Port Fairy named the top small tourism town

THE Great Ocean Road region has taken out the trifecta during the inaugural Victorian Top Tourism awards.

All three honours in the small tourism town category went to Great Ocean Road communities, with Port Fairy claiming gold.

Among the 16 shortlisted towns, the region was well represented with Aireys Inlet, Apollo Bay, Port Fairy and Timboon making it to the finals.

Second place was awarded to Timboon, while Apollo Bay was given the bronze.

The awards are the latest creation from the Victoria Tourism Industry Council (VTIC) in a bid to celebrate the ultimate holiday experiences offered throughout regional destinations.

The Small Tourism Town Award was designed for destinations with a permanent population below 5,000.

As the winners of the category, Port Fairy tourism is set to receive $10,000 worth of airtime with Prime 7, as well as proceed to the nationals for a chance to be titled Australia’s Top Small Tourism Town.

Great Ocean Road Regional Tourism general manager Liz Price congratulated the committed teams at Moyne, Corangamite and Colac Otway Shire councils for their award-winning submissions.

“Port Fairy, Timboon and Apollo Bay’s wins provide recognition amongst industry and endorsement from consumers that the Great Ocean Road region is indeed a Victorian favourite,” she said.

“We are proud of Port Fairy, Timboon and Apollo Bay for their wins at the Top Tourism Town Awards.

“They are examples of the many destinations in our region that offer a unique appeal to visitors, with strong, resilient communities who passionately support the tourism industry.

“All awards are a testament to the hard-working individuals who led the submissions at Moyne, Corangamite and Colac Otway.”

Port Fairy will compete for Australia’s Top Small Tourism Town, with the winner to be announced at Parliament House in Canberra on September 2.