YHA Australia
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| Abbreviation | YHA |
|---|---|
| Formation | 1939 |
| Legal status | Not-for-profit, membership-based organisation |
| Purpose | Budget accommodation network across Australia |
| Location | |
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Region served
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Australia |
| Affiliations | Hostelling International |
| Website | YHA Australia |
YHA Australia is a youth hostelling association in Australia that is a member association of Hostelling International, the world's largest budget accommodation network with over 4,000 hostels in more than 90 countries. YHA has a network of more than 80 hostels located in every state and territory across Australia, ranging from large urban properties to small eco-hostels in the bush, making YHA the largest provider of backpacker accommodation in the country. YHA Australia is a membership-based, not for profit association, with all profits going back into the hostels and the experience they provide.
Youth hostelling in Australia started in 1939 when YHA Victoria was formed in Melbourne, 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).
In 1947, the state organisations formed YHA Australia as a federated body to allow Australia to be represented in the International Youth Hostelling Federation (the original name for Hostelling International).
Over the last decade, a series of mergers have consolidated the state bodies into one national organisation. New South Wales, which already covered the Australian Capital Territory, and the Northern Territory merged in 2007, before the merger of YHA NSW and YHA Queensland completed on 1 January 2010 formed a new entity called YHA Ltd. YHA Victoria merged into YHA Ltd in 2012, followed by YHA South Australia in 2014 and YHA Tasmania in 2017.
In June 2017, Members of YHA Western Australia voted overwhelmingly to merge with YHA Ltd. The merger will take effect on 1 September 2017, and completes YHA’s 10-year journey towards becoming one national entity in Australia.
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".
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