Federal Backpackers

Working hostel, close to bottle shop

This place was GROSS!! it looks like it hasn't been cleaned in 30 years. There is gunk all over the bathroom walls and it was very dirty. The people at front desk were extremely unorganized and messy. It took them almost an hour to check me in and i was the only one in line!! They didn't even have any LINEN!!! the other guest staying there are very friendly though. But this backpackers was the worst i've stayed in in all of Australia!!!! OVER PRICED as well. DON"T STAY HERE!!!

I got stuck here for about 10 weeks back in 1996 on a working holiday. It was a dump then and after reading the reviews not much has changed.It was run then by an old boy called Jim. But the rest of the staff were not too bright.A week after I left they told a relative they never heard of me. If your thinking about it beware, they tell EVERYBODY who asks about work that there's tomato, squash or some other kind of work coming up in a few days or a week or so and you should do very well. This is simply to get you to stay.Eventually you might get 18 or 20 hours a week after 4 or 5 weeks of nothing, enough to live but not enough to save so you can't leave. They juggle the hours of work around so nobody gets a full weeks wages. I got a new employer on a farm and asked him to specifically request me back from the hostel everyday so I got full time work and saved like a demon for 3 weeks and was gone. The place is a dive but the people make it worthwhile. I made some great friends. The night before I left I had my wallet stolen form my backpack but I had nothing of value in it. The toga parties were a riot and the city's really nice but don't stay for the promise of work or the upkeep of the building,It was an awful place.

DO NOT STAY HERE how strongly can i really say this? we read mixed reviews and thought "oh it can't be that bad" WRONG the whole hostel is disgusting and the minging nutjob they call a receptionist didn't evenm know where our room was stating "it's been that long since i've been up there [demonic witch laugh]" this is evident from the clear lack of cleaning - perhaps about 10 years since a hoover paid a visit? they don't provide top sheets so only go if you're all set with a sleeping bag - not that i'd recommend their sheets if they did have them. the mattresses have turned yellow - some with massive burnholes in them!! our 'ensuite' was a dirty cupboard, the door of which was just pieces of thick cardboard duct-taped together. the pans in the kitchen were just lumps of rust.. oh, and if you're still ACTUALLY considering it.....it's part of their policy to take a copy of your passport which they want to keep when you leave despite the fact they've made you fill in a registration card with your details. the guy got really offended when we said we weren't comfortable leaving it ... you can imagine how rude they were from there on in ... other notable points - no internet access, $30 key deposit (yeah $30..), the tv room looks like that scene from blairwitch project with random hand prints and writing covering every inch of it, creepy or what?? also, couldn't find any plates or cutlery. just rusty pans. now, to be fair, it does have a few upsides for those of you still bothering to debate it. the other people are what make it. everyone seems to be there for the long haul torture of fruit picking so their banter is pretty good coz they've all taken the time to get to know each other. there's also a friendly wee pub attached which sometimes does a $6 jug of beer deal. but basically, do yourself a favour and escape hell :)