Coogee, Sydney NSW
Mad Monkey Coogee Beach
The careers page invites hosts and social applicants to send a CV or introduce themselves in person. Enquire about specific paid duties and terms; promotional perks do not define a contract.
AUSTRALIA · JOB GUIDE
Hostel activity host jobs in Australia
An activity host helps guests meet each other through organised social sessions, games and outings. The role needs planning and follow-through as well as confidence in a group. Good hosts notice the quiet newcomer, keep the activity understandable and know when a situation needs a manager’s help.
Illustrative photo
This could suit you if…
You are outgoing and enjoy getting travellers involved in social activities.
The trade-offs
You are organising and looking after guests while others relax. Evening activities can overlap with your own social time, and a bed exchange is not paid employment.
What does the work involve?
Prepare the activity, explain where and when it happens and welcome guests who arrive alone. Check equipment, bookings and any agreed budget before promoting a session.
Introduce people, keep the timetable moving and adapt within the hostel’s approved plan when attendance or weather changes. Clean up afterwards and pass on incidents or useful feedback.
Will it fit my trip?
Keep boundaries around alcohol, personal contact and off-duty time. Ask who handles guest disputes and what support is available during evening activities.
Use the hostel’s process for permissions and images. Guests should not have to appear in promotional content simply because they attend an activity.
For outings, confirm responsibility for transport, headcounts, cancellations and getting people home. Do not improvise a swim, hike or other activity beyond the approved programme and your competence.
What do I need before applying?
Activity hosting combines leading social activities with keeping groups organised. Some jobs also include reception, social media or bar service, so customer-service and administrative experience can be useful alongside confidence with groups.
Alcohol service, driving guests and instructing adventure activities have separate requirements. First aid may be requested, but the hostel-host title itself does not qualify you for specialist duties.
Which training is worth doing?
First aid and CPR
St John offers HLTAID011 general first aid and HLTAID009 CPR through its state organisations. These include practical assessment; course delivery and fees appear in the local booking calendar.
St John Victoria: first-aid course example
HLTAID011 Provide First Aid: $199 for 4.75 hours in class plus pre-learning, or $225 for 7.75 hours in class without pre-learning. These are Victorian options; choose a listed venue and date. First aid is relevant when the role requires it, rather than a universal entry qualification.
St John Victoria course and locations · checked 23 October 2026.
Companies and application routes
Direct employer and agency application routes, checked 17 October 2026.
Australian hostel locations
Mad Monkey Backpackers Australia
Recruitment enquiry form for joining hostel teams. Identify the work you want and give arrival and departure dates; ask whether a suitable paid role is available.
Sydney Central, Bondi Beach and Byron Bay
Wake Up! Hostels
Apply through the hostel group’s work-with-us form. Its recruitment FAQ lists reception, housekeeping, promotion and maintenance, usually requiring a longer commitment.
How do I put together a good application?
Give an example of organising an activity or helping an unfamiliar group participate. Explain how you dealt with late arrivals, different confidence levels or a plan that had to change.
Include one simple group activity with timing, equipment and a low-cost alternative. Demonstrate how you would welcome solo travellers and keep a mixed group involved.
What can you earn?
The Hospitality Award separates assisting activities from running classes and planning guest programmes. The leisure-attendant examples below apply where the hostel and your duties are covered by this award.
| Classification | Casual weekday | Saturday | Sunday |
|---|---|---|---|
| Level 2 — equipment, bookings and assistant instruction | $33.85 | $40.62 | $47.39 |
| Level 3 — trained instructor directing activities | $34.96 | $41.96 | $48.95 |
| Level 4 — planning and coordinating guest activities | $36.81 | $44.18 | $51.54 |
These figures apply to adults in the named Hospitality Award classifications, not every job with this title. A registered enterprise agreement or a different industry award can apply. The classification follows the actual duties.
Rates are per hour before tax and exclude super. Casual loading is already included. These are ordinary-hours minimums from 1 July 2026; overtime, public holidays and late-night additions are separate.
These full rates apply from age 20 under the Hospitality Award. Younger employees serving liquor receive the adult rate for their classification.
Sources and further reading
Mad Monkey Backpackers Australia
Mad Monkey Coogee social programme
Sources checked 17 October 2026.
Wake Up! Hostels — official recruitment · checked 17 October 2026