Home Page > About YHA > Sustainability
YHA and Sustainability
YHA is supporting Australia's volunteer rural fire services in the incredible job they do to protect lives and property. Until the end of February 2020, YHA will be forwarding your voluntary contributions to the Sustainable Hostels Fund to rural fire service volunteer organisations.
Saving Energy and Water
YHA Australia is committed to saving energy and conserving water.
Recycling and Waste Minimisation
YHA Australia is committed to recycle and minimise the waste.
Commitment & Recognition
YHA has been promoted to a Silver Partner in the NSW Government Sustainability Advantage program.
Past and Recent Projects
Check out YHA Australia's past and recent projects to reduce the effects on socielty, ecology and the economy.
Sustainable Hostels
Airlie Beach YHA, Whitsundays
Airlie Beach, QLD
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.
Alice Springs YHA
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.
Apollo Bay Eco YHA
Apollo Bay, VIC
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.
Brisbane City YHA
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.
Byron Bay, NSW
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.
Cairns Central YHA
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.
Halls Gap - Grampians Eco YHA
Halls Gap, VIC
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.
Hunter Valley YHA
Nulkaba, NSW
Hunter Valley YHA is surrounded by a vineyard, and the property's on-site café is remarkably constructed using 90% sustainably building supplies, including many recycled items.
North Melbourne, VIC
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.
Port Elliot, SA
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
Point Lookout, QLD
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.
Surfers Paradise YHA, Main Beach
Main Beach, QLD
The Gold Coast is one of the greenest corners of the country, and Surfers Paradise YHA protects the planet with low energy lights, free bikes, recycling and water-efficient bathroom features.
Sydney, The Rocks, NSW
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.
Sydney, Pittwater YHA
Pittwater, NSW
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.
From the grassy green entrance to the solar panels on the roof and our sustainability wall Perth City YHA is strongly committed to reducing its environmental footprint through heritage conservation and environmental sustainable practices!
Fremantle, WA
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.
Yamba YHA
Yamba, NSW
Yamba YHA is committed to reducing its environmental footprint and being a responsible community member through a mix of conservation and sustainable practices and services.
Sustainability is all about ensuring our magnificent world can be enjoyed not just by us, but by our kids, their kids and…you get the idea. At YHA, the three pillars of sustainability – social, environmental and economic - are at the core of absolutely everything we do. When you book a stay with YHA, you can rest assured you're choosing an accommodation provider dedicated to responsible travel. So, sit back, relax and read more about what we're doing to ensure this big, beautiful world can be enjoyed by endless generations of travellers to come…and find out more about how you can help.
We aim to implement The 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals when we plan our sustainability initiatives. That's why we are part of a wide range of major projects across Australia, such as the ECO certification program, NSW Government Sustainability Advantage Program, Sydney single use plastic pledge, Sustainable Destination Partnership and many more.
Simply choosing to stay in YHAs helps make our sustainable hostels possible. But if you want to go a step further - you can help YHA's sustainability projects by contributing $1 to the Sustainable Hostels Fund when you book your next adventure. YHA will match your contribution and use the accumulated funds to make our hostels cleaner, greener and better. Past projects funded with your help (thank you!) include a gas boosted solar hot water system at Brisbane City YHA in 2015, a 32kw Photovoltaic array at Sydney Harbour YHA in 2016 and many more.
There are also little things you can do throughout your travels to be a more world-friendly traveller – from swapping plastic travel bottles for shampoo and soap bars to learning a few words of the local language to be respectful. Find out more here.
YHA Australia is part of Hostelling International (HI) – the world's largest network of international hostels. HI is also dedicated to promoting sustainable tourism practices, governed by the HI Sustainability Charter and implemented at both grass-roots and on a major scale. Find out more about HI and sustainability Find out more