More than 140 individual tourism operators across 30 categories have been selected as finalists in the 2011 NSW Tourism Awards. This includes the prestigious individual awards for Young Achiever, Outstanding Contribution to Tourism for both State and Regional operators. From the finalists Gold winners together with Silver and Bronze runners up will be announced at the Awards Ceremony and Dinner at the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre on Thursday 17 November 2011. The event will publicly recognise and showcase the finest tourism product across the State.

Entries received this year were of very high-calibre and we would like to congratulate all entrants and finalists.

1. Major Tourist Attractions
Finalists

Blue Mountains National Park (Blue Mountains)
www.environment.nsw.gov.au

BridgeClimb Sydney (Sydney)
www.bridgeclimb.com.au

Cape Byron State Conservation Area (North Coast)
www.environment.nsw.gov.au

Featherdale Wildlife Park (Greater Sydney and Surrounds)
www.featherdale.com.au

Nan Tien Temple (South Coast)
www.nantien.org.au

Taronga Zoo (Sydney)
http://taronga.org.au/taronga-zoo

 

2. Tourist Attractions
Finalists

Glenworth Valley Outdoor Adventures (Central Coast)
www.glenworth.com.au

Junee Licorice Factory (Riverina)
www.greengroveorganics.com

Mogo Zoo (South Coast)
www.mogozoo.com.au

Tabatinga Family Fun Centre – Coffs Harbour (North Coast)
www.tabatinga.com.au

Taronga Western Plains Zoo (Central NSW)
www.taronga.org.au

The Magic of Jenolan (Blue Mountains)
www.jenolancaves.org.au

 

3. Major Festivals and Events
Finalists

2011 Urban Hotel Group Ironman Australia Port Macquarie (North Coast)
www.portmacquarieinfo.com.au

Bluesfest Byron Bay (North Coast)
www.bluesfest.com.au

Sydney Royal Easter Show (Sydney)
www.eastershow.com.au

 

4. Festivals and Events
Finalists

Carols in the Caves (Blue Mountains)
www.jenolancaves.org.au

Christmas Lights Spectacular (Hunter)
www.hvg.com.au

Countrylink Parkes Elvis Festival (Central NSW)
www.parkeselvisfestival.com.au

Deniliquin Ute Muster and Play on the Plains Festival (Riverina)
www.deniutemuster.com.au

NSW Caravan, Camping, RV and Holiday Supershow (Greater Sydney and Surrounds)
www.caravan-camping.com.au

Old Bar Beach Festival (North Coast)
www.oldbarbeachfestival.com.au

Scheyville Centenary Celebration (Greater Sydney and Surrounds)
www.environment.nsw.gov.au

 

5. Ecotourism
Finalists

Ancient Underworld (Blue Mountains)
www.jenolancaves.org.au

Blue Mountains Discovery (Blue Mountains)
www.environment.nsw.gov.au

Dorrigo National Park (North Coast)
www.nswnationalparks.com.au

Lane Cove River Tourist Park (Sydney)
www.lcrtp.com.au

Strickland State Forest (Central Coast)
www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/forests

 

6. Heritage and Cultural Tourism
Finalists

Avoca Beach Picture Theatre (Central Coast)
www.avocabeachpicturetheatre.com.au

Bathurst Goldfields (Central NSW)
www.bathurstgoldfields.com.au

Bells Milk Bar & Museum (Outback NSW)
www.bellsmilkbar.com.au

Blue Mountains Walking Tracks (Blue Mountains)
www.environment.nsw.gov.au

Glasshouse (North Coast)
www.glasshouse.org.au

Hawkesbury Regional Museum (Greater Sydney and Surrounds)
www.hawkesbury.nsw.gov.au/museum

Sydney Harbour YHA and the Big Dig Archaeology Education Centre (Sydney)
www.yha.com.au

Written in Stone (Blue Mountains)
www.jenolancaves.org.au

 

7. Indigenous Tourism
Finalists

Coffs Coast Aboriginal Discovery (North Coast)
www.nswnationalparks.com.au

Sculptures in the Scrub (New England NW)

 

8. Specialised Tourism Services
Finalists

Age of Fishes Museum (Central NSW)
www.ageoffishes.org

Bentonu – incorporating Bent on Food/Bent on Life (North Coast)
www.bentonfood.com.au

Newcastle Airport (Hunter)
www.newcastleairport.com.au

Spa Sublime (Blue Mountains)
www.spasublime.com.au

Tuross Boatshed & Café (South Coast)
www.turossboatshed.com.au

Two Eight Two Eight, Gulargambone (Central NSW)
www.2828nsw.com

Vision Valley Conference and Recreation Centre (Greater Sydney and Surrounds)
www.visionvalley.org.au

 

9. Visitor Information and Services
The Rod Murdoch Memorial Award
Finalists

Bathurst Visitor Information Centre (Central NSW)
www.visitbathrust.com.au

Greater Port Macquarie Visitor Information Centre (North Coast)
http://www.portmacquarieinfo.com.au/default.aspx

Lismore and Nimbin Visitor Information Centres (North Coast)
www.visitlismore.com.au

Lithgow Visitor Information Centre (Blue Mountains)
www.tourism.lithgow.com

Penrith Valley Visitor Information Centre (Greater Sydney and Surrounds)
www.penrithvalley.com.au

The Next Revolution Visitor Services 2.0 (South Coast )
www.visitwollongong.com.au

 

10. Meetings and Business Tourism
Finalists

Ballina Beach Resort & Conference Centre (North Coast)
www.ballinabeachresort.com.au

Mercure Kooindah Waters (Central Coast)
www.kooindahwaters.com.au

Novotel Wollongong Northbeach (South Coast)
www.novotelnorthbeach.com.au

Old Leura Dairy (Blue Mountains)
www.oldleuradairy.com

Shoal Bay Resort & Spa (North Coast)
www.shoalbayresort.com

The Carrington Hotel (Blue Mountains)
www.thecarrington.com.au

 

11. Major Tour and/or Transport Operators
Finalists

AAT Kings Sydney Day Tours (Greater Sydney and Surrounds)
http://www.aatkings.com.au/au/

Gray Line (Sydney)
www.grayline.com.au

Moonshadow Cruises (North Coast)
www.moonshadow.com.au

Northern Highland Travel (Hunter)
www.nht.com.au

 

12. Tour and/or Transport Operators
Finalists

Activity Tours Australia – Hunter Valley Tour (Hunter)
www.activitytours.com.au

Blue Mountains Trolley Tours (Blue Mountains)
www.trolleytours.com.au

Helicopter Scenic Flights/South Solitary Island Heli Tours (North Coast)
www.precisionhelicopters.com.au

Kangarrific Tours (Hunter)
www.kangarrifictours.com

Life’s An Adventure (Blue Mountains)
www.lifesanadventure.com.au

Royal Coast Walks (Greater Sydney and Surrounds)
www.royalcoastwalks.com.au

Soulquest (South Coast)
www.soulquesttravel.com.au

Tri State Safaris (Outback NSW)
www.tristate.com.au

 

13. Adventure Tourism
Finalists

Adventure Underground (Blue Mountains)
www.jenolancaves.org.au

Glenworth Valley Outdoor Adventures (Central Coast)
www.glenworth.com.au

Life’s An Adventure (Sydney)
www.lifesanadventure.com.au

Treetop Adventure Park (Central Coast)
www.treetopadventurepark.com.au

Tri State Safaris (Outback NSW)
www.tristate.com.au

Yuraygir Coastal Walk (North Coast)
www.nswnationalparks.com.au

 

14 .Tourism Marketing
Finalists

Blue Mountains Ed (Blue Mountains)
www.bluemountainsed.org.au

Greater Port Macquarie Tourism & Events (North Coast)
www.portmacquarieinfo.com.au

Manning Valley Tourism (North Coast)
www.manningvalley.info

New England North West Drive Company (New England NW)
http://www.newenglandnorthwest.com.au/

The Legendary Pacific Coast (North Coast)
www.pacificcoast.com.au

The NSW Caravan & Camping Holiday and Touring Guide 2011 (Greater Sydney and Surrounds)
http://www.caravan-camping.com.au/

We Love the Gong (South Coast)
www.visitwollongong.com.au

 

15. Tourism Education & Training
Finalists

Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School (Blue Mountains)
www.hotelschool.com.au

TAFE NSW – North Coast Institute, Tourism Education and Training (North Coast)
www.northcoast.tafensw.nsw.edu.au

Travel 21fiftythree (Greater Sydney and Surrounds)
http://wsi.tafensw.edu.au/colleges/baulkham-hills/welcome.aspx?mid=1238&pid=1011

 

16. Tourism Restaurants and Catering Services
Finalists

Bent on Food (North Coast)
www.bentonfood.com.au

Byron Beach Café (North Coast)
www.byronbeachcafe.com.au

Chisolm’s (Blue Mountains)
www.jenolancaves.org.au

Cupitt’s Winery & Restaurant (South Coast)
www.cupittwines.com.au

Dish Café (Central NSW)
www.dishcafe.com.au

Glenorie Bakery Café/Deli (Greater Sydney and Surrounds)
www.glenoriebakery.com.au

Margan Restaurant (Hunter)
www.margan.com.au

The Corner Restaurant Café (North Coast)
www.cornerrestaurant.com.au

 

17. Tourism Wineries, Distilleries and Boutique Breweries
Finalists

Silos Estate (South Coast)
www.thesilos.com

Wyndham Estate Winery (Hunter)
www.wyndhamestate.com

 

18. Tourist and Caravan Parks
Finalists

BIG4 Deniliquin Holiday Park (Riverina)
www.big4deniliquin.com

BIG4 North Star Holiday Resort & Caravan Park (North Coast)
www.northstar.com.au

BIG4 Soldiers Point Holiday Park (North Coast)
www.big4soldierspoint.com.au

Halifax Holiday Park (North Coast)
www.beachsideholidays.com.au

Lane Cove River Tourist Park (Sydney)
www.lcrtp.com.au

Norah Head Holiday Park (Central Park)
www.norahheadhp.com.au

 

19. Backpacker Accommodation
Finalist

Sydney Harbour YHA (Sydney)
www.yha.com.au

 

20. Hosted Accommodation
Finalists

Eldee Station (Outback NSW)
www.eldeestation.com

Honeycomb Valley Farm (North Coast)
www.honeycombvalley.com.au

Mollymook Beach Waterfront (South Coast)
http://www.mollymookbeachwaterfront.com.au

Ossian Hall Valley Retreat (Greater Sydney and Surrounds)
www.ossianhall.com.au

 

21. Unique Accommodation
Finalists

All Seasons Houseboats (The Murray)
www.allseasonshouseboats.com.au

Banjos Bushland Retreat (Hunter)
www.banjosretreat.com.au

Clarence River Wilderness Lodge (North Coast)
www.clarenceriver.com

Old Leura Dairy (Blue Mountains)
www.oldleuradairy.com

Somewhere Unique – An Escape for 2 in the Hunter (Hunter)
www.somewhereunique.com.au

The Bower at Broulee (South Coast)
www.thebower.com.au

 

22. Standard Accommodation
Finalists

Ibis Sydney Darling Harbour (Sydney)
http://www.ibishotel.com/gb/hotel-1757-ibis-sydney-darling-harbour/index.shtml

Scone Motor Inn (Hunter)
www.sconemotorinn.com.au

The Carrington Hotel (Blue Mountains)
www.thecarrington.com.au

The Old Vic Inn Historic Guesthouse (Central NSW)
www.oldvicinn.com.au

Vacation Village (North Coast)
http://www.vacationvillage.com.au/

 

23. Deluxe Accommodation
Finalists

Chifley Eastern Creek (Greater Sydney and Surrounds)
www.constellationhotels.com

Chifley Penrith (Greater Sydney and Surrounds)
www.chifleyhotels.com.au/penrith

Four Points by Sheraton Sydney, Darling Harbour (Sydney)
www.fourpoints.com/Sydney

Hermitage Lodge (Hunter)
www.hermitagelodge.com.au

Macquarie Waters Boutique Apartment Hotel (North Coast)
www.mwaters.com.au

Mountain Heritage Hotel & Spa Resort (Blue Mountains)
www.mountainheritage.com.au

Shoal Bay Resort & Spa (North Coast)
www.shoalbayresort.com

Tathra Beach House Apartments (South Coast)
www.tathrabeachhouse.com.au

The Castlereagh Boutique Hotel (Sydney)
www.thecastlereagh.com.au

The Observatory Port Macquarie (North Coast)
www.observatory.net.au

The Vintry Country House and Vineyard (Hunter)
www.thevintry.com.au

 

24. Luxury Accommodation
Finalists

Chateau Elan Hunter Valley (Hunter)
www.chateauelan.com.au

Sheraton on the Park (Sydney)
www.sheraton.com/sydney

 

25. New Tourism Development
Finalists

Clarence River Way Project (North Coast)
www.clarence.nsw.gov.au

Corowa Whisky and Chocolate Venue (Riverina)
www.corowawhisky.com/

Eco Extreme Jervis Bay (South Coast)
www.jervisbayextreme.com.au

Ex HMAS Adelaide Artificial Reef, Central Coast, New South Wales (Central Coast)
www.visitcentralcoast.com.au

Savannah Visitor Plaza and Free Access Area at Taronga Western Plains Zoo (Central NSW)
www.taronga.org.au

Sculptures in the Scrub (New England NW)

Tandara (Sydney)
www.lcrtp.com.au

Trainworks (Greater Sydney and Surrounds)
www.trainworks.com.au

 

26. Qantas Award for Excellence in Sustainable Tourism
Finalists

Beachcomber Holiday Park (South Coast)
www.beachcomberpark.com.au

Lane Cove River Tourism Park (Sydney)
www.lcrtp.com.au

Old Leura Dairy (Blue Mountains)
www.oldleuradairy.com

Silos Estate (South Coast)
www.thesilos.com

 

30. Tourist Pubs
Finalists

Gol Gol Hotel (The Murray)
www.golgolpub.com.au

Morundah Hotel (Riverina)

Shoal Bay Country Club Hotel (North Coast)
www.shoalbayresort.com