COVID-19: Safe stay measures are being taken at all of our hostels and YHAs are following all relevant State based travel restrictions. See our Covid page for full details.
Low-waste is the game, zero waste is the aim! We're all about finding simple ways to be kinder to the earth, and turns out, it's easier to travel green than you think.. so easy in fact, you can make 5 simple changes to help protect the planet
Ditch the plastic for reusable bottles
Australia's tap water is truly delish.. safe, healthy, and available free right from the source! So why stick that in plastic when you can fill up for free?! When you think about it, buying bottled water is simply buying a plastic bottle, which is why most of our hostels don't sell bottled water.
BYO bottle to fill up on cool, fresh, filtered water at most of our hostels, or if you've left your bottle at home - we've got bottles at reception that you can pick up to ditch the plastic bottle! Using a reusable bottle for a year can save up to 214 bottles from going to landfill, so if enough of us ditch the single-use and pick up a reusable bottle - that's thousands of plastic parts staying clear of landfill. Major zero-waste win!
Give us ya' scraps!
When you find a squished sandwich at the bottom of your bag, or when your banana that you've been 'meaning to eat' throughout your trip has finally liquified, send them straight to the compost! Food waste is one of biggest waste problems in Australia, with the average Aussie throwing out nearly 35% of their food.. enough to fill nearly 9,000 olympic swimming pools!
There's organic waste and compost bins throughout a bunch of our hostels, meaning that your trash is turned into treasure! At Grampians Eco YHA, your scraps go straight to the chickens, who love a bit of carrot at the end of the day, and at Railway Square YHA, hostel compost feeds the veggies at the local urban farm in Sydney.
Sharing is caring
Community is a huge part of hostel culture, and that includes sharing what we have to help each other and reduce waste. Connect with those around you and share a meal, drop off some unwanted clothes to our sharing stations, join in a hostel BBQ, or borrow a book during your stay, and get into the swing of communal living!
Pick up some fresh herbs from the garden patch at Fremantle Prison YHA to avoid those annoying plastic herb bags, or take what you need from the communal cupboard at Blue Mountains - Katoomba YHA. When it's your time to head off home, you can pass on the good vibes to the next traveller and share what you may no longer need.
Pack a lunchbox
The classic packed lunch is making a huge comeback, and rightfully so! Even if you forget the food, by bringing your own container, utensils, and the oh-so-trendy reusable straw you can prevent literal tonnes of waste ending up in landfill.
We're big fans of a packed lunch, espescially when you can store it for free in our hostel fridges and cupboards so you can grab it and go whenever you're headed out on an adventure. Instagrammable meals that help save the planet? Sign us up!
Switch to solids
This may sound like baby talk, but solid soaps are serious business! Say goodbye to lugging around big plastic bottles of shampoo, conditioner and soap, and switch 'em out for solid bars that are free from plastics and packaging, and easy to travel with too. Travelling with solids means there's no leaks when you forget to close the lid of your shower gel or toothpaste, and are easy to get through airport security if you're travelling by plane.
If you're headed on a short trip, you can cut up your solid bars and stick them into containers to make it easier to pack lighter, and get ready to lather up without a lick of waste to be seen!
Keen to learn more about how you can stay green while you travel? Check out our sustainability initiatives across our hostels and see how your stay is helping create long-lasting sustainable changes.
From $22 per night
Melbourne Metro YHA
Only a short free tram ride to the CBD and close to the University of Melbourne and Queen Victoria Market. Melbourne Metro YHA has everything you need for a great stay in cultural Melbourne.
The hostel that literally has its own platform at Sydney Central Railway Station. You won't have an excuse for missing your bus, train or plane, with direct access to the Sydney Airport Train line and bus terminals at your doorstep.
Fancy a historic and unique stay? Fremantle Prison YHA backpackers hostel has what you are after - if you’re feeling brave, sleep in an actual prison cell!