the iconic Fraser Island, Hervey Bay is a location where you can most definitely work and play.
Adelaide Central YHA has a Job Board in the hostel which local businesses use to promote job openings or last-minute availabilities they may have, but their weekly deal is the one you’re going to be really interested in! 7 nights at a very discounted rate, plus two hostel dinners, access to all hostel activities and free pancakes each morning - can it get any better?!
If you're up for an adventure in the outback, you can find yourself having a truly unique working experience in the town of Alice. From camel farms to pubs and cafes, if you've got a tough skin and some hustle in you, head up to Alice Springs YHA to meet those visa requirements in a truly unique location.
Dunsborough YHA acts as a conduit between working holiday makers and farmers/vineyards and local hospitality providers as well as lots of other random jobs that float in from time to time.
Over the past 15 years, the hostel has developed a very strong network amongst local businesses who require seasonal workers and also workers at short notice to fill in gaps during busy periods; becoming the first port of call for local employers hiring casual and long-term staff. Dunsborough is very much a holiday town and there is a shortage of student/youth to fill these roles so travellers and backpackers are relied on heavily to help out.
The hostel offers a weekly rate, and a discounted fourth week if you’re staying for a while!
Offering a discounted weekly rates, providing daily information about job availabilities on their Facebook page and sending comprehensive job opportunity information to their email database each month, Bunbury YHA is committed to helping you find the work you’re looking for. Chat to reception as you check in as they’ll be able to point you in the right direction!
Pemberton is on the edge of Gloucester National Park, renowned for the extraordinarily tall Karri trees. Pemberton YHA matches backpackers with work available at any one of a dozen local farms – made up of mostly avocado, agricultural and vineyards.
When one job finishes, the hostel helps set you up with another one, to ensure that you are able to complete your three months’ seasonal work requirement to get the visa extension. Yes!
Click here for more information regarding working holidays in Australia.