I stayed at this backpacking hostel a few months ago, where they get you work on farms in the area doing fruit picking and other agricultural jobs.
Now my complaint isn't about any specific rip off, just some very unprofessional business practices from the owner, Marie.
They arrange you work on local farms, and i was working on a really nice farm, earning really good money, untill the day i went hit my head and gave myself a concussion and had to go to see a doctor.
The appointment i got wasn't untill 4pm, so my friends decided to take me to Townsville for a few hours to help cheer me up.
Now Marie took exception to this, and behind my back called the farmer Dwayne who was a brilliant guy, and told him i'd quit my job there and would never come back again. She then reassigned me to working for this tomato farm, who paid their pickers a terrible rate, and gave kickbacks to guess who. Marie. So due to a concussion which i couldn't help, i was put from a 4 day a week job, making $600 per week to a 6 day per week job making only $250 per week.
I kept complaining to her and she just kept ignoring me, and only earning $250 a week was bringing me into debt with the hostel for rent, and transport to the job and letting you have overpriced tobacco on tab, which meant i had to keep staying there and working picking the tomatos, and the only reason i managed to get away from there is my mum had to wire me funds to clear my account and escape.
If anyone is thinking of going to Ayr and picking fruit, please DO NOT stay at Delta. Silver Link Caravan Park or Wilmington House are the only 2 decent working hostels in that town. Marie is only after your money and her kickbacks from farmers.
Also the condition of the hostel did not live up to it's website's promises. Dirty rooms complete with spiders, mosquitos and geckos, pool filthy with cane ash, pots and pans in the kitchen without handles. Very dangerous and a collapsing ceiling in the alleged tv lounge
Fearandloathinginayr
brisbane
Australia
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