Back in April, 19 regional towns across NSW were announced as finalists in this year’s NSW Top Tourism Towns awards – a prestigious tourism award that acknowledges the regional towns bringing the most to the NSW tourism industry through their natural beauty, activities, community and more. Today, the winners have been announced: and all three top towns are located on the NSW South Coast. Planning a trip down south? You’re onto something golden.
In the words of Paula Martin from the NSW Tourism Industry Council, “These towns represent the epitome of what visitors seek – an immersive and revitalising experience that will leave a lasting impression, showcasing the very best that NSW has to offer.”
The big winner this year was the coastal town of Kiama – a dreamy beachside hub in the Illawarra region, just under two hours from Sydney. With its wealth of natural wonders (we’re looking at you, Kiama Blowhole) and stunning coastline, Kiama beat Newcastle (last year’s winner), Orange, Murwillumbah, Bathurst, Ballina, Grafton, Shellharbour and Ulladulla to the top spot, and was joined by two other charming South Coast towns on this year’s podium.
The winner of this year’s "Tiny Tourism Town" award was the quiet haven of Huskisson – a seaside mecca a little further south in the Shoalhaven region. A tiny but bustling town surrounded by marine parks on the banks of the famous Jervis Bay, Huskisson is something of a hub for the Shoalhaven region – home to shops, cafés, a craft brewery and a sprawling waterfront pub. It’s also a 13-minute drive from Hyams Beach – widely regarded as the beach with the whitest sand in the world. If you’re planning a visit in the near future, we’d recommend timing it to coincide with the Jervis Bay Beachside Beer & BBQ Festival – which will be taking over the Huskisson Hotel on Saturday, June 22. The Tiny Tourism Town award goes to an exceptional town with 1,500 residents or less. The coastal gem beat Broke (a small historic town/village in the Hunter Valley), Wollombi and Eugowra – all towns acknowledged for their ability to help visitors disconnect from the city bustle. Despite their various merits, Huskisson came out as the state’s number one tiny town this year – for the second year in a row.
The final winner for 2024 was the nearby town of Berry, which was named best "Small Tourism Town" in this year’s awards. This award goes to a town with between 1,500 to 5,000 residents, and the historic market town beat Oberon, Bulahdelah, Gloucester, Merimbula and Ulmarra to the top spot. Berry drew praise for its “award-winning restaurants, stunning vineyards, abundance of amazing shopping opportunities and the warm community”. Having claimed the crown as top small town for three years in a row, Berry earned itself a Hall of Fame award in recognition of its continued appeal. If you’re visiting, we’d suggest booking a table at Queen Street Eatery – you won’t regret it.
You can read the full list of winners (and plan your next south coast trip accordingly) over here.
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