Gundaroo Community Association president Cate Thomas with the award at Parliament House on Tuesday morning. Photo: Canberra Region Tourism Industry Council.
The small village favoured by Canberrans for a Sunday drive, taste of history or gourmet meal, Gundaroo – population: 1384 – has taken out bronze in the nation’s Top Tourism Town Awards for 2024.
At an event at Parliament House on Tuesday morning (10 September), Gundaroo was named third in its category of the prestigious award, behind Stanley in Tasmania and Huskisson on the NSW South Coast.
The annual awards are designed to promote tourism across the country, particularly to some of the lesser-known regions, which attract crowds for unique reasons.
Gundaroo, located between Sutton and Gunning, was and still is a popular stopping point for locals and tourists, with the award-winning Grazing restaurant, the former 1865 Royal Hotel and Crowe’s Wine Bar, the former 1872 Commercial Hotel, which was in the Crowe family for more than a century.
The Tiny Tourism category recognises towns with a population of fewer than 1500 people.
“We are thrilled this year to see the recognition of our top visitor experiences in the Canberra region with Gundaroo winning bronze in the Tiny Tourism Town category,” chief executive officer of the Canberra Region Tourism Industry Council, Dr Naomi Dale, said.
“With the incredible places and spaces across the whole of Australia, it is wonderful for our region to be recognised and celebrated as a top tourism town.
“Gundaroo is a real gem amongst many fantastic experiences in the Canberra region. The historic town is home to delicious food and wine experiences and is of course surrounded by our premium cool-climate vineyards.
Outside the Gundaroo Colonial Inn, formerly Matt Crowe’s Wine Bar, which helped put the village on the map. Photo: File.
“Congratulations on the recognition, we’re very proud.”
The award was accepted by Cate Thomas, president of the Gundaroo Community Association.
Devonport in Tasmania was named Australia’s Top Tourism Town for 2024, winning gold in the Top Town category, while Exmouth in Western Australia won gold in the Small Tourism Town section, followed by Huskisson in NSW, which topped the Tiny Tourism Town category.
Australia’s Top Tourism Town Awards celebrate the regional towns and tour guides that help shape the landscape of Australian tourism by offering intimate and authentic experiences for visitors.
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