Australia is home to thousands of absolutely adorable small towns, each with its own charm. While every Aussie has a favourite – whether due to childhood nostalgia, a beloved country pub or a beautiful bushwalk – some rankings carry a bit more clout. One of the most prestigious is the annual Top Tourism Town Awards, which grants prizes to Australia’s very best tourism towns, small towns and tiny towns.
Earlier this year, finalists from each state and territory were revealed, with the gold winners going head-to-head in the national awards held at Parliament House this week. Tasmania was the only state to finish on the podium in all three categories, with the winners decided through a combined voting process that included both public votes and scores from an industry judging panel.
Drumroll, please… the Top Tourism Town Award (for towns with more than 5,000 residents) in 2024 went to the charming Tasmanian town of Devonport. Located along the stunning north-west coast where mountains meet the sea, this waterfront gem is much more than just a landing pad for Spirit of Tasmania ferries. It’s small enough that you can take peaceful bushland walks, swim at secluded beaches, and have the whole rocky coastline to yourself. Yet, it’s big enough to boast all the luxuries of city life, including a sparkly new waterfront precinct, boutique stays, trendy cafés and a thriving arts scene.
The Top Tourism Town runner-up in 2024 was Victoria’s historic gold rush town of Bendigo, with Queensland’s outback town of Roma taking home the bronze.
The next prize of the night, the Small Tourism Town award (for populations between 1,500 and 5,000), went to the sleepy coastal town of Exmouth in Western Australia. Known for its bucket-list adventures, Exmouth offers everything from swimming with whale sharks at the World Heritage-listed Ningaloo Reef to hiking the rugged peaks of Cape Range National Park. Victoria's spa capital of Daylesford came in second place, with Tasmania's incredibly picturesque town of Richmond coming in third.
The final (and cutest) award of the night was the Top Tiny Town (for populations less than 1,500), with NSW’s peaceful haven of Huskisson claiming the prize. It edged out Stanley, a scenic coastal gem in Tasmania’s Bass Strait, and Gundaroo, a tiny historic village just 25 minutes from Canberra.
You can read the full list of winners (and plan your next Aussie road trip accordingly) over here.
Here are the winners of Australia’s Top Tourism Town in 2024:
- Gold: Devonport, TAS
- Silver: Bendigo, VIC
- Bronze: Roma, QLD
Here are the winners of Australia’s Small Tourism Town in 2024:
- Gold: Exmouth, WA
- Silver: Daylesford, VIC
- Bronze: Richmond, TAS
Here are the winners of Australia’s Tiny Tourism Town in 2024:
- Gold: Huskisson, NSW
- Silver: Stanley, TAS
- Bronze: Gundaroo, ACT
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