Environmental sustainability at YHA

This sunny hostel at the gateway to the Whitsunday Islands is committed to reducing its impact on the environment through low-energy lighting, water-efficient bathrooms and recycling.

Converting a historic outdoor cinema, this Red Centre hostel has installed a solar power system that caters to as much as half of the property’s needs, partly funded by YHA’s Sustainable Hostels Fund.

This scenic stop on the Great Ocean Road was purpose-built with sustainability in mind, boasting ECO Certification for its commitment to solar energy, power-saving devices and rainwater tanks.

This award-winning hostel located smack-bang in the middle of the Queensland capital doesn’t skimp on sustainability, with its impressive 80,000L rainwater tank and solar hot water system.

This recently renovated property is brimming with all the usual eco-friendly features, as well as a lush internal courtyard surrounding the pool made up of water-efficient native plants.

The centrepiece of this Byron backpackers is the huge pool at the heart of it, and the roof-mounted solar heating system powers the swimming spot as efficiently as possible.

Let’s face it – if you don’t have air-con in Cairns, you’ll go troppo. But Cairns Central YHA’s air-conditioning system is controlled by a building management system to reduce energy waste.

Perched at the doorstep of the Grampians National Park and crawling with kangaroos and emus hopping all over the place, this ECO Certified YHA was custom built to be kind on the planet.

Located in leafy North Melbourne, Melbourne Metro YHA is your perfect base for exploring off-the-beaten-path Melbourne. This hostel is totally committed to sustainable initiatives and practices, so you can rest easy each night knowing you’ve chosen one of the most earth-friendly accommodation options in the city.

This gorgeous sandstone beach house enjoys panoramic views of Horseshoe Bay, and assists the serene environment of SA’s Fleurieu Peninsula with a veggie garden and a composting site.

Stradbroke Island YHA is reducing their carbon footprint with solar powered electricity and recycling stations, while also giving back to the local community through fundraising and offering work experience.

Sydney Central YHA is a big hostel with an even bigger heart for sustainability. Right in the heart of Sydney, you might spot some solar panels if you’re looking from above, and from participating in Earth Hour to being a proud member of the local tourism body – sustainability is more than recycling!

You could hardly squeeze any more sustainability features into this harbourside hostel, from solar cells on the roof to the recycled rubber flooring and pin boards made from nasty plastic bottles.

This leafy bush lodge hosts two bush regeneration weekends a year, when an army of volunteers helps protect the Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park by tackling outbreaks of weeds.

The hostel so green it recycled a whole building! The property that was one a mailhouse is now a buzzing hostel where guests enjoy an upcycled dining table as well as a internal green herb wall, and recycling is cycled to a local Citizen Blue depot on a regular basis.

What's more impressive than actually recycling an entire building? So we did! Built in the 1850's Fremantle Prison YHA is the only accommodation in Western Australia with UNESCO World Heritage Status.