YHA Australia
 | |
| Abbreviation | YHA |
|---|---|
| Formation | 1939 |
| Legal status | Not-for-profit, membership-based organisation |
| Purpose | Budget accommodation network across Australia |
| Location | |
Region served | Australia |
| Affiliations | Hostelling International |
| Website | YHA Australia |
YHA Australia is a youth hostelling association in Australia that is a member association of Hostelling International.
YHA in Australia
YHA is a membership-based, not-for-profit organisation, and part of the world's largest budget accommodation network, Hostelling International, with over 4,000 hostels in more than 90 countries.
YHA has a network of nearly 100 places to stay in Australia, ranging from large urban properties to eco-hostels in the bush. The properties are located in every State and Territory.
Sydney Central YHA[1] and Sydney Harbour YHA[2] have won the acclaimed national 'Best Backpacker Accommodation' Award at the Australian Tourism Awards. Adelaide Central YHA has won 'Best Backpacker Accommodation' in South Australia; Alice Springs YHA has won 'Best Backpacker Accommodation' in the Northern Territory; Brisbane City YHA and Cairns Central YHA have won 'Best Backpacker Accommodation' in Queensland; Melbourne Metro YHA has won 'Best Backpacker Accommodation' in Victoria; Perth City YHA has won 'Best Backpacker Accommodation' in Western Australia, and Thredbo YHA has won 'Best Backpacker Accommodation' in the Canberra & Capital Region awards.
Background
Youth hostelling in Australia started in 1939 when YHA Victoria was formed in Melbourne. This was followed by YHA New South Wales (1942), YHA South Australia (1949), YHA Tasmania (1951), YHA Western Australia (1951), YHA Queensland (1962) and YHA Northern Territory (1976).[3]
In 1947 the state organisations formed YHA Australia as a federated body to enable Australia to be represented in the International Youth Hostelling Federation (the original name for Hostelling International).
Steps are being taken to consolidate the various state entities into one national organisation. New South Wales, which already covered the Australian Capital Territory, and Northern Territory merged in 2007,[4] and a merger between YHA NSW and YHA Queensland was completed on 1 January 2010, forming a new entity called YHA Ltd.[5] YHA Victoria merged into YHA Ltd in 2012, and YHA South Australia in 2014. The former national body, Hostelling International Australia, also merged into YHA Ltd in 2016.
The YHA Ltd Mission Statement is: "To provide opportunity for all, but especially young people for education by personal development, fostering friendship and bringing about a better understanding of others and the world around them".
The YHA 'house and tree' symbol originates from the first Hostelling International signs in Europe in 1934. The three messages used in the green Australian logo are the tree representing the environment, the house representing shelter and the open door representing just that, a welcoming open door.
References
- ↑ "Australian Tourism Awards 2011". Archived from the original on 2011-07-19. Retrieved 2012-12-05.
- ↑ Kate Schneider (2012-03-03). "Australia's best named in the annual Qantas Australian Tourism Awards". news.com.au. Retrieved 2012-12-05.
- ↑ John McCulloch (May 1992). "The Youth Hostels Association: Precursors and contemporary achievements" (pdf). The Journal of Tourism Studies. Australia: James Cook University. 3 (1): 22–27. Retrieved 2009-04-04.
- ↑ "YHA NSW Ltd Annual Report 2007" (PDF). Retrieved 2009-04-04.
- ↑ "YHA NSW Ltd Annual Report 2008" (PDF). Retrieved 2009-04-04.