Outdoors: bushwalking, sailing, bicycling, kayaking & snorkelling, weekends away staying at hostels or car camping. Social: restaurant nights, theatre parties, trivia nights and picnics.
Hi and welcome to our club. We have a varied program with lots to offer to active people looking for fun and friendship in the great outdoors. There is plenty to choose from with outdoor activities such as bushwalking, sailing, cycling, kayaking & snorkelling plus weekends away staying at hostels or car camping while on the social side we have restaurant nights, theatre parties, trivia nights and picnics. The club is open to everyone aged 18+ (see note below). People looking for a full and active involvement are welcome.
We have no joining or membership fees as we receive funding from YHA in appreciation of some general maintenance work that we do at Garie Beach and Hawkesbury Heights (North Springwood) Hostels. To see our program, join us on meetup.com/YHAClubSydney. In the meantime, details on how our club works is available on this website. Once you have received the program, you are welcome to contact any of our activity leaders for further enquiries or to book on one of our activities. We trust that you will find something of interest and hope to see you soon.
Note: Those under 18 years of age are also welcome, but must be accompanied by a parent, guardian or responsible adult who assumes full and complete responsibility for their actions and welfare.
Our club provides an opportunity for people with an interest in the outdoors to come together for enjoyable times with good friends. There are many different kinds of clubs and various reasons for joining them. Some people are simply looking for occasional participation in a particular activity but for those who are interested in a fuller and more varied involvement a club such as ours has much more to offer. Level of involvement is obviously a personal choice however we like to see people take regular advantage of the clubs many activities as that helps to promote the kind of fun times and long lasting friendships that we want our members to enjoy. We provide a varied outdoors and social program that has something for everyone but it is the participation of members and the energy that they provide that makes the club work.
We are a totally voluntary club and like all such clubs we rely on willing workers so, once new members have settled in, we appreciate any assistance they can provide as any contribution helps to keep things going. Different ways to help include joining the committee, organising a social activity, leading a bushwalk, providing the supper at a travelnight or helping out with hostel maintenance. None of these are very difficult and they can be fun and rewarding as well as providing an opportunity to get to know people better as this will make you feel more like you are a part of the club.
The YHA movement was introduced into Australia from overseas by Sport and Recreation in the 1940�s. Many of the first hostels were ex army barracks while others were built with volunteer labour and donated materials. A number of special interest groups and clubs were established and our club dates back to that time. Also known as YHA Sydney Region we have an elected committee that operates independently but we are really just a part of the worldwide YHA movement and YHA NSW in particular rather than a separate entity. Apart from ourselves there are also a number of other similar clubs both in NSW and interstate with many looking after small bush hostels in the same way as we look after Garie Beach and Hawkesbury Heights. Both of these hostels were originally built with volunteer labour for exclusive use by clubmembers however in recent years they have been made available to anyone wishing to book them to ensure fuller usage with the club benefiting from assistance provided by YHA NSW.
Volunteer workers at the hostels are covered by an accident policy while the club and YHA in general is protected by Public Liability Insurance which provides cover not only against claims that might arise from hostel use but also for all of our club activities. For sailors we have accident cover included in our sailing policy while for bushwalkers there is optional low cost personal accident insurance available through the Bushwalking Confederation of which our club is a member. Cover includes other outdoor events such as cycling plus travel to and from many of our activities. For details contact any of the bushwalking leaders listed in the program.
By voluntarily particating in any activity organised by or with the involvement of YHA Social & Outdoors Club (The Club) participants acknowledge that participation is entirely at their own risk and that any contract arising from such participation excludes any liability from supply of services including the supply of equipment and instructions and furthermore that should a possible claim for damages arise through participation in any club activity they agree to waive any such claim against the club, its leaders or other participants in tort or contract. The club, its officials, activity leaders and other participants accept no responsibility or liability for any occurrence of injury, illness, death or property damage that may result from participation regardless of whether such occurrence has resulted from error, misadventure, or negligence on the part of any person associated with the club. Furthermore any participants who choose to bring along anyone under 18 years of age have total and complete responsibility for their actions and welfare.
Participation in any activity of the club may involve risk and those risks include but are not limited to danger from submerged logs and rocks, shallow water, cloudy water or strong currents while diving, wading or swimming, slippery and/or uneven ground and rocks, dislodgment of rocks, the possibility of falling at cliff edges or drops, hypothermia and heat exhaustion.
To minimise risk participants should consider whether any activities they choose to undertake are within their capabilities including their fitness level, any medical conditions and medication they are taking, or if they have any physical or other limitations that might affect their participation in the activity and if in any doubt consult a knowledgeable authority plus advise the activity leader prior to participation. All participants should ensure that they carry food, water and any necessary equipment that is appropriate for the activity and while on the activity they should make every effort to remain with the rest of the group and accept any instructions from the activity leader.
Everyone is welcome on a YHA activity however leaders and the club reserves the right to exclude anyone they believe may be unsuitable for an activity or whose presence may prove to be disruptive.