Feels like a conspiracy. The hiring agency in Cairns sent you here didn't they? Of course they did. If you stay here, they overcharge the hell out of you per week (160-240) and you also have to do MANDATORY hostel labor every week (after working all day) or you don't get your deposit back. They do find work for you which is awesome....however, it kind of forces you to stay there if you want work so you can either have money or get your visa extended. They have intricate knowledge on what farms are needing workers and that is definitely worth something. However, if you decide to try to leave the hostel before you originally plan...they decrease your work so you cannot really save up to go elsewhere. Also the wifi is pay for and is very weak. Apparently a Farmer Pompey owns the hostel and discourages local farmers from letting backpackers live on their property. I wonder why. Update: my partner and I started to sign in to stay at this hostel, but decided that the price was too much. A local farmer offered us a job the old fashioned way and we found accommodation via Airbnb, thankfully. (So it can be done!) They are constantly buying properties to accommodate the backpackers but for 240 per week you can definitely find better options. Recently, (March 27, 2017) the Lodge is housing people in the Grand Hotel in Atherton for the same price. Look at the reviews for this place. These backpackers in this hotel are living above a working pub which is loud most nights and is very difficult to get a good night's rest. Imagine humping bananas every day for 8 hours and then having to cook your dinner with only a microwave that you share with heaps of other people. Then sharing a room with 4-6 people to sleep in while the thumping music pounds until the pub closes. Then you have to get up and be ready for work transport by 5:00am. Not much rest for 240 bucks.

WARNING: Do not waste your money on Tolga Country Lodge. It sounds great online and on the phone. But when you get there you have to pay about $600 up front (job finder fee, deposit that you're unlikely to get back and first weeks rent). Then you have to pay for cutlery and plates to eat off, and buy your food. You have to do kitchen duty but no one ever cleans up after themselves so it is disgusting and full of flies. You get a $5 per day charge for paying rent late, and no internet that week if your rent is late. The rent is ridiculously high anyway. If you're lucky you will work on a farm with at least 6 days a week work so you will be able to save, but if youre on a farm with less fruit available you will find yourself working 3 to 4 days a week and unable to save any money. If you leave the lodge but have a deal with your farm to be able to stay on working, Gina will try and get you fired as she is losing out on money. She is just a greedy money grabber taking advantage of backpackers. I'd recommend trying elsewhere if you want to do farm work.

I stayed in Tolga Lodge for one month. Would I recommend it? No! Negative points: super expensive (working full time , you will pay $220 per week). However, if you are working less than 30h/week, you pay less than that (positive point) Accommodation: rooms are far too small for 4 people, I did not have closet in the room , I had a drawer under the bed to put my clothes and it was disgusting because they were almost in contact with the carpet, not even a bloody shelf in the room. EXTREMELY hot.. no air con.. I was waking up 2/3 times per night soaking in my own sweat. I had to buy a fan , but even... not enough. Not possible to rest properly, before 10h of work... I found the showers ok The kitchen is too small for the amount of tenants. At 8pm we are stepping on each other to cook. Once a week , you have to clean the kitchen before bed. Very pleasant after 10 hours of Work... Laundry?? 4dolars per wash Transport: I was not lucky . They were one bus short, and in order to bring everyone on time the the farms, we had to wake up much earlier. Happen that I had to wait 2 hours to start to work at the farm. We have been promise a quick resolution of the problem , but never happened until the day that I left. We were waking up at 4:30 to start to work at 7am. Very stressful. The caretakers were doing the possible to help in general. However, one of them was always extremely passive aggressive in the way that she would respond to the tenants concerns, and not really helpful. Not really advocating for our needs. I did not feel supported at all. We have been threatened by her (by message).. or we would suck up the situation as it was, and don’t complain, or we would lose our job... disgusting! They found me a full time job, and that it is the great point. However, you will see people that have been there for more than 3 weeks, and still don’t have a full time job. Extremely stressful and heartbreaking. I definitely will not go to a working hostel again. You soon will understand that it is a mafia, and there have agreements with the farms, in order to keep us stuck there, while we burn our money up. They take us to the shopping twice a week, and you have 30min. Better hurry up, because if you lose the bus, you risk to wait more than one hour for another one. The people that I met were rather cool, but the atmosphere is heavy. Good luck folks

Backpackers' trap ⚠️ Careful my friends. They recruit two people for one job. This way the farmer is satisfied by the hostel because he has workers six days raw. The hostel get two rents. The slaves(you) are working three days maximum per week about 15-20hours and you spend your money in the rent and spend double time here to do your 88 days of farm work. There is a bad ambiance because of the stress and lots of people unoccupied.

It was a very nice place, but the "free WiFi" it's limited. But tricia is a good person, I made some friends and worked since the first day to the last one. Recommendation : (1) get a Optus chip, it works very well in the area and having good Internet is very useful (2) get a little fan to put in your bed if you aren't used to the heat.

Was at Tolga lodge for 4 months. Best place to do your farm work. Had a great job, had a great time. Staff looked after me, hiliarious bus drivers brightened my day every day. Few reviews saying that their bonds weren't returned, mine was and everyone else's that left around the same time. Few weirdos checked in but they were kicked out for drug abuse while I was there. When you check in you get a rules book to read and if you follow the rules you don't have any problems. Be ready to work hard, they find you a job but it is up to you to keep it. Pretty simple really. Highly recommend this working hostel and am going back when I run out of money.

Worst hostel stay I have had so far; first I thought I was going to be staying in Tolga but they sent me to the second site in Kairi; the pub there is lovely however the rooms are old and tiny also none of the doors lock they don't even give you a room key. The management is over the top and pushy. I cleaned my room properly and left it better than I found it but still I didnt get my bond back I. Have. Always. Got. My. Bond. Back. Some of the rules they have are just insane and so are the people in charge Don't stay here if you can help it

***PLEASE NOTE THIS IS UNDER NEW MANAGEMENT*** 3 months ago I made a call to Tolga Country Lodge as I literally had 3 months left on my visa and my time was literally crucial, I spoke to the lovely caretaker Trish and explained my situation she was brilliant and before I knew it I arrived, now with hardly no money they supported me until I had full time work, within a week they had me full time work. The last three months have been challenging to say the least but I have had the most amazing time at the lodge and the past 3 months and have taught me so much. I have bonded so much with the owners (Tanya and Pompey) and Trish the caretaker has took me in like her own. I have had the best time with the best people, so many laughs and very few tears, I have made friends for life and without a shadow of a doubt would recommend this place to any backpacker looking to earn money or looking to get there second year visa. I'm going to miss this place so much but I know if ever need be I would be welcomed back with open arms. Thanks to all at Tolga Lodge for making my stay so lovely

Please do not judge Tolga Country Lodge by the previous owners (namely Gina). The Lodge is under new management and there is a massive difference in the way things are ran (and very much improved). The staff are lovely and according to the season you will have up to 7 days of work a week, although it really is dependent on the season and the price of the crop so some weeks there may be less. You are well looked after, you will receive a high minimum wage which TCL sorts out for you, and you'll meet the best people and have the best experience living there. We made life long friends and it was easily the best experience I had in Australia, and I wish we had gone their sooner. I would (and have) recommended TCL to everyone!

Place in tolga is good but Dangerous and unsafe people ruin it the islander Vanuatu men are terrible drunks , they party all night leaving and returning all hours , spoke to some locals who are fed up with the chaos they are causing at the local oval shops and towns , people don't even go for walks now because of them. I won't be back if there still there. 3 ½ stars otherwise.

Tolga Lodge was woderful, my stay lasted just shy of four months (staying one extra week after finishing day 88). Tricia, the caretaker, is an amazing person, one of the most optimistic and encouraging of the people I’ve met.

The best place to do farm work in order to gain your second year visa!! I honestly can say i have made long time friends and even met my boyfriend at the lodge. Trish is a diamond and will do anything for you, as long as you are respectful! All staff will help to resolve any issues you may have with the people at the lodge, co-workers or any farmers, so you don't feel alone when dealing with anything. I would 100% go back and do it again for a third year visa....if that was even a thing!! haha

I felt very comfortable there and I'm looking forward to come back as soon as posible. Tricia is an incredible person and she is taking care of everyone all the time. I received my bond perfectly 😊.