YHA Australia advances sustainability journey with newly certified properties

50% of YHA properties are now Ecotourism Australia Certified

YHA Australia are continuing their green journey with 50% of the nation-wide network now certififed by Eco Tourism Australia. YHA Sydney Central, YHA Cairns, YHA Thredbo, and YHA Newcastle now join the growing list of eco-certified properties, alongside the seven YHA locations that have already achieved certification.

Achieving eco-certification is no small feat. The process is rigorous, requiring properties to meet over 200 key criteria spanning four pillars of sustainability, environmental, socio-economic, cultural, and responsible business practices. Each certified YHA property showcases a deep commitment to these principles by implementing globally recognised best-practice standards in sustainable tourism.

Paul McGrath, CEO of YHA Australia: “Receiving Ecotourism Australia’s eco-certification to now 50% of our network is a reflection of our commitment to sustainability. It means travellers can make confident choices to stay in places that align with their values”.

“We’re proud of our progress so far and aim to certyify the remainder of our network by the end of 2025, continuing to offer recognisable, trusted accommodation options for envrionmentally-conscious guests”.

Elissa Keenan, CEO of Ecotourism Australia: “Affordable accommodation providers such as YHA play a critical role in making sustainable travel accessible to more people. With 50% of their network now certified, it’s fantastic to see YHA leading by example and showing such commitment. Congratulations
onto the team on reaching this exciting milestone, and we look forward to continuing to support YHA as they work towards certifying all 19 properties”.
These incremental gains are often achieved through community partnerships and initiatives where the responsibility falls on the property managers to engage with regional partners with periodic independent audits required.

The following practices are major recent additions in YHA’s overall journey towards a net-zero network:

Continued adoption of GreenPower & On-site Renewable Energy

As of 1 July, YHA Melbourne Central, YHA Grampians Eco, YHA Apollo Bay, YHA Newcastle Beach, YHA Port Elliot, YHA Pittwater, YHA Coolangatta and YHA Head Office have joined the network of properties and locations now powered by 100% GreenPower, bringing the total network adoption to 22%. While electricity still comes from the grid, YHA’s GreenPower purchase ensures an equivalent amount of renewable energy is fed back into the system.

Locations including YHA Sydney Harbour, YHA Byron Bay, and YHA Sydney Central are generating renewable energy on-site via solar panels, with any excess power returned to the grid.

Sustainability Measures

YHA properties also implement ongoing sustainability measures, including energy-efficient lighting and appliances, robust recycling and a waste reduction program where up to 305 mattresses and 412kg of textiles are diverted from landfill through partnerships with Soft Landing and Upparel since 2024.

HVAC System Updates

Improvements are being made to heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, along with a switch to solar hot water, renewable energy, and reverse-cycle air conditioning.

Water-saving initiatives include grey-water recycling and a switch to sachet detergent, saving up to 1,000 litres of water per property per day.

Additionally, five dollars from every first-time booking will be diverted towards the Sustainable Properties Fund. This fund has received international recognition and is dedicated to helping reduce the environmental impact of YHA Australia’s through sustainability projects across the network.

Media contact:
Alice Rose // PEPR Agency
+61 467 577 555
alice@pepr.com.au

Laura Ford // PEPR Agency
+61 449 024 315
laura@pepr.com.au