Normalee Manor

Had a great time at Normalee with the new owner Khalid who I gather had some fairly big boots to fill. Khalid does a fantastic job finding you a job and making the place feel like home. The people I met there were just awesome, playing pool, table tennis, football by the lake and even a sing-song guitar session one evening. It is out the way from town but the organised lifts into Manjimup make it easy. Lack of WiFi is probably the only negative but you can get by with data. Good place to come to for your 88 days.

Back then it used to be known as tobacco park. It was such fun and refreshing to experience farm life after hectic from the Uni life in Perth. Mr. John was a fatherly figure and took good care of us. If anyone been to this place in 2005 holler me.
Cheers!

Best days. Best memories. You are in the middle of nowhere, phone signal will reflect this but that’s not a bad thing. Not always the cleanest but it’s an impossible place to clean given its situation and the work everyone does. But at the end of the day these things aren’t important. Naomi does an incredible job, she is fantastic and the friends I made here have given me some of the best memories and set me up for the amazing life I lead now, many years later and half a world away.

Just stay in my car shortly for searching another hostel, the guy drive to us and ask us to leave in 5 mins, rude enough, good hostel, 5 stars

Is there anyone who stayed this place around July-Aug, 2005? I used to stay here, working in Sheldrake Vineyard nearby as a pruning unit. I am a Korean and was called Shy at that time, and just would like to find someone that I got along with in order to recall my memories.
This place might not be the 'perfect' one for those who look for a nice and cozy facility but I had a wonderful time there in my mid-20's. Now I have very happy life, working as an overseas sales director as I used to tell people that I'd met in this place.
I still remember some names like Micheal from Canada, Ben from Men of Isle, James from Australia and some Korean girls like Heeyoung. Please hit me a message if you see this.

The owner is super nice, every Friday there’s a free bbq, and there’s a lot of farm jobs available. However, it can be harder to get one if you’re a girl. It’s also in a beautiful region! It’s a bit far from the nearby town (10min by car) but the owner organises shopping runs a few times a week so you won’t starve ;) great working hostel in general!

Folks, AVOID this place!
WORST hostel ever.
I have been at Normalee Hostel few time ago, as I can see (from Lissy Glynn feedback) nothing has changed.

88 days to get 2nd visa?
If stay at Normalee Hostel you will need (minimun) 150 days to get it, If you are lucky.

They promise jobs, jobs has never came!

At the beginning I've been working a week straight, after that my nightmare started.
Not just me, even other people had same treatment.

2 days a week, 1 days a week, 3 days a week, 1 days a week, sometimes more than a week whitout jobs.

Naomi, the owner, had found many hard jobs paid in BLACK, which means no payslip, no days to get visa.
Some of these works, paid in BLACK:
pick up sticks and woods, from the ground to the trailer at Mike's farm
Roll up grass sod at John K's farm
Chopping wood with axe at Dwayne's farm

At Casuarina-Ladycroft farm, they treat people very bad.
They have also accomodation for backpackers in really bad conditions.

The hostel is dirty, kitchen is orrible.
Watch out your stuff, it can disappear in a moment.
Rent is 150 weekly, I was in 8 bed mixed room in bad bad conditions.
If you have to wake up at 5 am to go to work, you can find someone screaming and shouting till 3 am.
You are in the middle of nowhere, so they do bus service to get you to the shops, no enough time they will let you shopping.
6 dollars each day for bus service (to go and return from work, who's lucky to have a job).
There is no card machine so you have to pay cash, which means I have never seen a receipt. NEVER!

Bad stories in this hostel, fortunately I met many backpackers with good vibes at Manjimup.
Australia is awesome,
some farmer,
working hostel like Normalee
and other people who take advantage from others
much less.

STAY AWAY