Daylesford was recognised with Silver in the Small Tourism Town Award category at the Australian Top Tourism Town Awards this week at Parliament House in Canberra.

Mayor, Cr Brian Hood, said that to have Daylesford recognised on a national level is a monumental achievement.

“Here in the Shire, we know that Daylesford is an exceptional place to visit. Now the rest of Australia will know just how vibrant our small town is.”

“The Silver award is shared with local businesses, community members and of course the Daylesford Macedon Tourism team who continue to advocate for this beautiful pocket of the world.”

Daylesford was named the best Small Tourism Town in the TAC Victorian Top Tourism Town Awards earlier this year. This national recognition is  a remarkable achievement.

Exmouth, Western Australia, was awarded Gold and Richmond, Tasmania, won Bronze.

The recognition is a credit to staff at Daylesford Macedon Tourism team for their considerable amount of work producing a comprehensive submission which was developed in collaboration with Council’s Economic Development and Visitor team. The achievement also recognises Daylesford businesses and communities which contribute to an outstanding visitor experience.

In a separate announcement, Member for Macedon, Mary-Anne Thomas announced $100,000 funding for Daylesford Macedon Tourism as part of the state government’s Regional Tourism Network Industry Strengthening Program. DMT will use the funds to support tourism businesses in the region through programs facilitation business networking and digital skills that will give them the ability to boost their business and improve visitor experience.

In a statement, Mary-Anne Thomas said, “Daylesford Macedon Tourism plays a critical role in supporting local tourism businesses in Macedon and this funding will provide them with even more assistance to ensure we can deliver world-class visitor experiences.”

This article is based on media releases from Hepburn Shire Council and from the office of Mary-Anne Thomas, MP.