The Dingo Blue Backpackers is a working hostel. If you see this hostel for the first time you could think "oh no, I don't want to stay here," but after a while you would like it. The hostel is very simple, not so fancy like others in town -- but that is what makes the hostel so special.
The Location
Bundaberg is known as a harvest town, ideal for backpackers. The hostel is right in town centre, opposite from the train station. Internet cafes and everything else are in walking distance, as is an IGA supermarket -- bigger supermarkets are a bit further, but you can still walk to them.
Rooms and Bathrooms
This hostel has only two- to four-bed dorms -- perfect if someone has to get up early. The rooms have shelves, a fan, and rolling blinds. The mattresses are not amazing but ok. They have a girls and a boys toilet near the rooms and a bathrooms near the kitchen. The bathroom cleanliness is ok during the day, but when all the people come back from working in the field, it gets dirty. They provide soap and a hair dryer. They have four showers and two toilets in the bathrooms.
Common Spaces
This hostel has a huge kitchen with a walkable fridge. In the fridge there are cages that you can lock if you have a padlock. In the kitchen there are also boxes for food provided, which you can lock as well. The kitchen has two microwaves and two stoves with ovens. They provide crockery and cutlery -- but not enough because they get always stolen. There are a few pots, pans, and tea towels (you'd better have your own stuff). The cleanliness of the kitchen is all right because a cleaner comes every morning. There is also a TV in the kitchen and a separate TV room with a DVD player. Outside are some tables and benches and two hammocks -- very comfy. There are also washing machines.
The Dingo Blue Backpackers is a very social hostel, you meet friends very easily -- this is very good if you are alone. Drinking is only allowed at the weekend, but nobody is there in the afternoon so every day they drink goon wine and beers. But still the people are quiet.
Summary
The hostel can be quite dirty. The rubbish bins are overfilled and dirt from the workers' shoes is everywhere. The kitchen and bathrooms is cleaned by a cleaner but the rooms, corridor, and the TV room are not. After a few days, two backpackers worked there for free accommodation and after they cleaned, it was amazing -- nice and tidy -- and also the backpackers themselves got cleaner (they put their stuff away after they cooked). We stayed there three weeks and enjoyed it very much. The other guests are very nice and there is enough room to sit and play some games.
It's great if you just want to work and stay somewhere in small rooms and find some nice people the hostel. However, it is dirty and lacks enough cutlery and crockery.
— Exclusive Hostelz.com Review
October 2008
Location/Contact
1.8 Average from 6 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.