26 May 2026
Kununurra has been named the winner of the 2026 7NEWS Top Tourism Town Award at tonight’s 2026 Perth Airport WA Tourism Conference Dinner in Carnarvon.
Also in the Top Tourism Town category, Geraldton won Silver and Kalgoorlie-Boulder claimed Bronze. Kununurra will receive a $20,000 airtime package to promote the town on television network 7 Regional WA.
In the Small Tourism Town category, the Gold Medal was awarded to Jurien Bay, which will receive a $10,000 airtime package from 7 Regional WA. The Silver Medal was won by Carnarvon, and York was awarded Bronze.
In the category of Tiny Tourism Town, the Gold Medal was awarded to Kalbarri, with Pemberton winning Silver and Walpole claiming Bronze. Kalbarri won the award for the third year in a row and was inducted into the Hall of Fame, also receiving a $5,000 airtime package to promote the town on 7 Regional WA.
The gold winner in each category will also receive a Townscape audio feature or a $3,000 credit towards a self-driving, walking, or transport tour, courtesy of Storytowns.
The awards program is a major highlight of the State’s tourism calendar, with prizes eagerly coveted by destinations across Western Australia. Visitor Centres and Local Governments entered the awards on behalf of their destination, and entrants submitted a short video, itinerary and editorial article which was reviewed by a panel of industry judges.
The public then had its say, with more than 6,000 people casting a vote for their favourite Tiny, Small and Top Tourism Towns.
“Congratulations to this year’s winners of the Top Tourism Town Awards. Kununurra, Jurien Bay, and Kalbarri have all displayed an exceptional commitment to delivering high-quality visitor experiences,” Tourism Council WA CEO Evan Hall said.
“All medallists have impressed both an industry panel of judges and the public through consumer voting. The winners will now go on to represent Western Australia on a national level in the Australian Top Tourism Town Awards in September,” he said.
The 7NEWS Top Tourism Town Awards has been running for 37 years and recognises cities and towns across Western Australia for their commitment to tourism and the innovative experiences and facilities on offer.
The awards are run by Tourism Council WA and Visitor Centres WA, and are supported by 7NEWS, Tourism WA, Vanguard Media Group, Storytowns, and RAC Parks & Resorts.
