Koala Backpackers (hervey bay)

Avoid koala backpackers like the plague

Their fraser island trip is a joke, they have $80 worth of hidden extras, they make you clean and count everything BEFORE and after you go, then bill you for stuff that was wrong with it already, they extract all the fun out of the trip with 3 hour long lectures before you get there, their tents leak in the rain, the jeeps are 15 years old, the windscreen wipers didn't work, the utensils are ancient, the gas cannisters ran out of gas after the first night, the staff (the fraser trip staff not the reception staff) are rude and uncooperative and told us we knew what the situation was before we went? Really?

The campsites they use are in the middle of no-where (probably the cheapest ones available). The insurance policies they have in place mean you can only drive the jeeps in 5 hour windows during the day. Meaning in our case we had to set up camp (in the middle of no-where) at 1.30pm with nothing to do, as of course you can't swim in the sea on fraser (this of course is one thing thats not actually their fault).

Oh yeah i forgot about the hostel itself.. You have to pay for sheets, linen and cutlery. The laundry doesn't work either, which isn't ideal after 3 days camping.

How did you find them and book them - through an agent, or brochure, or website? Do you have any comeback with any third party provider, in other words? If you paid with a credit card and it was recent, you can try to insist on a refund for non-delivery - can work, but it consumes your time.

And PS - sorry your Fraser Island experience was so poor - and trust the rest of your trip is with much better operators. But there are cowboys out there for sure, fouling their own nest ultimately.

you could write about your experience at www.hostelz.com<BR><BR>here is the link to them on hostelz.com It seems other people have given bad reviews too.

Sorry to hear your bad news...

I used koala backpackers for my first Fraser Island trip back in 1992 - new Toyota Landcruiser 4wd's and spotless accommodation with good cheap meals served on-site... I think I even managed to 'get lucky' ;) if you know what I mean... I thought they were excellent back then.

Obviously they still have the same Cruisers and tents you had a naughty in dtox!

Yeah Ian... I guess their reputation could only go downhill from then on..

They are a business what do you expect for peannuts!