Background
Youth hostelling in Australia started in 1939 when YHA Victoria was formed in Melbourne. This was followed by YHA New South Wales (1942), YHA South Australia (1949), YHA Tasmania (1951), YHA Western Australia (1951), YHA Queensland (1962) and YHA Northern Territory (1976).
In 1947 the state organisations formed YHA Australia as a federated body to enable Australia to be represented in the International Youth Hostelling Federation (the original name for Hostelling International).
Steps are being taken to consolidate the various state entities into one national organisation. New South Wales, which already covered the Australian Capital Territory, and Northern Territory merged in 2007, and a merger between YHA NSW and YHA Queensland was completed on 1 January 2010, forming a new entity called YHA Ltd. YHA Victoria also merged into YHA Ltd in 2012.
The YHA Ltd Mission Statement is: "To provide opportunity for all, but especially young people for education by personal development, fostering friendship and bringing about a better understanding of others and the world around them".
The YHA 'house and tree' symbol originates from the first Hostelling International signs in Europe in 1934. The three messages used in the green Australian logo are the tree representing the environment, the house representing shelter and the open door representing just that, a welcoming open door.
Read more about this topic: YHA Australia
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