Victoria's Borderline Backpackers

Mildura

« Prev

10 of 10

Hostels in Mildura

Address

78-80 Seventh Street, Mildura Victoria, Australia Map

Location/Contact

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

Description

Ratings & Comments

1.3 Average from 18 Ratings

This is an open forum, and unlike other hostel guide websites we don't censor out the negative comments.
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 Cocoman, UK

August 2009

Terrible, fraudulent, should be shut down -- don't ever go there!
How these working hostels get away with conning travelers is beyond belief. Borderline Backpackers is especially bad, I've never stayed in a place like it. I was convinced into going there in Feb. '09 on the strength of their lying website. It is dirty, overcrowded, and what little work is available is infrequent and badly-paid. Vickey overcharges on the rent and all the extras. I was stuck in a cramped house an hour's walk from town. I did a day's work for a couple of slave-drivers on a fig farm, toiling in the heat, and got sacked along with a bunch of people for being too slow. The Irish guys I met at the house had all been stuck there for weeks without work and had run out of money. I felt really sorry for those guys, they were the real victims. I left after a few days and didn't look back. If you're thinking of going there, don't, and if you're already there, leave while you still can!

Comment by Stuart, UK

August 2009

Don't ever stay here
This is without doubt the worst backpackers hostel in the world. Don't be fooled by vickie into coming here. Im still waiting my pay from her. She rams in about fourteen people into what should be a two-bedroomed house, she didnt step foot in the hostel while i was there, she does however send in her rent-a-Thug Pancho to intimidate people who have various quips about her sh*t hostel or the fact they havent been paid. Don't go its really rubbish. oh yeah and theres bedbugs.

Comment by steve, ireland

August 2009

Bullsh*t
vicky is a big fat lying criminal bitch. there is no heating in the house so everybody freezes. we had to break down the doors and burn them. she has no work, never pays on time, often goes missing for days (usually paydays). she has a little gangster named Pancho who serves no purpose other than to annoy and intimidate people. never ever stay here, especially if your korean because then you'll be put in an even shittier house half an hour out of town.

Comment by Jeremey, Canada

May 2009

Obviously a place where old people used to die
I went to this Hostel in November of '07 for what what was meant to be for three months. I was told to come up on the Sunday because I would start work on the Monday, it was then changed til the Tuesday (which was fine). I did unfortunately end up paying for a full week, which of course was nonrefundable. The hostel itself had a really weird vibe, it was old and dingy and clearly used to be an old folks home. It was dimly lit, the rooms were small, at that time there were no amenities to speak of (I was told this, but was promised that internet was close by, which it wasn't). I was told that everything that I needed was close by and it ended up being a twenty-five-minute walk to everything that I needed. The kitchen and eating area are large enough but at that time there were very few pots and pans to use. Also, it may have been as much as $8 to do a load of laundry. Now, I did get work as promised, so that was good. However you had to be out of the house at 5 a.m. or so, and you wouldn't return until 7 p.m., which was a real pain because a lot of stuff would be closed by them. You had to pay for transport and you only were paid for the hours that you worked. So I ended up being out of the house for fourteen hours and only paid for eight. This was also my first job in the outback, no one had mentioned that I may need a fly net and the damn shops that had them are closed by the time work is over. The weirdest thing of all however is that I was asked by an individual for my passport and that they would need to take it overnight. I obviously refused, but that did not sit well with me at all. I would personally never go back to this place. I would advise one to do their homework before they ever go to Mildura.

Comment by rexy, australia

April 2009

Dont believe a word she says!
I stayed here five years ago for about four months and met great people and had a ball. Worked hard and never really bothered vicky for anything. The more i stayed i could see what a bitch she could be. Getting people to come from sydney for promised work, then look at me and laugh and say "I hope those jobs i promised turn up." She couldnt give a rats arse about anyone and how this joint is still going five years on has me stuffed. They know there will always be new victims on the horizon so you become just a number to them. Look elsewhere people, although most working hostels are full of sh*t.You pay the wages. They will tell you what you want to hear to get you in.

Comment by Natalie, Canadian

February 2009

Worst F*%#cking Place in the world
Victorias borderline backpackers is the most disgusting and appalling excuse for a "hostel." The place we stayed in was dirty and bug infested. there were so many people crammed into the house with one toilet and one shower. we were over charged and blatantly ripped off. Vicky the owner goes out of her way to rip you off and could care less about the people staying in her houses. she put us in a house an hour out of town walking distance and then refused to drive me to the medical clinic when i had an emergency no doubt caused by the poverty stricken living conditions. She told us she was too busy to drive us but after being forced to hitch hike into town we saw her shopping for personal items. If she guarantees you work don't buy it! we were promised jobs and after being put on an illegitimate farm for two days she simply stopped showing up at the house to pick us up for work! and then we were ripped off by the illegal farmer she set us up with. Don't trust Vicky.

Comment by Samantha stayed june 08, Britain

September 2008

Appalled
Although i met some absolutely awesome people at this backpackers, i was absolutely appalled at the state of the house (it can no way be classified as a backpackers) filthy dirty i often spent time cleaning it! I got covered in bedbug bites in two separate rooms, i was sent to work picking grapes for an illegitimate company so i wasted a good week for my visa. When i got bitten i got allergic and swelled up on both my eyes and vicky wouldn't even take me to hospital -- too busy she said. she drink drove us to work on various occasions. She conned us out of so much money and the place was disgusting i moved to to a place which was much better. Never stay at vicky's -- she doesn't deserve your money for the way she treats people.

Comment by Andy

August 2008

A hostel run by a big fat liar
A hostel run by a big fat liar. Do not go there. The owner is Vickey. She promised a lot but did nothing. The worst was no job after I paid one week rent, though she promised to have a job for me before I traveled to Mildura. So, I stayed there as an unemployed. At the end, she snatched some money from me (as she called it was "$30 for admin fee" and "$20 for key deposit"). After one week, I had to check out because of no job but Vickey did not return any money to me, including "admin fee" and "key deposit." So, I lost $140 for the rent, $50 for her lies, travel fares, living expenses. Totally disgusting.

Comment by Liesbeth, Netherlands

November 2007

Sh*thole!
It started with my arrival in Mildura -- I was not placed in the hostel itself (I always look for a hostel in the centre of town), but one thirty minutes walking from the centre (and the supermarket). Next to that, it was an asylum so we weren't allowed to drink alcohol anywhere but in our rooms. The couple that run that place were by the way great people. Vickey is all the time playing your best friend, but in the end never does what she promises you. And that is so annoying! I was lucky to have a job but a lot of people that made the trip to Mildura were told by the farmer that there was no work for them. Furthermore, you have to pay for the transport to your work. That is not normal! Vickey also asks a $20 administration fee, but after some days I learned that the farmer's wife is paying the wages, so why do we have to pay this 20 AUD? When I left the place Vickey promised me to bring me to the Greyhound stop. This was on Saturday evening 7 p.m. I went to the local pub and when I came home at 2:30 a.m. there was a note on my door that Vickey wasn't able to take me to the bus. And then what? I just walk? I had to call a cab that cost me 15 AUD! That is exactly how the she is -- she promises you everything with a lovely smile, and then by phone call, or through somebody else, you will get the message that it's not going to happen. Don't go there! There are plenty of other places to get a job.

Comment by Mel and Kath, Canada

November 2007

Get out!
We were fortunate enough not to stay at this hostel, but we were unfortunate enough, however, to be told that there were six or seven days of work for us at great pay. We left our comfortable flat in Melbourne, only to be stranded at the train station and Vicky had mysteriously turned her mobile off, leaving her completely unreachable. We also paid the $60 each for harvest trail, who set us up with this mess. Never got that money back. If you ever are told "Vicky" has work for you, run like hell.

Comment by Carolina, US

October 2007

Very homey
I came to know Vickey quite well over the three months there. I understand that there are people that complain, that is because they are lazy and try to rip off Vickey and don't want to work for their money to keep their jobs! i was orange packing and i made great money, was ready for work on time, and actually worked! Over that time i saw people come and go, some got fired because they partied too hard and couldn't be bothered working. Vickey was like a version of my mum, she invited me to dinner one night in her own home -- a great cook! BBQs on Saturday nights are awesome! Made some best friends that i'll stay in touch with forever!

Comment by Belle, New Zealand

May 2007

Do not stay here! Vickey is racist, unscrupulous, and a con artist. Vickey promised us work picking oranges. well guess what? the grower told us they knew months ago that orange picking would not be for another two weeks. Vickey placed us in a filthy farmhouse an hour out of Mildura -- there were no caucasian backpackers staying there. What blatant discrimination! Then Vickey offered us "Tax free" payment for picking beans -- which we refused. So much for Aussies' "fair go" and "mateship." Appalling!

Comment by James, Im a nomad

April 2007

ok here is a little overview of my stay in mildura and moreso my stay at Vicky's backpackers. Mildura is a cool place to backpack for a while, i would recommend it, if you are there are the right time. the only real backpacking jobs are based on seasonal work -- fruit picking, packing. you can make good money, i was earning between $700 and $900 a week, but i was one of the lucky one working in the packing factory, i know the guys doing pick were earning far less, $250 some week, just getting them past rent and food. As far as Vicky's backpackers goes, i would not recommend staying there, she is indeed manipulative and unfortunately not at all worried about the backpackers but more her own bottom line at the end of every month. Russel is not too bad, rather good, innocent bloke. People in mildura are pretty friendly, i met some cool girls and generally had a great time, a lot of drinking and partying, not to mention meeting other great people from around the world! so i guess in closing i would say, go to mildura for a bit, meet some people, get drunk -- just don't stay at Vicky's Borderline Backpackers!

Comment by Ellen

February 2007

Looks like it didn't change a bit since I was there in 2003/2004! Vicky really is weird and manipulating. But I made the best friends there, because we were all in the same position, against Vicky and her (not so bad) husband Russel!

Comment by kat

January 2007

mildura is a bizarre little town but you can have a great time and make good money. whatever you do, do not stay at this hostel. i have never met someone like vicky in my life. incredibly unorganised and unprofessional, she blatantly lies and manipulates situations to her advantage. she promised me that i was next in line for a good job only to offer it to three other people before eventually getting back to me -- the three others were about to leave and she wanted to tempt them to stay with the offer of this job regardless of the fact that i had been there for longer than these people. she throws people out for no reason, treats people like trash, and has no respect for them or their property. if you try and reason with her you get nowhere. this woman has no power of thought or argument and is so infuriating to talk to you that you end up giving up, its a very good tactic i must say. there are other hostels -- go there.

More Comments...

Have you visited this hostel? Post your comments here.

« Prev

10 of 10

Hostels in Mildura

Hostelz.com is the only hostel guide with complete information and reviews on all youth hostels and backpackers worldwide.

(No photographs available.)

Reviewers Wanted: Hostelz.com pays travellers US$10.00 (that's roughly 6€, AU$10, or CAD$10) per hostel to photograph and review hostels. If you're interested, use this form to get more information.