Location is eligible for WHV417 Second year extension. Hillston is located in western NSW on the Great Artesian Basin (fruit bowl) with plenty of work, Cotton picking, Citrus, Almonds and Cherries etc. Hillston Backpackers has 2-4 bed dormitory and Double/Twin Cabin accommodation, full kitchen, lounge and dining, Games Console, outdoor areas and log fire. Work in the area includes:
April to June -
Cotton picking, cotton ginning
October to August - Citrus
November - Cherries
June to December – Vegetables
All year round - Almonds & Chicken's
Hillston also complies with the requirements of the Working Holiday visa (subclass 417). Hillston is 682 kms west of Sydney via the Mid Western Highway and Kidman Way. It is 109 kms North West of Griffith with Griffith being the closest transport centre. Hillston Backpackers used to be the Hillston Masonic Lodge which opened in 1981. It is the only newer double brick building in Hillston. Termites love this area and anything made of wood. Nom, nom! The double brick insulates the place so it's warm in winter and cool in summer. Hillston is a small but friendly country town on the edge of Australia's outback. It's where the "Lachlan river meets the outback"
The town boasts two pubs, an Ex Servicemen’s Club (like an RSL) a brand new hospital and aged care facility, IGA supermarket, smaller corner store which opens later, Commonwealth and Bendigo bank, Chemist, a number of hairdressers, NRMA and other motor mechanics, rural produce stores, an old fashioned butcher who smokes and cures his own hams and bacons using river red gum chips sources locally. There is a new shire offices (Carrathool shire), a caravan park, 3 motels, swimming pool, lake and walking trails, golf club, playground, skate park, footy ground - Aussie rules the Hillston Swans, Police station, ambulance station and airport and not much else.....
The Shed cafe on Lachlan can provide you with good value, breakfast, lunch and tea! A bakery in town is open early for the tradies and contractors passing through wanting breakfast and smoko, as well as a newly opened takeaway diner located near the banks. It is REMOTE... The nearest large town is Griffith some 110 Kms away....further north its Cobar (260 Kms north) or Bourke, (even further!) Sydney takes about 7-8 hours, Melbourne much the same. You wouldn't know it to look at the little town but the outlying areas of Hillston, grow an enormous amount of fruit, vegetables and crops, such as oranges, mandarins, lemons, grapefruit, almonds, olives, cotton, wheat, canola, barely, walnuts, potatoes, garlic and cherries....did you know that Hillston starts off the cherry harvest season round October, way before Young does? Then it's into spuds and garlic around Christmas. Cotton starts in March, followed by grains around August or September......
It gets hot here, real hot.....weeks of 35-42 degrees in summer are likely, but it's a dry heat, not humid so it's bearable, you get used to it quite quickly...which is a shock when winter comes. It gets bloody cold! -2 days, heavy frosts are likely, but the days warm up beautifully, before the cooler evenings come in, good for sitting around a fire! At the Hillston Backpackers, which is opposite the BP service station in town, we have Airconditioned Dormitory style accommodation with bunk beds. There are four people to each room. We also have 18 En-suite cabins surrounding the Hostel. The Cabins are configured in Twin(Bunk) & Double Bed layout. They have a TV with local channels, built in DVD player, Fridge Freezer and most importantly... AIRCON ;). There is a spacious kitchen with all cooking utensils, pots, pans, crockery supplied. Refrigeration and dry storage areas provided. There are lovely hot showers, laundry facilities, plenty of male/female toilets and a disabled toilet/shower for those that need it. Several outdoor and smoking areas. We are even working on a Lawn! For Pricing and Enquiries please dont hesitate to call us on - 0411 801 282
