The Youth Hostel Association of New Zealand (often shortened to YHA New Zealand or YHANZ) is a youth hostelling association in New Zealand. As of 2022, ^[update] it comprises 16 privately owned associate backpacker hostels—8 in the North Island, and 9 in the South Island. All properties are franchise or associate partners.

Celebrating the 75th anniversary of the organisation in 2007, then Governor-General Sir Anand Satyanand described YHA NZ as a "standout New Zealand organisation" and "such an iconic feature of holidaying in New Zealand". ^[1] The YHA hostel in Wellington (now closed) won the Hostelworld "Hoscar" prize for Best Hostel in Oceania in 2007 and 2008. ^[2] In 2009 the YHA hostel in Rotorua (now closed) won the award. ^[3]

In November 2021, it was reported that YHA New Zealand would close its remaining 11 managed hostels in December, due largely to COVID-related financial losses, ^[4] however 20 other individually-owned YHAs will continue to operate as normal. These 20 individually-owned YHAs are as follows: Ahipara, Paihia, Bay of Islands, National Park, Taupō, Waitomo, Whanganui, Whangarei, Arthur's Pass, Golden Bay, Hanmer Springs, Kinloch, Nelson, Picton, Punakaiki, Springfield, Westport. ^[5] The remaining hostels closed on 15 December 2021. In 2022 YHA sold its five remaining hostels (Auckland, Aoraki Mt Cook, Franz Josef, Queenstown Lakefront and Te Anau) and four hostels previously sold to RPZ in 2021 and leased back to manage, were also on-sold to Gaw Capital Holdings Limited (Rotorua, Wellington, Lake Tekapo and Wanaka). Eight of them rejoined as YHA Associates, only Te Akau not keeping the YHA logo. The lease of Christchurch Hereford St was also taken over by Gaw in 2022. ^{[6] [7]} The hostels were then refurbished and rebranded Haka House. ^[8]

History

The Sunlight League was formed in 1931 in New Zealand and their attention was drawn to German youth hostels later that year; ^[9] youth hostels had begun in Altena in 1912. ^[10] The first ones in the Southern Hemisphere were those of the Youth Hostel Association of New Zealand, after its formation on 8 April 1932, ^[11] at a meeting of 9 Canterbury tramping organisations, brought together by the League ^[12] and chaired by Sir Arthur Dudley Dobson. Sir Arthur was elected as President and vice-presidents included Sir Heaton Rhodes and Professors Arnold Wall and Macmillan Brown. Cora Wilding had negotiated for trampers belonging to the clubs forming the Association to stay at nearby Le Bon's Bay, Port Levy, Pigeon's Bay, Okain's Bay, Akaroa, Duvauchelle, and Hill Top, all on Banks Peninsula. ^[13] Teddington and Diamond Harbour were also added in 1932. ^[14] YHA-NZ had 895 members by 1953. ^[15] in 1983 there were 47 hostels, 6,700 life members and 21,000 ordinary members. ^[11]

It has been a member association of Hostelling International since 1946. ^[11] YHA New Zealand was established in 1932 in Canterbury by Cora Wilding. ^[16] The national office is based in Christchurch. A national council was created in 1955. In 1965 there were 39 hostels and 7000 members. ^[16] Previously, the patron of the association was the Governor-General of New Zealand.

Current YHA-NZ hostels

This is a list of current YHA-NZ hostels. ^[17] This section was up-to-date as of March 2024 ^[update].

Name	Image	Region	Year opened
Aoraki Mt Cook	Haka House, 4 Kitchener Drive	Canterbury	1958 [18] replaced in 1987 [19] Closed 15 December 2021, [20] reopened December 2022 [21]
Auckland International	Haka House, Turner St	Auckland	refurbished 2018 [22] Closed 15 December 2021, [20] reopened December 2022. [21]
Christchurch	Haka House, 36 Hereford Street	Canterbury	Closed 15 December 2021, [20] reopened December 2022. [21]
Franz Josef	Haka House 2-4 Cron Street	West Coast	1980 [23] Closed 15 December 2021, [20] reopened December 2022 [21]
Hanmer Springs	Kakapo Lodge, 14 Amuri Avenue	Canterbury
Lake Tekapo	Haka House, 5 Motuariki Lane	Canterbury	Closed 15 December 2021, [20] reopened 18 November 2022 [24]
Nelson	59 Rutherford Street	Nelson
Queenstown Lakefront	88-90 Lake Esplanade	Otago	1972 [25] Closed 15 December 2021, [20] reopened December 2022 [21]
Rotorua	Haka House, 1278 Haupapa St	Bay of Plenty	2008 [26] Closed 15 December 2021, [20] reopened December 2022. [21]
Taupō	Finlay Jacks, 20 Taniwha Street	Waikato	1984 [27]
Waitomo	Juno Hall, 600 Waitomo Caves Road	Waikato
Wanaka	94 Brownston Street	Otago	2009 [28] Closed 15 December 2021, [20] reopened 19 December 2022. [21]
Wellington	292 Wakefield Street	Wellington	Closed 15 December 2021, [20] reopened December 2022. [21]
Whanganui		Manawatū-Whanganui
Westport	Trip Inn, 72 Queen Street	West Coast

Former hostels

This section lists the locations of former YHA-NZ hostels.

This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (October 2021)

Name	Image	Region	Opened	Closed
Ahipara		Northland		Ahipara was still affiliated to YHA in November 2021 [20]
Arthur's Pass		Canterbury	1955 [29] replacing 1948 hostel	2023 [30]
Bay of Islands, The Rock		Northland	cruise boat	The Rock Adventure Cruise was still affiliated to YHA in November 2021 [20]
Golden Bay ( Tākaka)		Tasman		Golden Bay, Annies Nirvana Lodge was still affiliated to YHA in November 2021 [20]
Cora Wilding, Christchurch		Canterbury	1966 [10]	1997 [31]
Rolleston House, Christchurch		Canterbury	1974 [10]	2020 [32]
City Road, Auckland		Auckland	1990, [10] refurbished 2016 [33]
71 Stafford Street, Dunedin		Otago	1969 replaced 1980 [11]	listed 1986 [34]
Gisborne		Gisborne	1974 [35]	Gisborne was still affiliated to YHA in November 2021 [20]
1190 Victoria Street, Hamilton		Waikato	1961, replaced 1981 [11]	2006 [36] to 2013 [37]
Hokitika		West Coast		Hokitika, Birdsong Backpackers was still affiliated to YHA in November 2021 [20]
Kinloch, Glenorchy		Otago		Kinloch, Wilderness Retreat was still affiliated to YHA in November 2021 [20]
Montgomery, Hill Top		Canterbury	1957 [38]
Napier		Hawke's Bay	1984 [27]
National Park		Manawatū-Whanganui		Backpackers still affiliated to YHA in November 2021 [20]
42 Weka Street, Nelson		Nelson	1981 [11]	after 2010 [39]
New Plymouth		Taranaki		New Plymouth, Sunflower Lodge was still affiliated to YHA in November 2021 [20]
Ōkārito		West Coast	1958 [11]	1990 [40]
Kukupa, Pigeon Bay		Canterbury	1952 [11]	1995 [41]
Paihia		Northland		Paihia was still affiliated to YHA in November 2021 [20]
Picton		Marlborough		The Villa was still affiliated to YHA in November 2021 [20]
Punakaiki		West Coast		Punakaiki, Te Nikau Retreat was still affiliated to YHA in November 2021 [20]
Queenstown Central		Otago		Closed 15 December 2021, [20] lease not renewed
Raglan		Waikato	during 2010s [42]
Springfield		Canterbury		Springfield, Smylies was still affiliated to YHA in November 2021 [20]
Te Anau		Southland	1961 replaced 1977 [43] and again since [44]	Closed 15 December 2021, [20] sold in 2022 for staff accommodation [45]
Trout Stream, Cooper’s Creek		Canterbury	1948 [46] now derelict [47]
Whangārei		Northland		Whangārei Falls Holiday Park was still affiliated to YHA in November 2021 [20] Closed 2022 [48] [49]

References

• Cora and Co: The first half-century of New Zealand youth hostelling by Dion Crooks (1982, Youth Hostel Association of New Zealand)

External links

• Official website