Award Winning Walks
Category: News
Congratulations to Australian Walking Holidays (Classic Larapinta Trek in Comfort), Tasmanian Walking Company (Bay of Fires Lodge Walk & Cradle Mountain Huts Walk) & The Maria Island Walk for being announced as winners in their 2016 state tourism awards.
The Classic Larapinta Trek in Comfort, by Australian Walking Holidays has been awarded the winner of the Ecotourism product of the year at the 2016 BROLGA Northern Territory Tourism Awards. (Pictured Left)
The Eco Tourism award recognises ecologically sustainable tourism with a primary focus on experiencing natural areas that foster environmental and cultural understanding, appreciation and conservation.
At the heart of the Classic Larapinta Trek in Comfort is a commitment to provide an outstanding experience for trekkers while minimising the impact on the environment. The trek’s three architecturally designed, semi-permanent campsite facilities incorporate sustainable technologies such as water-free composting toilets, solar lighting systems and a hybrid grey water disposal system designed for the arid environment.
As the winner of this award, the walk is now also a finalist in the Qantas Australian Tourism Awards in Darwin in February 2017 for the title of best Ecotourism product in Australia.
Fearless Campsite – Classic Larapinta Trek in Comfort
Find out more about this trek
Tasmanian Walking Company, who operate The Bay of Fires Lodge Walk & Cradle Mountain Huts Walk, also received gold in the Ecotourism category of the 2016 Tasmanian Tourism Awards. (Team Pictured Top Center)
Like with many of the Great Walks of Australia, The Tasmanian Walking Company wholeheartedly embrace ecologically sustainable tourism practices.
In the construction of the Forester Beach Camp and the Bay of Fires Lodge on the Bay of Fires Lodge Walk, from the siting of the buildings and the form of their design, to the selection of building materials and the management of the construction process, the single focus has been protecting the landscape and connecting to it.
Each hut on the Cradle Mountain Huts Walk is architecturally designed to maximise cross-flow ventilation and operate with maximum efficiency with renewable energy.The remote location of the huts demands that they are autonomous in terms of servicing; rainwater is channeled off the roof into tanks, self-composting, water-free batching toilets are used and phosphorous-free soap is provided for guests, along with numerous other sustainable practices.
Bay of Fires Lodge – Bay of Fires Lodge Walk & Barn Bluff Hut – Cradle Mountain Huts Walk
Find out more about Bay of Fires Lodge Walk or Cradle Mountain Huts Walk
The Maria Island Walk has been awarded the winner of the Adventure Tourism category in the 2016 Tasmanian Tourism Awards (Team Pictured Top Right)
The Maria Island Walk was awarded for its uniquely Tasmanian experience. With four days rambling through a spectacular world heritage listed national park, full of remarkable history, pristine beaches, ancient forests and towering mountain peaks this walk is full of adventure. The national park is abundant with rare birds and animals, including recently introduced Tasmanian devils. With wilderness camps and the final night in a heritage house inside a world heritage listed convict settlement that pre-dates Port Arthur, the walk is a true adventure.
The Cradle Mountains Hut Walk also received silver in this category.
4 Mile Beach – The Maria Island Walk
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The Cradle Mountain Huts Walk, Bay of Fires Lodge Walk and Maria Island Walk will also be finalists in their respective categories for the Qantas Australian Tourism Awards next year.
Congratulations to all our awarded partner walks and we wish them the best of luck for the next round of awards!
Award Presentation images feature the following team members from left to right:
Top Left Image: Australian Walking Holidays – Heidi Smith and Larissa Duncombe
Top Middle Image : Tasmanian Walking Company – Simon Willcox (Tasmanian PWS – Manager Visitor Strategy), Erin McGilvray (Bay of Fires, TWC Guide), Heath Garratt (GM), Ros Young (Sales & Marketing Manager), Dayna Trevaskis (TWC Guide), Daisy Lamont (Experience Manager – Bay of Fires Lodge Walk) and Ben Griggs (Experience Manager – Wineglass Bay Sail Walk).
Top Right: The Maria Island Walk – Ben Brown (Operations Manager), Heather Vail (Ben’s Partner), Daniel Fisher (Guide), Bronwyn Johnstone (Ian’s wife), Dayna Trevaskis (Guide), Jo Mack (Guide), Gemma McLoughlin (Guide), Sue Beaumont (Guide), Maddy Davies (Guide), Luke Brokensha (Guide), Ian Johnstone, Amira El kheir & Jane Richardson