Past Winners
CATEGORY 1 - Major Tourist Attractions
Sponsored by Tourism WA
Gold - Busselton Jetty
The 156-year old heritage listed Busselton Jetty is an iconic WA attraction, stretching 1.841km across the Indian Ocean - the longest tourist jetty in the southern hemisphere and home to one of six natural Underwater Observatories in the world, as well as a solar powered Jetty train.
Silver - Fremantle Prison
Bronze - WA Maritime Museum
CATEGORY 2 - Tourist Attractions
Sponsored by Vanguard Press
Gold - Willie Creek Pearl Farm
Willie Creek Pearls is a Western Australian family business which sustainably produces the best pearls in the world: Australian South Sea Pearls. The Willie Creek Pearl Farm tour is a multi-award-winning tour which allows visitors to see how passionate the team are about every part of the unique story of The Pearl of Western Australia, from shell to showroom.
Silver - National Anzac Centre
Bronze - Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse
CATEGORY 3 - Major Festivals & Events
The City of Perth’s annual Christmas Lights Trail is one of the largest events in the City’s calendar, bringing one in five Perth metro residents into the CBD over 45 nights from November to January. Continuing to grow each year, the 2020 Trail expanded to include 30 installations across 4km of city spaces, including Claisebrook and West Perth.
Silver - Perth Festival 2021
Bronze - Manchester United in Perth 2019 – Optus Stadium
CATEGORY 4 - Festivals & Events
Sponsored by Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries
Gold - CinefestOZ Film Festival
Set in the seaside centres of Busselton and the Margaret River wine region, CinefestOZ premieres feature films and events in the region’s cinemas and picturesque venues, making it a feast for the senses and an unforgettable six-day getaway.
Silver - The 2021 Perth Caravan & Camping Show
Bronze - South32 Rottnest Channel Swim
CATEGORY 5 - Ecotourism
Sponsored by Parks & Wildlife Service
Gold - Live Ningaloo
Live Ningaloo’s mission is to reclaim time in a meaningful way and give people the space to feel something. Tours are small, with ten people maximum and in-water interactions to a single group, no switching between multiple groups of people on tours.
Silver - Busselton Jetty
Bronze - Cape to Cape Explorer Tours
CATEGORY 6 - Cultural Tourism
Sponsored by Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries
Gold - Fremantle Prison
Fremantle Prison is Western Australia’s premier heritage attraction delivering a diverse range of unforgettable visitor experiences. It is the largest convict-built structure in Australia and the most intact convict establishment in the southern hemisphere. In recognition of its heritage significance, it is currently the only World Heritage listed building in WA.
Silver - Benedictine Community of New Norcia
Bronze - WA Museum Boola Bardip
CATEGORY 7 - Qantas Award for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Tourism
Sponsored by Qantas and WAITOC
Go Cultural Aboriginal Tours and Experiences delivers authentic Aboriginal cultural tours, awareness programs, ceremony experiences, public speaking, consultancy services, unique corporate gifts, and interactive cultural walking tours featuring iconic locations in Perth, Western Australia.
Silver - Ngurrangga Tours
CATEGORY 8 - Tourism Retail & Hire Services
The House of Honey is a honey showroom which includes a bee educational adventure in the Swan Valley. The retail outlet sells premium honey and includes a cellar door, providore range, online shop, beekeeping masterclasses, training courses, beekeeping tours, and an annual Honey Festival.
Silver - Vasse Virgin
Bronze - Willie Creek Pearls
CATEGORY 9 - Visitor Information Services
Sponsored by RAC Parks & Resorts
The Dwellingup Trails and Visitor Centre provides information provision through state-of-the-art technology that is housed in a contemporary building and is complimented by a concierge style of visitor servicing, responsive digital communication and engaging displays that pay tribute to the area’s natural assets and heritage.
Silver - Karijini Visitor Centre
Bronze - Kalgoorlie Boulder Visitor Centre
CATEGORY 10 - Business Event Venues
Sponsored by Business Events Perth
Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre in the heart of the city is Perth's premier business events venue. Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre has 29 event spaces that spread across 23,476 square meters, which can cater for business events of all size, calibre, style and budget.
Silver - Pullman Bunker Bay Resort
Bronze - Joondalup Resort
CATEGORY 11 - Major Tour & Transport Operators
Sponsored by The Sunday Times
Gold - HeliSpirit
HeliSpirit is a multi-award-winning, eco-accredited helicopter company operating across Australia’s North West, Esperance and the NT. HeliSpirit is proudly locally owned and operated from within Western Australia, and the company invests heavily in all areas of quality and safety to ensure a top-class experience is delivered for all guests.
Silver - SeaLink WA
Bronze - Rottnest Fast Ferries
CATEGORY 12 - Tour & Transport Operators
Sponsored by Vanguard Press
Gold - The Hike Collective
The Hike Collective is a Perth-based hiking tour operator, hosting over 50 hiking tours within an hour of the Perth CBD and providing a safe space to explore the rugged beauty of Western Australia. The Hike Collective empowers wellbeing and discovery through movement, connection, and nature, providing unique and inclusive trail experiences.
Silver - Three Islands Whale Shark Dive
Bronze - Up Close and Local Tours
CATEGORY 13 - Adventure Tourism
Sponsored by RAC Parks & Resorts
Gold - Skydive Geronimo WA
Skydive Geronimo WA offers tandem skydive experiences over Rottnest Island. Participants experience an adrenaline rush of a lifetime when freefalling at 200kms an hour over this iconic holiday destination.
Silver - HeliSpirit
Bronze - Live Ningaloo
CATEGORY 14 - Tourism Marketing & Campaigns
Sponsored by Countrywide Publications
Western Australian Indigenous Tourism Operators Council (WAITOC) is the peak representative for Aboriginal tourism in Western Australia. A major promotional milestone has been the implementation of a stand-out brand showcasing the diverse product portfolio of Aboriginal cultural experiences with one unified design cementing a range of creative marketing activities.
Silver - City of Fremantle (THIS IS FREMANTLE)
Bronze - Visit Mandurah
CATEGORY 15 - Tourism Restaurants & Catering Services
Sponsored by Tourism WA
Gold - Core Cider House
Core Cider House is situated on 40 acres of beautiful rolling orchards in the Perth Hills. Guests are treated to 180-degree views of the orchards on the deck of the Orchard Bistro or in the Harvest Room, where they can unwind over a lazy lunch, or simply to relax on the grass in the expansive garden areas.
Silver - The Crooked Carrot
Bronze - Ten Acre Block
CATEGORY 16 - Tourism Wineries, Distilleries & Breweries
Gold - Black Brewing Co
Located in the stunning South West of Western Australia, Black Brewing Co is home to a brewery, distillery and restaurant, offering guests the opportunity to try uncompromising craft beers, boutique gins from Dune Distilling Co and some of Margaret River’s best wine varieties.
Silver - Singlefile Wines
Bronze - Sin Gin Distillery
CATEGORY 17 - Caravan & Holiday Parks
Sponsored by Caravan Industry Association WA
Kimberleyland Waterfront Holiday Park is located on the rolling green banks on the central waterfront in the East Kimberley town of Kununurra. Just 45km from the Northern Territory border it is the major entry point for both the Kimberley and for Western Australia for Eastern States based road travellers.
Silver - Cheynes Beach Caravan Park
Bronze - RAC Monkey Mia Dolphin Resort
CATEGORY 20 - Self Contained Accommodation
Sponsored by Parks & Wildlife Service
Gold - Tree Chalets
Set in Margaret River’s impressive wine country only a short drive from Busselton, are the beautiful Tree Chalets. Sheltered here, amid 90 acres of natural Australian bush and Rosegum plantation, are two luxuriously appointed chalets, each accommodating two people.
The innovative design of the chalets allows for total relaxation and immersion in nature. Couples can enjoy absolute privacy, with the exception of an occasional visit from a kangaroo and the abundant birdlife. With sumptuously inviting beds, decked chill-out zones, stunning cast iron outdoor baths and wood fires, Tree Chalets make an ideal romantic getaway.
Silver - Bina Maya Yallingup Escape
Bronze - Diamond Forest Farm Stay
CATEGORY 21 - 3-3.5 Star Accommodation
Sponsored by Bailiwick Legal
Gold - SurfPoint Resort
SurfPoint Resort provides quality, affordable accommodation only minutes from Margaret River township, located near the beach at Gnarabup. The property is managed by locals who love to share their knowledge of regional highlights with their guests.
Silver - Broadwater Resort Busselton
Bronze - Kangaroo Inn
CATEGORY 22 - 4-4.5 Star Accommodation
Sponsored by Quick Slip Frames
Nesuto Mounts Bay offers a welcoming living space with fully self-contained one, two and three-bedroom apartments ideal for short and long stays. All apartments are equipped with amenities designed for self-sufficient living, such as a full kitchen and laundry facilities. At the same time, guests can take advantage of convenient hotel services, such as 24-hour reception, housekeeping and restaurant meals.
Silver - Seashells Broome
Bronze - Seashells Mandurah
CATEGORY 23 - 5 Star Accommodation
Gold - Pullman Bunker Bay Resort
Distinctly Western Australian, the resort spans 35 acres of landscaped gardens that meet the shoreline of Bunker Bay. Consisting of 150 luxuriously appointed villas, each are designed to harmonise with the environment.
Silver - The Ritz-Carlton, Perth
Bronze - Pan Pacific Perth
CATEGORY 24 - New Tourism Business
Sponsored by Gallagher
Gold - Matagarup Zip+Climb
Matagarup Zip+Climb is Perth's ultimate adventure with the best views in town. Participants will ascend up 314-steps up the bridge's main arch, manoeuvring around the bridge's beams to reach the SkyView Deck - an open-air viewing platform 72 meters above the majestic Swan River offering a 360 degree panorama. Guests have the option to walk back down, or strap onto the 400 meter zipline and fly back to firm ground.
Silver - GoGo Active Tours
Bronze - Kalbarri Skywalk - Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions Midwest Region
CATEGORY 25 - Excellence in Food Tourism
Sponsored by Tourism Australia
Gold - Two Feet & a Heartbeat
Two Feet & a Heartbeat is a Perth based experiential tourism provider specialising is fully escorted food tours. From small bars to progressive dinners, clients get a unique perspective on the people, culture, food, history and arts of Western Australia.
Silver - Core Cider House
Bronze - Chestnut Brae
CATEGORY 26 - Excellence in Local Government Award for Tourism
Sponsored by Premium Publishers
Gold - City of Fremantle
The City of Fremantle plays an important role in provision of tourism facilities and services for the destination including ownership of Fremantle Visitor Centre, managing a tourism website and delivering destination marketing programs for this vital part of Fremantle’s economy. The City has established a Destination Marketing Working Group to guide the development and implementation of the Destination Marketing Strategic Plan 2018-2022.
Silver - City of Rockingham
Bronze - City of Greater Geraldton
Sir David Brand Award for Tourism
Gold - HeliSpirit
HeliSpirit is a multi-award-winning, eco-accredited helicopter company operating across Australia’s North West, Esperance and the NT. HeliSpirit is proudly locally owned and operated from within Western Australia, and the company invests heavily in all areas of quality and safety to ensure a top-class experience is delivered for all guests.
Sir David Brand Medal
Gold - Troy Thomas
In July last year, we sadly lost one of the tourism industry’s modern pioneers, Troy Thomas. Troy was a pioneer, creating new nature-based tourism experiences which have put WA’s north west on the bucket-lists of people from across the world.
Troy rightly received a great list of accolades and stood on this stage to accept Gold WA Tourism Awards on 12 occasions for Horizontal Falls Seaplane Adventures, including twice being inducted into the WA Hall of Fame in the Adventure Tourism and Unique Accommodation categories, and being awarded the industry’s highest business honour, the Sir David Brand Award for Tourism, in 2017.
On the National stage, Troy won eleven medals for WA, including eight Gold medals and was twice recognised in the National Hall of Fame.
The Sir David Brand Medal recognises the outstanding, lifetime contribution of an individual to the WA tourism industry. In Troy’s lifetime, his impact on the industry was tremendous, and it is without doubt that he would have otherwise one day stood on this stage to accept the Medal himself.
COVID-19 Judges' Choice
Gold - Pan Pacific Perth
Occupying a premium address on Adelaide Terrace, Pan Pacific Perth is home to the largest number of luxury guest rooms and suites in the CBD and comes complete with soft and superior linen, a pillow menu and in-room streaming services. An abundance of shops, entertainment venues, tourist attractions and dining outlets are just a short stroll away from the hotel’s lobby.
