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The Sunshine Coast north of Brisbane doesn’t get as many visitors as the Gold Coast south of Brisbane, but tourism is big here too. There are hotels spread through the area in all price ranges, and fortunately there are a couple of hostels in Maroochydore to keep things affordable and fun at the same time.

The coastline is known as a surfing destination, but the area is loaded with family-oriented attractions as well, so the crowds can be quite mixed. The city of Maroochydore is in the center of the Sunshine Coast area, and is a good base of operations for those wanting to explore the area’s famous national parks. The Sunshine Coast Airport is also located in this city so the hostels in Maroochydore are very convenient for travelers on their way in or out of the area, and especially those with an early or late flight.

The Maroochydore area is popular for outdoor activities, but the city center is fairly compact and right next to the beach. Fortunately both hostels in Maroochydore are located in the main part of the city so they are a good choice for those traveling without a car, but parking is available so they work for everyone.

By the way, if you aren’t from Australia or New Zealand you should know that hostels are almost always called “backpackers” here, even though they are the exact same thing. The hostel movement has changed in the last couple of decades all over the world and that’s also true here. Very few places have nighttime curfews or daytime lockouts anymore so staying in a Maroochydore hostel will offer the same freedom as staying in a hotel, except with a lower price and interesting features and activities thrown in.

And hostels/backpackers are no longer just for college kids who’ve never owned a real suitcase yet. Particularly in Australia where its citizens love to travel around their country as frequently as they can, hostels/backpackers are commonly used by all age groups. This shouldn’t impede the normal hostel fun though. Most hostels in Australia also have private rooms available for people who want a bit of privacy but still want to save money and take advantage of the other resources such as community kitchens and scheduled tours.

The YHA Moochydore has inexpensive beds combined with tons of other features. Their 6 and 8-bed dorm rooms start at around $AUD26 per person per night, but that includes breakfast. They’ve also got private double and single rooms starting around $AUD31 per night for the doubles. They have a free bus to the main surf beaches, as well as free surfboard, boogie board, and bike rentals. And Wednesdays and Saturdays they throw a big barbeque with free beer and sangria for guests.

The Cotton Tree Backpackers gets high marks from past guests, even without all the freebies. Beds in their 6 and 8-bed dorms start around $AUD23 per night, but their private twin and double rooms are only a few dollars more per person.

Hostels in Maroochydore