For those interested, and those in Victoria or planning a trip here, thought you might like to see the list of winners for Victorian Tourism Awards 2004......
1. Major Tourist Attractions
Winner: Sovereign Hill, Ballarat (1850s gold rush theme park - that makes several years in a row they've won again)
Finalist: Federation Square
Finalist: Melbourne Aquarium
Finalist: Melbourne Museum
Finalist: Phillip Island Nature Park
2. Significant Tourist Attractions
Winner: - Hall of Fame: Scienceworks Museum & Melbourne Planetarium
Finalist: Werribee Open Range Zoo (Melb)
3. Major Festivals & Events
Winner: Equitana Asia Pacific
Finalist: Spring Racing Carnival
4. Significant Festivals & Events
Winner: 2003 VicRoads Great Victorian Bike Ride
Finalist: Fun 4 Kids Festival
Finalist: Sand Sculpting Australia, Mornington Peninsula (Melb)
Finalist: The Helen Lempriere National Sculpture Award Exhibition at Werribee Park
5. Ecotourism
Winner: Aquila Mount Abrupt Eco Lodges (The Grampians National Park)
6. Heritage & Cultural Tourism
Winner: Immigration Museum, Flinders St, Melb.
7. Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Tourism
Winner: - Hall of Fame: Bunjilaka, Aboriginal Centre, Melbourne Museum
8. General Tourism Services
Winner: Geelong Visitor Information Centres
9. Meetings & Business Tourism
Winner: Geelong Otway Tourism
10. Tourism Retailing
Winner: Hall of Fame: Sweet Decadence at Locantro (Daylesford, pres de ma maison - it's a great chocolate & product shop)
Winner: The Gardens Shop, Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne
Finalist: Gold Museum Shop (Ballarat again)
11. Major Tour & Transport Operators
No winner awarded
12. Significant Tour & Transport Operators
Winner: Australian Wine Tour Company
13. Adventure Tourism
Winner: Hall of Fame: Grampians Adventure Services Pty Ltd
Finalist: Bayplay Adventure Tours
14. Destination Promotion
Winner: 2003 Alpine Bushfire & Tourism Recovery
Finalist: Beyond The 12 Apostles - Shipwreck Coast Tourism
Finalist: Mornington Peninsula Tourism
15. Tourism Product Marketing
Winner: Blood on the Southern Cross (Sound, light & laser show for Sovereign Hill, Ballarat, wins again)
16. Media
Winner: Deck of Secrets
Merit: Melbourne's Official Visitor Guide
17. Tourism Education & Training
Winner: Diploma of Resort Management, William Angliss Institute of TAFE
Merit: Victoria University
Finalist: Holmesglen Institute of TAFE
18. Tourism Restaurants & Catering Services
Winner: Marmalades Café Restaurant & Produce Store
19. Tourism Wineries
Winner: Yering Station Vineyards, Yarra Valley (Melb) - also awarded Winemaker of the Year at the International Wine & Spirit Competition, London.
20. Tourist & Caravan Parks
Winner: Ballarat Goldfields Holiday Park almost the only 5 star caravan park in Victoria (also won the regional award for the same category a few months ago)
21. Backpacker Accommodation
Winner: The Greenhouse Backpacker, Melbourne city.
Merit: Queensberry Hill YHA (Melb.)
22. Hosted Accommodation
Winner: Hall of Fame: Johanna Seaside Cottages (Great Ocean Rd, near Apollo Bay)
Merit: Monreale Estate
Finalist: Holmwood Guesthouse
23. Unique Accommodation
Winner: Slumber Safaris - Werribee Open Range Zoo
24. Standard Accommodation
Winner: Attunga Windows to the Alps
Finalist: Miami Hotel Melbourne
25. Deluxe Accommodation
Winner: Hall of Fame: The Mansion Hotel at Werribee Park (Melb)
Finalist: Ballarat Boutique Accommodation
Finalist: Four Points by Sheraton Geelong
Finalist: Quest Bendigo
26. Luxury Accommodation
Winner: Crown Towers (Melb. Casino)
Merit: Chocolate Gannets (Apollo Bay, Great Ocean Road)
Finalist: The Westin Melbourne
27. New Tourism Development
Winner: The Cape Otway Centre for Conservation Ecology (near the Great Ocean Rd)
Finalist: Butlers of Bendigo
Finalist: Otway Fly (treetop rainforest walk)
Finalist: Peppers Moonah Links Resort
Minister's Encouragement Award - Regional
Winner: Waterholes Guest House
Minister's Encouragement Award - Metro
Winner: Koorie Heritage Trust Inc
full list (incl runners up and links to entrants & winners websites, at
http://www.tourismvictoria.com.au/award ... ults_2004/)
Kate