You can take the boy out of the youth hostels, but you can't take the youth hostels out of the boy

Yours truly during his hostelling years in Australia in the mid '60s

 

I was a constant and keen 'Youth Hosteller' as a youngster with the "Fahrenden Gesellen" in Germany and joined up with the local Youth Hostel Association in Canberra as soon as I had arrived in Australia in 1965 when there were very few hostels at the time.

Canberra's first hostel was a modest farm worker's cottage along Naas Road just outside Tharwa which was followed by an old farm building near Angle Crossing. Then we raised money for the first purpose-built hostel at Black Mountain through a 'buy-a-brick' campaign. More here.

 

The hostel at Angle Crossing in July 1969, five months before I left for Papua New Guinea

 

I've just found these old membership cards which are like a time-capsule of my hostelling days during my first two years in Australia.

 

My then address in Canberra: BARTON HOUSE, Brisbane Avenue, Barton A.C.T.

 

Collecting stamps from the hostels one stayed in was part of the fun of hostelling. These stamps document my first holiday in Australia when I hitchhiked north to Cairns, and stopped at Tullebudgera on 27/8/1966, at the National Fitness Camp Magnetic Island from 31/8 to 5/9/1966, and at Tullebudgera again on the way back to Canberra on 11/9/1966.

 

The Seekers were all the rage back then, and that Athol Guy-looking guy was yours truly in 1966. And don't bother to comment on my "speed-signature" acquired during my daily signing of hundreds of cheques at the bank. In my old age, it has been restored to copperplate script.

 

I was a very active member of a Youth Hostel group in Port Moresby
before I went on to my next assignment in Burma at the end of 1974

 

As for the youth hostels, they were very different from what they are now. The idea of doing chores around the hostel during your stay was much the norm, so that hostellers helped out with reception duties, cleaning, cooking and general maintenance within the hostel for the welfare of everyone. That way, a great community spirit was fostered.

Today's youth hostels are as good as, and often better than, many hotels and while they still offer cheap dormitory-style accommodation, single, double and family rooms with private bathrooms are also available.

Well, you can take the boy out of the youth hostels, but you can't take the youth hostels out of the boy, and while I no longer stay at them as often as I did sixty years ago, I have remained a member ever since.

 

 

And so can you! Check it out here.

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