Image Credit: Visit Mandurah
Mandurah in Western Australia has won the major national award of Top Tourism Town for the first time ever at Australia’s Top Tourism Town Awards 2023, with the ceremony held today at Parliament House in Canberra.
The awards are presented by the Australian Tourism Industry Council (ATIC) , the national representative body for tourism which provides leadership and representation through a national voice for tourism, and are sponsored by Tourism Australia and Qantas. Winners are determined by a state and national level voting process combining people’s choice votes and an industry judging panel.
“The town of Mandurah in Western Australia has won the top award for the first time ever, and we congratulate them in taking out the top prize in 2023,” said Shaun de Bruyn, Chairman Australia’s Top Tourism Town Awards.
“Mandurah, a small city on the south west coast of Western Australia, is known for its stunning waterways and coastline, internationally significant wetlands, and The Estuary and Peel Inlet are some of Australia’s most spectacular playgrounds for boating, fishing and wildlife watching. It offers a relaxed atmosphere making it the perfect holiday destination,” Mr de Bruyn continued.
“Queenstown in Tasmania, won Gold in the Small Tourism Town category. This remote West Coast town is home to a vibrant arts precinct, century-old steam train and breathtaking mountain views.
“The Tiny Tourism Town category has seen Dwellingup in Western Australia, a small town an hour and a half south from Perth, the Gold winner. Dwellingup is a nature playground where mountain bike and hiking trails gently wind through the Darling Scarp,” Mr de Bruyn continued.
“Australia’s Top Tourism Town Awards 2023 are part of the Australian Tourism Awards series, with a focus on promoting regional tourism in Australia – this is the chance for our regions to really claim the spotlight. They promote not only the individual towns themselves, but also the positive impact tourism has on regional communities.
“Competition has been fierce this year, and we’ve had strong representation across all categories from each state and territory. Our awards form part of the Quality Tourism Framework which combines multiple tourism accreditations, business development and awards programs into a single, user-friendly online tool to develop tourism businesses of all sizes all over Australia to grow their market,” Mr de Bruyn continued.
Today’s award ceremony also revealed Australia’s Top Tour Guide, with Rosanna Angus from WAITOC taking home the Gold.
As part of the awards formalities, all state and territory finalists and their guests were treated to a lunch time ceremony at Canberra’s Parliament House, with addresses by Minister for Trade and Tourism, Senator the Hon Don Farrell, and Executive General Manager of Corporate Affairs for Tourism Australia, Bede Fennell.
Mr Fennell said Tourism Australia congratulates all of the award finalists and winners for their hard work and ongoing commitment to Australia’s tourism industry.
“Tourism is the lifeblood of so many communities around the country and the Top Tourism Town Awards are a chance to acknowledge the contribution they have made to our visitor economy,” Mr Fennell said.
“Tourism towns have helped to make Australia the welcoming and desirable destination it is today, and we thank these communities for all of their hard work and resilience over the past few years,” he concluded.
See full list of category finalists and winners below, along with main award winner bios. For more information on the Top Tourism Town Awards 2023 visit www.toptourismtowns.com.au
MEDIA BACKGROUNDER
Australia’s Top Tourism Awards 2023 –WINNERS
Category – Top Tourism Town
| STATE | TOWN | AWARD |
| WA | Mandurah | GOLD |
| VIC | Ballarat | SILVER |
| QLD | Caloundra | BRONZE |
Category – Small Tourism Town
| STATE | TOWN | AWARD |
| TAS | Queenstown | GOLD |
| QLD | Airlie Beach | SILVER |
| VIC | Sorrento | BRONZE |
Category – Tiny Tourism Town
| STATE | TOWN | AWARD |
| WA | Dwellingup | GOLD |
| VIC | Aireys Inlet | SILVER |
| NSW | Huskisson | BRONZE |
Category – Top Tour Guide
| GUIDE | AWARD |
| WAITOC, Rosanna Angus | Gold |
For more information on the Top Tourism Awards by ATIC visit www.toptourismtowns.com.au
GOLD WINNER BIOS
Top Tourism Town
GOLD winner – Mandurah, WA
Mandurah has stunning waterways and coastline, internationally significant wetlands and is intrinsically connected to its natural environment which is a strong visitor drawcard. It is one of Australia’s most spectacular playgrounds for boating, fishing and wildlife watching. The Estuary and Peel Inlet provide endless water-based activities including riding jet skis, BBQ boats, houseboating and more. No trip to Mandurah is complete without a boat cruise through the canals or trip to see world renowned artist Thomas Dambo’s Giants of Mandurah outdoor exhibition. Mandurah is known for its beautiful waterways and relaxed holiday atmosphere making it the perfect family holiday destination.
Small Tourism Town
GOLD winner – Queenstown, TAS
Queenstown, a remote West Coast town in Tasmania, offers an unforgettable experience for adventurous travellers. Once one of the richest mining towns in the world, Queenstown is now home to a vibrant arts precinct, century-old steam train, and breathtaking mountain views. Visitors can explore the town’s history through murals, museums, and art galleries, while thrill-seekers discover mountain bike tracks, bouldering fields and access to many of Tasmania’s unique rainforest hikes. The town’s biennial Unconformity Festival showcases all genres of artists, performers, and storytellers. While the journey to Queenstown may be challenging, it’s worth the wait to experience this Tasmanian gem.
Tiny Tourism Town
GOLD winner – Dwellingup, WA
Dwellingup is an ancient place where trails meet and dreamtime stories still echo along the Murray River and through the old-growth forest. It’s a nature playground, where mountain bike and hiking trails gently wind and trace the curves of the Darling Scarp. A place where you can truly retreat, adventure and explore. Indulge in local produce, admire celebrated artisans and experience cultural and eco experiences. Sleep under the blanket of a billion stars, discover isolated swimming holes amongst towering trees and completely disconnect, immersed in the sounds of nature. Dwellingup is truly a place, for those that are Wild@Heart.
Top Tour Guide
GOLD winner – Rosanna Angus, WAITOC
Rosanna Angus is a proud Jawi woman whose family lived on Sunday Island – on the Dampier Peninsula coast, north of Broome. She shares stories of Aboriginal life on the island before the mission closed in 1962, and why the culture is still so strong today. Her tourism journey began when she was a child – growing up in a family who were all Bardi Jawi Saltwater People, with a strong aspiration to share their history and culture with the rest of the world.
