Congratulations to all the winners of the prestigious 2025 Queensland Tourism Awards
01 Major Tourist Attraction
GC Aqua Park, a family-owned inflatable park at Broadwater Parklands, offers an exciting, inclusive, and accessible experience for all. Its prime location and welcoming atmosphere make it a favorite for locals and tourists.
Other winners in this category
Silver: Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary
Bronze: SkyPoint
Highly Commended: Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary
02 Tourist Attractions
The Crystal Caves is a man-made interactive cave that Rene Boissevain built to encourage visitors to explore and discover Australia’s largest private collection of natural crystals and fossils.
Other winners in this category
Silver: Maleny Botanic Gardens & Bird World
Bronze: Daintree Discovery Centre
03 Major Festivals and Events
Blues on Broadbeach, produced by Experience Gold Coast, is one of Australia’s premier music festivals, transforming Broadbeach into a vibrant hub celebrating rhythm and blues.
Other winners in this category
Silver: Savannah in the Round
Bronze: Noosa Triathlon
04 Festivals and Events
The Abbey Medieval Festival is Australia’s largest medieval event, featuring jousting, reenactments, crafts, music, and encampments for an immersive historical recreation of a Middle Ages experience.
Other winners in this category
Silver: Rockynats 05
Bronze: Festival of Outback Skies
05 The Steve Irwin Award for Ecotourism
Fun Over 50 Holidays offers premium, guided all-inclusive tours for over-50s, with luxury coach travel, expert crew, with an emphasis on culture and sustainable experiences.
Other winners in this category
Silver: Daintree Discovery Centre
Bronze: Paronella Park
Highly Commended: Mandingalbay Authentic Indigenous Tours
06 Cultural Tourism
Fun Over 50 Holidays offers premium, guided all-inclusive tours for over-50s, with luxury coach travel, expert crew, with an emphasis on culture and sustainable experiences.
Other winners in this category
Silver: Qld Music Trails – The Outback Trail
Bronze: Paronella Park
Highly Commended: Jarramali Rock Art Tours
07 Award for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Tourism Experiences
100% First Nations-owned, Cape York Peninsula Lodge offers cultural tours with Gudang-Yadhaykenu guides and Torres Strait Islander dance, plus 4WD adventures to Pajinka’s beaches and rainforest.
Other winners in this category
Silver: Saltwater Eco Tours
Bronze: Jellurgal Aboriginal Cultural Centre
08 Tourism Retail and Hire Services
Shute Harbour Marine Terminal is a world-class gateway connecting visitors to the Whitsundays and Great Barrier Reef with modern facilities, inclusive design, and a strong focus on sustainability.
Other winners in this category
Silver: Whitsunday Coast Airport
Bronze: Drive Queensland
09 Visitor Information Services
The St George Region Explore Centre is an accredited Visitor Information Centre located alongside the Balonne River in the heart of St George in South West Queensland.
Other winners in this category
Silver: Brisbane Visitor Information & Booking Centre
Bronze: Quilpie Visitor Information Centre, Museum & Gallery
10 Business Event Venues
The Cairns Convention Centre, near the Great Barrier Reef, hosts up to 2,500 delegates. Ideal for conferences, it offers multiple event spaces, natural beauty, and proximity to hotels and the airport.
Other winners in this category
Silver: Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre
Bronze: Tamborine Mountain Glades
11 Major Tour and Transport Operators
Fun Over 50 Holidays offers premium, guided all-inclusive tours for over-50s, with luxury coach travel, expert crew, with an emphasis on culture and sustainable experiences.
Other winners in this category
Silver: Outback Aussie Tours
Bronze: Cairns Adventure Group
12 Tour and Transport Operators
Boutique small group tours to the Whitsundays’ most iconic destinations: Outer Great Barrier Reef, Whitehaven Beach, cultural experiences, waterfalls, coastal beaches, and sunsets.
Other winners in this category
Silver: Cape York Motorcycle Adventures
Bronze: Queensland Helicopters
Highly Commended: Stradbroke Island Tours
13 Adventure Tourism
Cape York Motorcycle Adventures offers thrilling guided motorcycle tours through Australia’s rugged Cape York landscapes. Ride remote trails, explore stunning scenery, and fuel your adventurous spirit! We do the rest.
Other winners in this category
Silver: Iconic Whitsunday Adventures
Bronze: Cairns Adventure Group
14 The Richard Power Award for Tourism Marketing and Campaigns
Tourism Tropical North Queensland is the Regional Tourism Organisation responsible for marketing the region globally by promoting the diversity of the region’s offerings, to drive the visitor economy.
Other winners in this category
Silver: Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers
Bronze: Explore Rockhampton Major Event Campaign
15 Tourism Restaurants and Catering Services
A boutique tea house and cafe within the historical Kingston Butter Factory Precinct providing unique vintage styled high tea and cafe experiences for celebrations and catch ups.
Other winners in this category
Silver: Wine & Dine’m Catering
16 Tourism Wineries, Distilleries and Breweries
Beenleigh Artisan Distillery, Australia’s oldest rum distillery, offers handcrafted rums, a full-service restaurant, and immersive experiences that blend heritage and innovation.
Other winners in this category
Silver: Bundaberg Rum Distillery
Bronze: Western Queensland Spirit Distillery & Cellar Door
17 Caravan and Holiday Parks
BIG4 Gold Coast Holiday Park is a family friendly resort with a waterpark, pool, playground, games, and stylish stays. Close to theme parks, it’s the perfect base for fun, relaxation, and adventure.
Other winners in this category
Silver: Tallebudgera Creek Tourist Park
Bronze: Broadwater Tourist Park
Highly Commended: Cape York Camping Punsand Bay
18 Hosted Accommodation
A boutique rainforest retreat nestled in the Sunshine Coast Hinterland. Narrows Escape Rainforest Retreat has eight luxury self-contained cottages nestled into nature, four with private plunge pools.
Other winners in this category
Silver: Clandulla Cottages & Farmstay
Bronze: The Country House at Hunchy
19 Unique Accommodation
Whitsunday Escape offer a most unique holiday experience with ‘Skipper Yourself Bareboat Charters’. Explore the Whitsunday Islands on your own fully self-contained, floating accommodation.
Other winners in this category
Silver: Mitchell Grass Retreat
Bronze: High Valley Dawn Permaculture Farm
20 Self Contained Accommodation
Pinnacles, Airlie Beach offers 29 self-contained apartments all with balcony jacuzzi or internal spa tubs and breathtaking Sea views. Facilities include a heated pool, sauna and gym.
Other winners in this category
Silver: Ridgemill Estate Winery and Cabins in the Vineyard
Bronze: Holiday Holiday
21 3-3.5 Star Accommodation
Port Douglas’s best-kept secret for road trippers and return guests. A spotless, peaceful 3.5-star stay with big-hearted hosts, undercover parking, and all the local intel you’ll ever need.
Other winners in this category
Silver: Great Keppel Island Hideaway
Bronze: Wongai Beach Hotel
22 4-4.5 Star Accommodation
Escape to Novotel Cairns Oasis Resort – a tropical haven in the heart of Cairns with a lagoon-style pool, swim-up bar, stylish rooms, lush gardens, and easy access to the Reef and Esplanade.
Other winners in this category
Silver: Quest Mackay on Gordon
Bronze: Diamondvale Estate
Highly Commended: Cape York Peninsula Lodge
23 5 Star Luxury Accommodation
The Reef House provides Adults Only Relaxation Escapes and personalised service. Enjoy inclusive packages and activities curated for rest, relaxation and rejuvenation.
Other winners in this category
Silver: Crystalbrook Vincent
Bronze: InterContinental Hayman Great Barrier Reef
24 New Tourism Business
Turtle Sands Nature Resort is a beachfront retreat at Mon Repos, Queensland, offering villas, glamping, and camping just metres from Australia’s largest mainland turtle nesting site.
Other winners in this category
Silver: Nautical By Nature Mackay
Bronze: Distillery Road Market
25 Excellence in Food Tourism
The Eat Local collaboration between Council, the community and local operators harnesses the region’s passion for food with food tourism experiences, unforgettable events and mouth-watering products.
Other winners in this category
Silver: Maleny Cheese Cafe
26 Excellence in Accessible Tourism
Bay Island Lifestyle delivers inclusive water-based activities. Providing specialised, fit-for-purpose equipment to ensure everyone, regardless of ability, can safely experience the joy of the ocean.
Other winners in this category
Silver: GC Wake Park
27 Outstanding Contribution by a Volunteer or Volunteer Group
The Visitor Information Centre located in the heart of the Brisbane CBD offers a myriad of services to our guests with free booking services and itinerary planning assistance.
Other winners in this category
Silver: Brisbane Airport Ambassador Program
Bronze: Bowen Tourism and Business Volunteers
28 The Stephen Gregg Bursary for Young Achiever of the Year
Eloise Chaffers is a dynamic Queensland tourism leader with more than 10 years across hospitality, marketing, and sustainability. Eloise has worked tirelessly to drive community collaboration and a sustainable, inspiring future for Queensland tourism.
29 The Marie Watson-Blake Award for Outstanding Contribution by an Individual
Stewart Moore is a leading Asia Pacific planning and sustainability expert whose 30+ years in strategy, tourism development and risk management, including founding EarthCheck, have guided governments, industry and communities toward responsible enduring tourism futures.
30 RACQ People’s Choice Award - Accommodation
ChatGPT said:
Tamborine Mountain Glades is an eco luxury retreat in the Gold Coast Hinterland offering nature, comfort and sophistication, with versatile conference venues, stylish accommodation and immersive team building experiences in ancient rainforest settings.
31 RACQ People’s Choice Award – Experience and service
Paronella Park is a historic Queensland attraction with waterfalls, bridges, tunnels, castles and thousands of plants. Daily tours and nightly light and sound shows create lasting magic and unforgettable beauty.