Station Lodge welcomed into backpacker royalty

Ohakune's Station Lodge was listed on the network of New Zealand's best backpacker hostels last month.

Youth Hostel Association NZ chief executive Mark Wells said the association was delighted to add Station Lodge to the network.

"Not only does it extend our coverage to include Ohakune, but this is a unique and popular backpackers where we know guests will enjoy themselves."

Hostel owners Darren and Jane Gamble discovered Ohakune and the Station Lodge Backpackers five years ago after working overseas.

The couple had worked in outdoor education in Australia and ran one of the Southern Hemisphere's biggest outdoor education schools, in Malaysia.

When they came back to New Zealand and into Ohakune, they loved the small town and immediately started planning how they could set up in the mountain town. They chose the Station Lodge Backpackers knowing how popular Ohakune was even in the summer, they said.

Their accommodation is all about comfortable, homely accommodation that promotes the wealth of amazing activities on in and around Ohakune, including the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, paddling the famous Whanganui River or mountain biking across the Ohakune Old Coach Road, they said.

"We are super-excited to be a part of YHA's professional and internationally recognised brand."

The Gambles also run Mountain Bike Station and Ski and Board Station in Ohakune.