Historic holiday cottages in Royal National Park, which were recently upgraded, have received accolades from the tourism industry.
Hilltop Cottage and Weemalah Cottage, which are managed by National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), are a finalist in the NSW Tourism Awards, which will be presented at Luna Park on November 24.
Hilltop Cottage became available for holiday accommodation for the first time last year after extensive renovations.
The cottage, which dates back to the 1920s, sits on top of the hill at Gogerlys Point and has panoramic views over North West Arm on the Hacking River.
Nearby Weemalah Cottage, on the waterfront of South West Arm, had been available for short stay holidays for many years, but an upgrade made it more attractive.
Renovations included a new kitchen and bathroom, new electrics and replacement of fixtures and fittings.
The holiday cottages are one of six NPWS tourism products selected as finalists across various categories of the NSW Tourism Awards.
Wild About Whales is another NPWS tourism product selected as a finalist.
It was developed in 2010 to increase visitation to coastal national parks during cooler months by allowing visitors to experience the annual whale migration.
The program’s website promotes the whale watching platform at Kurnell in Kamay Botany Bay National Park as “another excellent vantage point where whale watchers delight in seeing these majestic mammals passing by”.
“Just a short drive from Sydney, you’ll also find plenty of other fantastic whale viewing spots,” the website says.
“Visit the heritage-listed Royal National Park, near Cronulla in Sydney’s south, where towering sandstone cliffs along the Coast Track provide countless spots to stop and look out for whales, as well as options for swimming, fishing, surfing, cycling and picnicking.”
The awards, which have been held for 27 years, are managed by the tourism industry division of the NSW Business Chamber and supported by Destination NSW.
Criteria and categories are set by the Australian Tourism Industry Council.
NSW winners from selected categories automatically progress to the national level at the Qantas Australian Tourism Awards, where they a judged against the best from each state and territory.
Deputy chief executive at the Office of Environment and Heritage, Michael Wright, said the awards were a valuable platform for recognising the success and achievements of NPWS staff and their delivery of visitor experiences.
“Each year NPWS submits a number of entries that provide a benchmark for best practice, encourage professionalism, innovation in business planning and service delivery, and highlight the value of the tourism industry to NSW,” he said
“It is a remarkable achievement that every submission from NPWS this year has reached finalist status.”
