SYDNEY
The first four nights I stayed in a dorm a the Vulcan Hotel in Ultimo. The locatiuon is excellent, close to Darling Harbour and the city. Dorm was very basic but fine, cooking facilities were really poor. Then again, for 20$ I didn't complain. It's a place for the quieter backpacker, there is no alcohol allowed on the premises and party people won't be let in. Staff is very friendly.
KATOOMBA/BLUE MOUNTAINS
I spent two nights at Katoomba Mountain Lodge, a nice guesthouse in Katoomba, close to the station and in the center of the village and its restaurants and shops. Nice, homey place. The TV-room has a fire place, which is nice and the outdoor area with picknick tables has a nice view of the mountains. Will surely come back. Price was $ 18 for 6 bed dorm ($16 with VIP card) in the weekend, it's a little cheaper during the week.
JERVIS BAY / HUSKISSON
With four friends, I spent a weekend in Jervis Bay, staying at Leisurehaven park. It's right at the river inlet of Jervis Bay. The managers are young, friendly and helpful and the cabins are basic but very good. We paid $ 120 for a cabin with two bedrooms, a queensize bed in one and four bunkbeds in the other. For $ 75 you get a slightly smaller cabin with shared bathroom (clean showers and toilets, so should be fine).
HUNTER VALLEY/CESSNOCK
With the same friends, I spent a weekend in the Hunter Valley. For $ 123 we rented a one-room cabin in Cessnock. We booked a wine tour with Steve and Jenny of Trekabout (02-49908277 or [email protected]). Jenny was our guide, she was lovely and did a really good tour of boutique wineries for just the five of us in an AC-4WD. Highly recommended for only $ 44 each!
ACT
CANBERRA
In Canberra I stayed at Victor Lodge. It is, like the name says, more a lodge than a hostel. Very good. They picked me up from the bus station and dropped me off again after two nights. The $ 24 dollars a night gave me a bed in a 5 person dorm and breakfast in the morning (white/raisin toast with jam and stuff, yoghurt, several types of cereal and canned peaches, excellent!). Very good place to stay.
WESTERN AUSTRALIA
FREMANTLE
Next on my travels was Freo, where I stayed in the Old Firestation Backpackers. It's an ok hostel. The free internet and cheap curries from the in-house restaurant are definitely a bonus, but the kitchen was just grose and there where many long termers. It's cheap though, $ 17 dollars and onlt four in a dorm. There is a female only area in the hostel, with a much cleaner kitchen, living room and showers.
MARGARET RIVER
The Inne Town Backpackers is a fine hostel in Margaret River. Clean kitchen, loads of fridge and storage space and a nice living room and outdoor area. Phone 1800-244 115. It was about $ 20, and on Bussell Highway, the main road of the village.
DENMARK
The best hostel I've stayed in so far was the Blue Wren Traveller's Rest in Denmark. It's quite new (mid 2001) and Graham, the owner, is a wonderful Zimbabwian who's lived in WA for about 20 years. The place is amazingly relaxing, has good beds, free use of mountain bikes and a good kitchen with a huge wooding dining table.
ALBANY
Albany doesn't have many backpackers to chose from. A good one is Albany Backpackers. For $ 22.50 ($ 20 with YHA/VIP card) you get a four bed dorm, free homemade chocolate cake every night, a good kitchen and a nice living room with TV. The place is very nicely decorated with wall paintings.
PERTH
Perth is known to have many crap hostels and quite a few good ones too. I chose the Underground, which was recommended to me by several fellow backpackers. It's a massive place, and it comes with all the security and rules of these places. The pool and cheap bar are definitely a plus, and so is the airco. I stayed in a four bed dorm for $ 22 a night. The dorm and toilets/showers were spotless and there are lockers for your backpacks in the dorm. It's located in Northbridge, close to all the cafes and restaurants as well as the city and the railway station.
In WA, I used Easyrider to travel around the south west. It's an excellent hoho bus pass with good stops along the way. The were usually around 10 backpackers on the bus. They offer to book ahead your hostel for you as well. Very much worth the $ 209.
To visit the pinnacles desert, I booked a day tour with Travelabout. Though not cheap at $ 95, it was a very good 4WD tour with only ten people.
SOUTH AUSTRALIA
ADELAIDE
The first hostel I stayed in was The Blue Galah and I really didn't like it. Crampy rooms, expensive, unpersonal. It was celan, but that was about it. Next I moved to Backpack Oz, which was brilliant. Lovely staff, $ 20 a night (regardless of number of dorm beds) and a free meal every Wednesday (and a proper meal!). The place sells cheap beers, wines, etc and everything is clean. One of the best so far!
NORTHERN TERRITORY
ALICE SPRINGS
As I arived in Alice one a Groovy Grape tour, I just went were the rest went: we got $20 beds in motelrooms of Melanka. It's a party place, but the motel side was ok. Ensuite with TV and fridge was quite nice after having slept in swags in the desert (although that was great too!).
DARWIN
Darwin has loads of hostels, many of them party places. I choose Frogs Hollow, a nice and clean place. The fact that they swich of the airco between 8 am and 8 pm is very cheeky, but apart from that: good place. A pool and two spas and about 10 minutes from Mitchell Street, the main drag of Darwin.
QUEENSLAND
CAIRNS
Yet another party city with loads of hostels. Most offer free toast for brekkie and free dinner (a tiny, tiny bowl of spat bol in most cases). The first two nights I stayed at Leo's. Though not a bad place, it was a bit too big and incrowdy for my tast. It had loads of nice balconies and a pool though and very friendly and helpfull staff.
Decided to move to Traveller's Oasis, that came recommended by friends. And this place is just fantastic! My dorm had four beds, no bunks, and there's a towel waiting for you. Mark takes you to your room himself and introduces you to the others. Very personal, and a lot of eye for detail. Very well equiped kitchen and loads of places to sit around the pool and under pergola's. A bargain at $ 18 a night!