An unprecedented six tourism operators from the Orange region have been named as finalists for next month’s NSW Tourism Awards.
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The Orange Visitor Information Centre, Heifer Station Wines, The Orange Ex-Services’ Club’s The Greenhouse of Orange, Lakeview Luxury Retreat, the Canowindra International Balloon Challenge and the Age of Fishes Museum Canowindra are among 125 finalists competing for a state title and a shot at national awards next year.
Orange360 general manager Caddie Marshall said the finalists were across a range of areas from a cellar door to an event and accommodation.
“It’s really quite a broad mix. This is an awesome result for us,” she said.
The Orange Visitor Information Centre has qualified for the state final in the first year it has entered.
Orange City Council tourism manager Glenn Mickle said they needed to reach out to tourists.
“It’s not just about handing out brochures, it’s about changing people’s travel plans,” he said.
“You try to reach out to people. We’re achieving that in a pretty big way.”
This is an awesome result for us.
- Caddie Marshall, Orange360
Mr Mickle said with the adjacent cafe and museum the tourist centre had become a meeting place.
He said 140,000 people had come through the visitor centre in the past year with the region achieving one million tourists for the first time.
“If we can get that million people to spend an extra $10 or $20 that’s a great result,” he said. “It’s a pretty easy sell.”
Heifer Station owner Phillip Stivens said it was their first time as a state finalist.
“Orange is really coming to the fore,” he said.
“We’re trying to set ourselves up as a destination where you spend an amount of time with your family.”
He said the winery had sought to provide space for wine tasting as well as entertainment for children with its farm animals.
“When we looked at our cellar door there was nothing for kids to do at all,” he said.
“We thought of the kids and we’re trying to involve them with their families. It’s gone really well,” he said.
Mr Stivens said he and wife Michelle were “quietly confident’ of doing well at the awards.
The winners will be announced at Luna Park on Thursday, November 22.
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David Fitzsimons
I am a senior journalist at the Central Western Daily concentrating on council, government and real estate issues. Before moving to Orange I filled senior roles at the Daily Telegraph, Daily Telegraph-Mirror and the Daily Mirror in Sydney. They included being an editor, news editor, chief of staff and reporter.
I am a senior journalist at the Central Western Daily concentrating on council, government and real estate issues. Before moving to Orange I filled senior roles at the Daily Telegraph, Daily Telegraph-Mirror and the Daily Mirror in Sydney. They included being an editor, news editor, chief of staff and reporter.
