Backpacker Hostels in Australia
447 hostels across every state — from YHA flagship hostels in capital cities to working hostels for your 2nd-year visa, party hostels in Cairns and Byron Bay, and surf hostels along the East Coast.
Browse by State
Find hostels in your state or territory.
Top Backpacker Destinations
Where Australia's backpacker scene clusters — the suburbs with the most hostels.
Top-rated Hostels in Australia
Highest-rated hostels with at least 50 Google reviews — the ones backpackers actually love.
Flying Fox Backpackers
Katoomba, NSW
Six Foot Track Eco Lodge
NSW
Grampians YHA Eco Hostel
Halls Gap, VIC · YHA
Cambrai Lodge
Maffra, VIC
Hostel, Cafe & Pub
Carnarvon, WA
Halse Lodge Guesthouse YHA
Noosa Heads, QLD
Far South Wilderness Lodge
Dover, TAS
Lions Dryandra Woodland Village
WA
Popular Hostel Chains
The big names you'll see across Australia.
Find Your Hostel — by Vibe, Budget, or Working Visa
Hostels are the cheapest way to explore Australia and the easiest way to meet other travellers. Whether you're after a quiet bunk in a YHA after a long drive, a party night in Surfers Paradise, or a working hostel that helps you secure your 88 days of regional work for your 2nd-year visa, this directory pulls from OpenStreetMap data covering every state.
What's Available
- 447 hostels with communal kitchens
- 443 with on-site laundry
- 7 party hostels
- 2 surf hostels
- 14 working hostels (88-day farm work)
2nd-Year Working Holiday Visa
Australia's Working Holiday Visa scheme requires backpackers to complete 88 days of regional work to qualify for a 2nd-year extension. Working hostels in regional areas (especially in QLD, NT, and northern WA) connect travellers with farm work, fruit picking, and other eligible jobs. Filter for working hostels on each state page, or read the Australian visa guide for eligibility on the 417 and 462 subclasses.
How We Source This Data
Hostel records come from OpenStreetMap (the same dataset behind apps like Maps.me and OsmAnd), refreshed monthly. Where available, we add Google ratings, contact info, and amenity flags. If a hostel near you is missing or has incorrect details, contributing back to OSM is the fastest way to fix it for everyone.