Last Wednesday night, August 26, at the South Coast Tourism Awards, held at the Ulladulla Civic Centre, Tathra Beachside was awarded gold in the tourist/caravan park category, topping a strong field of competitors from Wollongong to the Victorian border.

In that same category NRMA Merimbula Beach Holiday Park was highly commended and Discovery Holiday Parks Pambula Beach was awarded bronze. 

Tathra Beachside, formerly Tathra Beach Family Park, also took out top honours in the family friendly tourism category and once again Discovery Holiday Parks Pambula Beach was close on their tail with joint bronze. 

In announcing the winners, the panel of judges praised Discovery Holiday Parks Pambula Beach for its performance across every category adjudicated.

These included its physical attributes, customer service ethos, contribution to tourism in the Sapphire Coast region, support of the community, financial stability and compliance with industry standards.

Accepting the award, park managers Laurie O’Shea and Sharon Broder said they were excited and honoured to receive such recognition and heaped praise on their colleagues for all the great work they do as a team.

Merimbula accommodation providers also shone at the awards night with Sapphire Waters Motor Inn receiving a silver award in the budget accommodation category and Best Western Fairway Motor Inn also taking out silver in the executive accommodation category. 

This wasn’t the first time that the Best Western Fairway Motor Inn has come away with a prize, in the past they have received a couple of gold awards and a highly commended. 

Debbie Gardiner of the Best Western Fairway Motor Inn said she was ecstatic to come away with the award.

“We just love doing what we do, we love improving our business,” Mrs Gardiner said. “It’s really lovely to be recognised for doing what you love.”

In Eden there were also a couple of big winners. The Eden Visitor Information Centre won a bronze award for the visitor information centres category and the Eden Killer Whale Museum captured the gold award in the heritage and cultural tourism category. 

A total of 19 awards were presented throughout the evening, with Batemans Bay’s Bob Carver, winning the individual contribution to tourism award and 29-year-old Sara Wilson of South Coast Holiday Parks Bermagui winning the young achiever award.

Chief judge Gordon Beattie said the judging process was “quite extraordinary” with only one or two points separating some of the winners.