Information on Working Hostels around Australia

Welcome to the Working Hostel webpage of Workstay the website for Working Holiday Makers e.g. Backpackers, Students, Travellers and even for people who wish to Migrate to this country “Australia” What we are trying to do on the Working Hostel page, is give people who are looking for work or require information on jobs, a rundown on what Working Hostels are all about. We are here to help you find something that may suit your needs if its one day's work or 6 months work that you are looking for we will try and point you in the right direction. If you have read our "about us" page then you would have read that we believe we were one of the first Working Hostels, all them years ago, since 1986 to be precise. Below are some of the things, you may need to know about Working Hostels that we will help you on your adventure around our great country called “Australia.”

Before we start Please Please let us know, about your travels, good or bad, by sending us an email, to Workstay

• What is a Working Hostel:  A Working Hostel is where Staff actively helps their guests to find work as long as you are staying at the hostel.
• A Working Hostel does not mean you work in the actual hostel, but you may get a job if they have work availble and need to employ someone.
• Working hostels can be situated anywhere from the city centre to rural areas.
• If you are looking for work on farms, then look for the rural hostels the city accommodation you're maybe staying at, should be able to help you with this if you ask, but remember they may not like losing you as a customer.
• Remember if you wish to extend your working visa, you normally have to be outside of the cities to do this.
• The local Working Hostels are where you will get to meet a lot of the locals and get to fully experience the real Aussie culture, not in the major cities.

• Looking for Working Hostels in Western Australia.
• Looking for Working Hostels in Queensland.
• Looking for Working Hostels in New South Wales.
• Looking for Working Hostels in Victoria.
• Looking for Working Hostels in Tasmania.
• Looking for Working Hostels in Northern Territory.
• Looking for Working Hostels in South Australia.

We have put together a list of Working Hostels from around Australia that may help you find work and accommodation.

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Travellers please beware of dodgy people

As with all things in life, when travelling abroad, you still have to have your wits about you.  There are always people out there that will try and rip you off. Get as much information on any working hostels that you may be looking at staying in most working hostels have websites, and there are plenty of forums out there to check them out and listen to other backpackers then make your mind up its better to be safe than sorry. 

A quick snippet from:

Fair Work Ombudsman Executive Director Tom O’Shea 

Growers, hostels, labour-hire contractors cautioned over backpacker, seasonal worker entitlements

5 January 2015

The Fair Work Ombudsman has issued a warning to farmers, hostel owners and labour hire contractors that it will not tolerate the deliberate exploitation of backpackers and seasonal workers this summer.

The Agency has received fresh complaints about backpackers being lured to regional centres by dodgy labour-hire operators allegedly treating them poorly, bullying and sexually harassing them and ripping them off to the tune of hundreds of dollars.

The Fair Work Ombudsman revealed it is reviewing fresh reports against one operator who allegedly charges backpackers $450 to find them jobs, and then pays them as little as 60 cents an hour to work on local farms.

The operator reportedly charges up to $150 a week for backpackers to stay in sub-standard houses and caravans, with allegations of up to 32 people being accommodated in one home and 12 more sleeping in the garage.

Fair Work Ombudsman Executive Director Tom O’Shea says it is not the first time this particular operator has come to the Agency’s attention, and he will come under further scrutiny following a formal complaint about his behaviour received from the local council. To read the rest of this article please go to

Tips for backpackers and seasonal workers to avoid being ripped off:

Mr O’Shea said the Fair Work Ombudsman had some simple tips for backpackers and seasonal workers to ensure they don’t get ripped off while working on the harvest trail.

• Don’t enter into work arrangements with people who meet you at regional airports or bus depots. These people will approach you with promises of guaranteed work picking fruit or vegetables and accommodation and transport. If it sounds too good to be true, then it probably is!
• Don’t respond to questionable advertisements where there is only a first name and a mobile phone number provided. Legitimate providers will advertise for workers appropriately.
• Know what you are worth. For work picking fruit or vegetables, or pruning, you should receive at least $21.08 an hour on a casual hourly basis.
• If you are on a piece work agreement, this should allow you to pick enough to make more than $21.08 per hour if you are an average worker. If you are a very hard worker, you can earn more than this.
• Know who you are working for – ask the question.
• Keep a diary of the hours you work, the places you work and the type of work you are doing.
• Take the time to find an ethical and legitimate provider that pays correctly and doesn’t seek to rip you off! The Australian Government has established a Harvest Trail Guide. This guide attempts to link legitimate labour hire providers with growers and provides a range of other information across all regions of Australia. The guide is available at www.jobsearch.gov.au/harvesttrail or by calling the National Harvest Trail hotline on 1800 062 332.
• Enjoy your working holiday in Australia – remember that the growers rely on visitors such as yourself to harvest their crops – they should treat you well and make sure you are not exploited.

Follow Fair Work Ombudsman Natalie James on Twitter @NatJamesFWO , the Fair Work Ombudsman @fairwork_gov_au or find us on Facebook www.facebook.com/fairwork.gov.au .

Sign up to receive the Fair Work Ombudsman's media releases directly to your email inbox at www.fairwork.gov.au/mediareleases.