Just in: These Aussie experiences named best in the country

Rachael Thompson Rachael Thompson
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Looking for your next Aussie adventure? These award-winning experiences should be added to your bucket list.

There are countless amazing experiences to be had in Australia, and the annual Qantas Australian Tourism Awards celebrates Australia’s top tourism businesses that are delivering exceptional experiences. 

Held at the Adelaide Convention Centre last Friday, the awards honoured operators across 26 categories, from Unique Accommodation to Excellence in Food Tourism, highlighting the industry’s dedication to quality and innovation in 2024. 

Big Red Bash. Qantas Australian Tourism Awards 2024
The Big Red Bash music festival is held in the Simpson Desert. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

Shaun de Bruyn, Chairperson of the Australian Tourism Awards highlighted the significance of the awards:

“Over the past 40 years, the Australian Tourism Awards have been a testament to the vision, perseverance and passion of our industry. Each winner represents the evolving spirit of Australian tourism – businesses that embrace innovation, adapt to change, and continually raise the bar for visitor experiences."

Qantas Australian Tourism Awards 2024
Katherine Outback Experience celebrates the region’s farming history and culture. (Image: Tourism NT/Tourism Australia)

Notable winners include the Birdsville Big Red Bash, a music festival held in outback Queensland, which took home Gold in the Festivals & Events category, and Cape York Peninsula Lodge, an Indigenous, community-owned property awarded Gold in the Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Tourism Experiences category.

The iconic Darwin Festival , which celebrates the art, culture, and beauty of the Northern Territory, won Gold in Major Festivals and Events, while the Tourist Attractions category saw Katherine Outback Experience take home Gold for its immersive and educational outback tours in the Northern Territory.

Darwin Festival. Qantas Australian Tourism Awards 2024
Darwin Festival celebrates the Northern Territory’s unique culture, diversity, and art. (Image: Tourism NT/@betsybiglap)

For a relaxing and indulgent escape, The Reef House Adults Retreat in Queensland won Gold in the 5-Star Luxury Accommodation category, and Mudgee’s luxury eco-glamping experience, Sierra Escape, won Gold in the Unique Accommodation category.

For those seeking a bit of history and science, Major Tourist Attractions saw the much-loved Questacon – The National Science and Technology Centre in Canberra take Gold. 

Sierra Lodge Mudgee. Qantas Australian Tourism Awards 2024
Luxury glamping awaits at the incredible Sierra Escape in Mudgee. (Image: Sierra Escape Mudgee)

De Bruyn also noted that “this milestone is not just about celebrating history but also looking ahead to who will shape Australian tourism into the future." 

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The full list of winners

Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Tourism Experiences
GOLD – Cape York Peninsula Lodge (QLD)
SILVER – Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia – Wintjiri Wiṟu (NT)
BRONZE – Kool Tours (SA)

Cultural Tourism
GOLD – Shrine of Remembrance (VIC)
SILVER – SEIT Tours (NT)
BRONZE – Port Macquarie Museum (NSW)

Unique Accommodation
GOLD – Sierra Escape (NSW)
SILVER – The Cove Tasmania (TAS)
BRONZE – Cygnet Bay Pearl Farm (WA)

Self Contained Accommodation
GOLD – Old Coach Road Estate (SA)
SILVER – Pinnacles, Airlie Beach (QLD)
BRONZE – Alice’s Cottages (TAS)

Hosted Accommodation
GOLD – The Dragonfly Inn (TAS)
SILVER – Boat Harbour Jetty B&B (VIC)
BRONZE – Wooleen Station (WA)

Caravan & Holiday Parks
GOLD – BIG4 Adventure Whitsunday Resort (QLD) – Hall of Fame Inductee
SILVER – Alivio Tourist Park Canberra (CBR)
BRONZE – BIG4 St Helens Holiday Park (TAS)

New Tourism Business
GOLD – Spinifex Brewery Cable Beach (WA)
SILVER – Red Rock Hut, King Island (TAS)
BRONZE – NT Driver Guide – Escorted Touring (NT)

Tourism Marketing & Campaigns
GOLD – The Tweed Tourism Company (NSW)
SILVER – Rottnest Island Authority – Wrap Yourself In Wonder (WA)
BRONZE – Barossa Australia – Barossa. Be Curious (SA)

Ecotourism
GOLD – National Arboretum Canberra (CBR)
SILVER – The Big Duck Boat Tours (SA)
BRONZE – Busselton Jetty (WA)

Business Event Venues
GOLD – Peppers Silo Hotel (TAS)
SILVER – Darwin Convention Centre (NT)
BRONZE – Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (VIC)

Tour & Transport Operators
GOLD – Fun Over 50 Holidays – Immersive Tours and Adventures (QLD)
SILVER – Spirit of the Coorong (SA)
BRONZE – Air Adventure Golf (TAS)

Major Tour & Transport Operators
GOLD – HeliSpirit (WA)
SILVER – Pennicott Wilderness Journeys (TAS)
BRONZE – Ocean Rafting (QLD)

Tourism Retail, Hire & Services
GOLD – Younique Stays (TAS)
SILVER – Go Adventure Nagambie (VIC)
BRONZE – Uluru Audio Guide (NT)

Adventure Tourism
GOLD – Balloon Aloft Australia (NSW)
SILVER – Bendleby Ranges (SA)
BRONZE – Aquascene Magnetic Island (QLD)

Excellence in Food Tourism
GOLD – Harvest Tours (WA)
SILVER – Love Lord Howe (NSW)
BRONZE – The Truffle Farm (TAS)

Tourism Restaurants & Catering Services
GOLD – Sea World Cruises Dining Experiences (QLD)
SILVER – Grain of the Silos (TAS)
BRONZE – Potager (NSW)

Tourism Wineries, Distilleries & Breweries
GOLD – Seppeltsfield Barossa (SA)
SILVER – Bangor Vineyard Shed (TAS)
BRONZE – Singlefile Wines (WA)

Visitor Information Services
GOLD – Swan Valley Visitor Centre (WA)
SILVER – Quilpie Visitor Information Centre, Museum & Gallery (QLD)
BRONZE – Canberra and Region Visitors Centre (CBR)

3-3.5 Star Accommodation
GOLD – Urban Camp Melbourne (VIC) – Hall of Fame Inductee
SILVER – Safari Lodge Motel (NT)
BRONZE – Broadwater Resort, Busselton (WA)

4-4.5 Star Deluxe Accommodation
GOLD – Peppers Silo Hotel (TAS)
SILVER – Oval Hotel (SA)
BRONZE – Novotel Cairns Oasis Resort (QLD)

5 Star Luxury Accommodation
GOLD – The Reef House Adults Retreat (QLD)
SILVER – Mt Hay Retreat (NSW)
BRONZE – Pullman Bunker Bay Resort (WA)

Excellence in Accessible Tourism
GOLD – Balloon Aloft Australia (NSW)
SILVER – National Arboretum Canberra (CBR)
BRONZE – Adelaide Fringe (SA)

Tourist Attractions
GOLD – Katherine Outback Experience (NT)
SILVER – Northern Rivers Rail Trail (NSW)
BRONZE – National Dinosaur Museum (CBR)

Major Tourist Attractions
GOLD – Questacon – The National Science and Technology Centre (CBR)
SILVER – Zoos Victoria – Melbourne Zoo (VIC)
BRONZE – WA Museum Boola Bardip (WA)

Festivals & Events
GOLD – Birdsville Big Red Bash (QLD)
SILVER – Margaret River Region Open Studios (WA)
BRONZE – Junction Arts Festival (TAS)

Major Festivals and Events
GOLD – Darwin Festival (NT)
SILVER – Beef Australia 2024 (QLD)
BRONZE – Lightscape Melbourne – Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria (VIC)

 

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Rachael Thompson
Rachael Thompson is Australian Traveller's Evergreen Editor and a self-proclaimed cheese and Chablis connoisseur. In her role, she creates and manages online content that remains relevant and valuable over time. With a background in publishing and e-commerce in both interior design and travel, Rachael is dedicated to curating engaging content that informs and inspires. She began her career at Belle magazine, then went on to become Senior Content Producer at Homes to Love focusing on Australian House & Garden and Belle, followed by Editor at Bed Threads. Her work has also appeared in Qantas Travel Insider. When she's not writing, editing, or optimising content, Rachael enjoys exploring the city's newest restaurants, bars, and hotels. Next on her Aussie travel wish list are Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park and Lord Howe Island.
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These new small group tours allow intimate access to Australia’s best experiences

    Lee Mylne Lee Mylne
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    Big skies and otherworldly landscapes are the hallmarks of Australia. Discovering them in-depth becomes easier with the experts.

    Australia’s extraordinary landscapes make this vast continent like no other place on Earth, offering an unforgettable feast for the senses as you traverse deserts, cruise on vast inland lakes and dine under star-studded skies. What makes this land special is the people you’ll meet along the way, and the chance to forge a deep connection with the country and its people. The new AAT Kings small-group tours focus on the incredible experiences available in remote places that might otherwise seem daunting.

    With an average of 16 guests and a maximum of 24, the tours offer intimate access to the best Australia has to offer, with special behind-the-scenes encounters led by knowledgeable experts.

    1. Tasmania and Flinders Island Explorer

    aerial shot of flinders island tasmania
    Fly over beautiful Flinders Island as part of a tour of Tasmania. (Image: Luke Tscharke)

    Escape the tourist trail in north-eastern Tasmania while still seeing everything the island state has to offer. From coastal villages to bucolic rural scenery, the six-day Tasmania and Flinders Island Explorer tour offers world-class food and wine, with the bonus of a flight to Flinders Island.

    From Launceston, the tour winds through the verdant Tamar Valley and includes a stop at Fork It Farm , where guests are given insight into sustainable farming while snacking on a house-made charcuterie platter paired with Tasmanian wines.

    Fly by private plane to secluded Flinders Island, uncovering pristine beaches and savouring local seafood and wine. Explore the main settlement and learn about the history of Settlement Point and Wybalenna before soaking up views of the island and Bass Strait and exploring part of Strzelecki National Park . From there, it’s another scenic flight to Bicheno, flying down the east coast of Tasmania and across the stunning Bay of Fires and Wineglass Bay (a taste of what’s to come by land).

    Other highlights include the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Brickendon Estate , still run by the same family since its founding in 1824, where the property’s convict history will be revealed.

    In Devonport, a heritage train ride will track alongside the Don River to Coles Beach before returning to learn more about Tasmania’s railway history and vintage locomotives at Don River Railway .

    2. South Australian Outback Adventure

    aerial of Anna Creek Painted Hills
    Fly over the Anna Creek Painted Hills. (Image: Emile Ristevski)

    From Adelaide, the highlights of the eight-day South Australian Outback Adventure tour open up the rugged grandeur of the Flinders Ranges, Wilpena Pound and Arkaroola. Home to the Adnyamathanha people for tens of thousands of years, the natural beauty and wide open spaces of this remote region unfold as you explore from both land and air.

    Looking to the skies for a new way to experience South Australia’s outback, a scenic flight over the striking outcrops of the colourful Anna Creek Painted Hills and the shimmering saltpan of Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre is an eye-opener like no other.

    Wilpena Pound Resort, owned and managed by the Indigenous community, is a haven in the midst of Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park . It’s worth the hike to enjoy sweeping views over the natural amphitheatre before your journey continues through dramatic gorges, where you may spot endangered yellow-footed rock-wallabies.

    At the award-winning Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary, dive deep into the region’s billion-year-old geological history with an expert guide as you tackle the steep ascent of the Ridgetop Track in an open-air 4WD. When the sun goes down, look up at the dazzling wonders of the Milky Way in this International Dark Sky Sanctuary.

    3. Broome and the Kimberley Highlights

    small plane flying over the Bungle Bungle Ranges
    See the iconic Bungle Bungle Ranges from the air. (Image: Tourism WA)

    From Broome’s sparkling beaches to the red dirt of Kununurra, the Kimberley region is one of Australia’s most extraordinary and unforgettable places. It’s a region of contrasts, beginning with multicultural Broome and the history of pearl divers.

    Kick off your Broome and the Kimberley Highlights experience with a tour of Broome led by a local Aboriginal guide. You’ll learn about 40,000 years of culture as you explore historic landmarks, discover bush foods and medicinal plants and enjoy a private didgeridoo performance.

    Learn about Broome’s rich pearling history at Willie Creek Pearl Farm , on the banks of a turquoise tidal estuary that provides the perfect environment for growing the South Sea pearls for which Broome is world-renowned. Then cruise the calm waters to see the oyster farm before a masterclass that reveals the secrets of the pearl industry.

    As you continue your discovery of the Kimberley, fly over the dramatic striped domes of the Bungle Bungle Range, the Argyle Diamond Mine and gorgeous Lake Argyle, Western Australia’s largest freshwater body of water. Take a sunset cruise on the lake, which is dotted with more than 70 islands and is a birdwatcher’s paradise. The water teems with freshwater crocodiles, barramundi, bream and cod.

    Complete your seven-day exploration of the Kimberley in Kununurra with a local Aboriginal guide to hear Dreamtime stories and wander through the ‘mini bungles’ of Mirima National Park.

    4. Outback Contrasts

    aat kings small group tours at Karrke Aboriginal Cultural Experience
    Expand your knowledge at Karrke Aboriginal Cultural Experience. (Image: Tourism NT/ ArchieSartracom)

    From Alice Springs, the six-day Outback Contrasts adventure includes the wonders of Uluru, Kata Tjuta and Kings Canyon, offering premium accommodation and exceptional experiences. Ancient rock art, creation stories and the spiritual essence of the land will be revealed as you discover some of Australia’s most iconic landmarks.

    A highlight of your stay in Alice Springs will be meeting chef Rayleen Brown, who shares her knowledge of Aboriginal native foods with a tasting of the many flavours of Central Australia’s wild harvest bush tucker. More culinary indulgence will follow at Discovery Resorts – Kings Canyon in the heart of Watarrka National Park, where you’ll enjoy a degustation menu and paired fine wines under the desert moon.

    After a sunrise walk on the rim of Kings Canyon, head off to the Wanmarra community to learn about the Luritja and Pertame people’s spiritual connection to the land at Karrke Aboriginal Cultural Experience. Crossing desert scenes, you’ll arrive at Uluru and end the day watching the setting sun’s changing palette on the ancient landscape.

    More awe-inspiring landscapes will be revealed as you wander between Kata Tjuta’s tallest domes in Walpa Gorge and explore the rugged beauty of Simpsons Gap in the West MacDonnell Ranges.

    Start planning your small group adventure with AAT Kings.