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Noosa hostels—or "Backpackers, as they're known locally—are not so much in a city as they are in a collection of suburbs. Although the area is home to Noosa Heads and Noosaville, none of the suburbs are actually Noosa. Instead, Noosa refers to the name of the shire on the Queensland coast.

Noosa is home to about 5,000 people on the sunshine coast. With tourism and other trade, however, the actual number of people in Noosa is often closer to 25,000 at any given time. Tourism is Noosa's main industry and the beaches and national parks that dominate so much of the local landscape are the main draw.

Noosa National Park is a wildlife refuge for animals such as Koalas, glossy black cockatoo, ground parrot and the wallum froglet. Located just south of Noosa Heads and about 160 km north of Brisbane, the park features hiking trails and some astounding wildlife.

Noosa Park is beautiful and protected so it stays that way. Camping is not allowed in the park and although the park's beaches look inviting, they are not patrolled and have some dangerous rip currents. Sunshine Beach and the beach at Noosa Heads are recommended in place of Noosa National Park for beachgoers.

The hostel closest to Sunshine Beach gives a fair impression of what a trip to Australia's Queensland coast can be like. Rooms at "Dolphins at the Beach" start at 14 Euros for a shared room, which is about average for Noosa hostels. Like their name promises, "Dolphins" provides guests the opportunity to hand feed dolphins and their accommodations are located closer to the beach than any other hostel in Noosa.

Other options for your stay in Noosa include the "Koala Beach Resort" and the "Noosa Backpackers Resort," but the cheapest rooms in town can be found at the "Noosa North Shore Backpackers." Set apart from the other hostels, North Shore offers the chance to stay away from the crowds and social pressure of the typical hostel in high tourist season and lets you enjoy the tranquility of the natural beauty of Australia and the nearby islands.

Fraser island, a popular tourist destination and a listed World Heritage site, is just off the coast from North Shore and is the largest sand island in the world. Hundreds of dune lakes adorn the island and the island is in constant flux with dunes moving two to three meters a year and covering and uncovering new things as they travel.

Noosa hostels provide the cheapest and most convenient accommodation to the many sights in Noosa. In the dry season of November through May, the area sees tens of thousands of visitors, so it may be a good idea to book a bed in a hostel in advance. Booking online allows you to guarantee a place in the hostel of your choice and you won't have to jockey for position from the airport to the hostel to be sure you get a room. Instead, on your way to your Noosa hostel, you can plan out the next few weeks of seeing Noosa's natural sights and experiencing the local flavors.

Hostels in Noosa