Bellarine business excellence recognised

BELLARINE businesses are shining bright after taking home top honours at this year’s Victorian Tourism Awards.

The annual awards showcase the leaders in tourism excellence across the state, encouraging businesses to exceed industry standards.

In the Tourism Restaurants and Catering Services category, The Q Train took out the gold award for a second year in a row.

The Q Train chief executive officer Marie-Claire Trotter said the awards give a sense of legitimacy.

“In the tourism sector, there is a sense that if you haven’t been around forever, you’re still a bit new.

“Even though we’ve been around for eight years now, I think this gives us a real sense of legitimacy in trade relationships.”

Port Phillip Ferries won the Major Tour and Transport Operator category at the annual awards.

The award-winning attraction prides itself on customer service, an aspect they believe makes them stand out alongside their use of local produce and scenic views.

It has been a stellar awards season for the business, taking home multiple awards in recent months including two Golden Plates and a gong in the Geelong Business Excellence Award

Trotter said the awards demonstrated the efforts of how well the team works together.

“It is a reflection of the work of the entire team, none of these awards can be won by one person, it is a team effort from our train drivers, to our train maintenance, to our kitchen, to our kitchen hands, it is all just spread out across the board.”

Port Phillip Ferries also came home with a gold award in the Major Tour and Transport Operator category.

The win was also the second in a row for the brand, recognised for their daily scenic ferries running from the Bellarine and Geelong into Melbourne.

Marketing manager Brad Wright said everything the company did was centred around providing the best experience for its customers.

“We’re grateful to our loyal passengers and industry partners for their ongoing support, and we’re excited to carry this momentum into 2026.”

Other local winners included a silver for Adventure Park Geelong in the Festivals and Events category, bronze for the City of Greater Geelong in the Local Government Award for Tourism and bronze for BIG4 Ingenia Holidays Queenscliff Beacon in the Caravan and Holiday Parks category.