Luckily they let us move in to our "camp site", which we found was barely an 8 x 8 piece of dirt amongst loads of other tents. It brought to mind images of a shanty town or a homeless tent city. There was only a few feet between each tent, negating any privacy you might think you have. There were markers where campsites used to be, but were no longer heeded. So, the campsite leads a bit to be desired, especially at 16 AUD per person per night, the most expensive campsite I have ever paid. On top of that the internet provided was through Global Gossip, and hence, 4 AUD per HOUR! If you have the proper tools, however, the WEP network can be had for free.
Besides that the vibe at the place was very chill, and the people very friendly. The staff especially were very nice and definitely super helpful, though it was annoying that we had to come to them and place a deposit every time we wanted to use cooking utensils. The social atmosphere was a bit cliche as some of the people in the campground had been around for a while. You get the feeling that many of the residents are playing hippy for a summer on mum and dad's credit card. That said, they certainly know how to party and it is easy to find mind-altering substances, if you're into that. We were able to secure accommodation jobs after a week cleaning bathrooms and the hostel kitchen. This paid for our rent in exchange for around 10 hours a week of work each.
I would say it is a bit of hype when people say, "Best Hostel in Australia," but it did have a certain charm to it. It is the kind of place, as is Byron Bay, that you wish you could have been to 10 years ago. That said, we had a good time there and would definitely recommend it for people who have enough time and money to really enjoy the atmosphere of the place.
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