Orange tourism has received a major boost with three different businesses winning at the 2018 Country and Outback Regional Tourism Awards ceremony on Saturday night.
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Previous winner Lakeview Luxury Retreat was joined by first-time winners Heifer Station Wines and the Greenhouse of Orange at the Orange Ex-Services’ Club in claiming gold for the region.
All three will now be competing for the NSW Tourism Awards in Sydney in November.
The Age of Fishes Museum at Canowindra, which is also in the Orange 360 tourism area, also won one of the 15 categories.
Heifer Station Wines co-owner Michelle Stivens said she and husband Phillip were delighted to win the Tourism, Wineries, Distilleries and Breweries category.
“It’s the first time we’ve entered so it was really great,” she said.
“It was always our aim to create a destination location where people could come and enjoy wine tasting while there was something for their children to do.”
Heifer Station has farmyard animals to entertain customers of all ages as well as offering picnics and tastings in the vineyard.
“There’s more in the pipeline,” she said.
Mrs Stivens also revealed the winery nearly didn’t happen.
“We took over the vineyard in 2009, at that time it was covered in blackberries and it had been locked up for five years,” she said.
It’s the first time we’ve entered so it was really great.
- Michelle Stivens, Heifer Station Wines
They planned to run cattle but other vignerons told them to keep it is a winery.
“In the end we decided to give it a go and in 2012 we had our first vintage,” she said.
Lakeview Luxury Retreat owner Trevor King said he and wife Pam were pleased to win the Self-Contained Accommodation category.
“We are really happy to win again,” he said.
“It’s a really good way of tracking just how your business is going.”
He said winning did lead to more business.
“There is definitely a flow-on, it is really useful in marketing and social media,” he said.
Mr King said he was also pleased for the region in getting three wins at the ceremony.
“The Central West and Orange did well, it is really positive for the Orange region.”
The Orange Ex-Services’ Club not only hosted the event it also won the gold award for Excellence in Food Tourism.
OUR TIME IN TOURISM SPOTLIGHT
Orange’s food, wine and hospitality had a chance to shine in the spotlight by hosting the regional tourism awards and a major tourism forum.
The Country and Outback Regional Tourism Awards chair Jane Barnes said about 120 tourism industry representatives from across the state were in Orange for the awards ceremony.
She said tourism business, events and visitor experiences from Oberon to Broken Hill and north to the Queensland border had been recognised in 15 categories at the awards.
“Finalists in this year’s program were of a high calibre with a number of first-time entrants on the list,” she said.
Destination Country and Outback general manager Rhonda Taylor said the events gave tourism operators the chance to network in Orange.
“We are proud of the strong industry support for the awards program with a fantastic turnout in Orange this weekend,” she said.
LIST OF WINNERS
2018 Country & Outback Regional Tourism Award winners
Tourist Attractions Gold: Mayfield Garden, Oberon Silver: Outback Astronomy, Broken Hill
Major Festivals and Events Gold: Tamworth Country Music Festival, Tamworth
Festivals and Events Gold: Parkes Elvis Festival, Parkes Silver: Canowindra Balloon Challenge, Canowindra Finalist: Orange F.O.O.D Week, Orange Finalist: Australian Celtic Festival, Glen Innes
Ecotourism Gold: Wolgan Valley Eco Tours, Wolgan Valley Cultural Tourism Gold: Nundle Woollen Mill, Nundle Silver: Old Dubbo Gaol, Dubbo
Specialised Tourism Services Gold: The Age of Fishes Museum, Canowindra
Visitor Information Services Gold: Mudgee Region Tourism, Mudgee Silver: Bathurst Regional Council, Bathurst Bronze: Liverpool Plains Visitor Information Centre, Willow Tree Finalist: Dubbo Regional Council, Dubbo Finalist: Orange Visitor Information Centre, Orange Finalist: Parkes Visitor Information Centre, Parkes
Destination Marketing Gold: Mudgee Region Tourism, Mudgee Silver: Parkes Shire Council, Parkes
Tourism Wineries, Distilleries and Breweries Gold: Heifer Station Wines Pty Ltd Finalist: Blue Wren Wines, Mudgee
Hosted Accommodation Gold: Eldee Station, Broken Hill
Unique Accommodation Gold: Sierra Escape, Mudgee
Self-Contained Accommodation Gold: Lakeview Luxury Retreat, Orange Silver: Kirsten Serviced Apartments, Mudgee
Standard Accommodation Gold: Manera Heights Apartments, Dubbo Silver: Shearing Shed Motor Inn, Dubbo Bronze: Lodge Outback Motel, Broken Hill
Deluxe Accommodation Gold: The Parkview Hotel, Mudgee
Excellence in Food Tourism Gold: Orange Ex-Services’ Club, Orange Finalist: Wayward Trails Pty Ltd, Arding.