Wilmington House - Ayr Backpackers

Ayr

2 of 3

Address	54 Wilmington Street, Ayr Queensland, Australia Map
Price	working season $110 per week

Location/Contact

Details

Online booking is not offered for this hostel, contact them for availability and reservations (any contact info we have is listed above).

Description

Features

Kitchen
Lockers

Ratings & Comments

3.9 Average from 15 Ratings

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We can't validate the legitimacy of comments posted on this site—so take what you read here with a grain of salt.

Comment by Claudio Martinelli, Italy

March 2009

The place to be
The Wilmington House is where Ayr Backpackers is located, in the middle of a quiet neighbourhood surrounded by lush tropical vegetation. The hostel is often crammed, the kitchen is full of flies, there are just two showers for thirty beds, three toilets also for thirty beds, merciless mosquitos all over the place, and backbreaking jobs are available. TV room #1 has two channels and computers in it, TV room #2 is obsolete with pool table in it and mosquitos. Internet is available (two computers) and hardly convenient or cheap. Donna and Clint own the place and can help you, as long as you respect their privacy and don't hassle them too much, especially out of their office hours. The maid rinses the place every morning and you better be sleeping or being out of her sight for your own safety. There are some vans they let you use to go to work ($7 a day). If you sleep in, you lose the job and they put you on a list of people. The job is hard to say the best, but in a week or two your back is shaped like a U, as required. There are two major employers and other small farms in the area. The wage is $16-17 per hour. Sometimes, the employers forget some hours you worked or squeeze them according to their needs. At the end of the season, they told all the people I was working with not to show up the next day, 'cause the price was rock bottom. They called me for one last day of work, helping them to move stuff, but I'm pretty sure they forgot to pay me. Ayr is a 9,000-person town with a vibrant life.

Comment by Mirjam, Germany

February 2008

Just great
I stayed here about two month and had a great time. Donna and Clint are really caring as long as you stick to their rules and try to supply you as quick as possible with work. Maybe too less showers, but you get used to wait a while. I just loved it and when Donna and Clint can't sell it I'll be back.

Comment by Leelee, Ireland

October 2007

Exploitation
Ayr sums up Australia pretty well -- ignorant, racist, fifty years behind the times, and out to exploit travelers for every penny and drop of sweat they've got. The fact that this hostel even sends people out to Rosalie's farm shows the lack of concern it has for its guests. And in case my opinion needs verified by an example, when I stayed here, my "accommodation" was in a porch outside with no lock on the screen door (no actual door) and four bunk beds squeezed into it.

Comment by Jacey and Andy (possibly the longest ever residents), British

June 2007

Fantastic! Friendly, well run, and organised.
We stayed here in both 2005 and 2006. The only negative reports you are likely to hear are from people who stayed previous to June 2005 when it was ran by different owners. Donna and Clint, who then took over, are extremely helpful, patient and welcoming, and excellent at finding even the most useless backpackers work. The hostel allows you to keep an even balance between work and free time and Ayr itself, though a relatively small town, has everything you need for a budget conscious backpacker and more. It is definitely the best place we worked whilst fruit picking in Australia. Also the local cinema has some top quality souvenir post cards. Enjoy.

Comment by STEPH

January 2007

I was here a year ago but had some really fun times. Even with all the farm work -- so hard -- took a bit getting used to. But I have left with some great friends.

Comment by Jen

January 2007

Loved this place, as well as Ayr! Oh dear how sad am i! Lovely hostel with great owners, Donna and Clint. They took great care of us from day one and had a great time staying here. Would recommend this place to anyone. The work's the only downer but not that bad once you get into it and good money, easy to get work.

Comment by Madi

December 2006

Ok, have to say that this place was ace! stayed in the big house, was great until it was packed with people and you could never get into the kitchen! but had the time of my life there, drinking the hours away with the original crew! Donna takes real good care of you and Clint is cool but don't push him or you'll have nowhere to go! enjoy the work but watch out for Rosalie! oh and a tip for zucchini pickers -- get your back cracked after your first day and you'll feel much better! one final thing, if you wanna go clubbing, Capones opens on Saturday night only, it's above the Queens hotel! Have fun!

Comment by bryan (nz)

November 2006

Stayed in Ayr in 2002 when hostel was run by Eddie, Eyvonne, and my old mate lolo. Had a bloody good time. Good nights down at the pickers and packers night at the pub with those crazy french canadians. not many sober days and some awesome hangovers, all good fun. You don't have to be mad to pick capsicans but it sure helps.

Comment by sam

August 2006

I loved this place! Just left after spending a couple of months there fruit picking to extend my visa. The place has changed owners. Donna and Clint (Mum and Dad!) run the place now and they couldn't be nicer. They are really helpful about getting you work and really seem to care about the backpackers. The place is clean and has a good atmosphere. Ok, the work is lousy, but it's fruit picking, its not supposed to be easy! The one problem is the lack of security, the rooms have no locks so keep an eye on your stuff, but apart from that, i'd recommend this hostel to everyone -- even managed to save loads of money despite being drunk half the time i was there!

Comment by jeroen

January 2006

I've been there in 2000, and the ownership was under Eddy and Yvonne. Eddy is a former miner and he called everybody 'f***in' c*nt', or if you'r lucky: 'bloody c*nt', though he was a really good man. Yvonne was a motherlike women with a very big heart!. The rooms were big and a bit old, though kept very clean by yvonne. I had a splendid time over there. Lot's of party's, trip's to 'alligator creek' and hangovers.

Comment by Deirdre

November 2005

I stayed here in 1999 I arrived on my own and stayed over a month. I was the only girl in the 10-bedroom, but once I had the first night done it ended up being some of my best memories of my year in Australia. Bazz and Sheryl were in charge then and they could not do enough to help you. Many a great laugh Sheryl and I had. I met some of the nicest people during that month. And it was Bazz and Sheryl who organized the work for us.

Comment by Anonymous

May 2005

It's ok. The owner, Glen, is a total fool, though. He often tries to fight backpackers when drunk and steals your food quite blatantly. Yes, they organize work but whatever you do, do not take a day off as they will kick you out (trust me on this!!). The cooking facilities are poor, as is the security. There are no locks on the doors, if one were so inclined one could steal pretty much whatever you like. Also, the owner will try to walk in on girls showering or getting changed; what a sleaze. A girl who was staying there when I was will testify to this!

Comment by Jack

March 2005

This place is a puff. One of the owners, the one with the tattoos, is all right but watch out for the other maniac. He's going through the bags of the guests and stuff.

Comment by Jamie

January 2005

The place was clean, good for work and there's enough to do to keep you busy. The people who ran it were a little odd but pleasant, I suppose. Don't leave any alcohol in the fridge... it goes missing!!!

Comment by Maria

October 2004

I had a great time here; I stayed for a month. They have a pool, TV and video, etc. And they also helped us get jobs so we could save money!

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