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Golden Backpack Awards (Aus) winners announced

The best of the best in the backpacking industry were celebrated at TNT Magazine’s Golden Backpack Awards in Sydney last night.  

This year the awards were held at Dockside, Cockle Bay Wharf, and hosted by ARIA award-winning TV/radio star and comedian Tim ‘Rosso’ Ross. The silver-suit clad Dr Karl closed the event with his band The Waiting Room and drinks continued on into early hours of the morning.

The Golden Backpacks are Australia and New Zealand’s only dedicated awards programme for the independent travel sector.

During a 10-week online campaign, backpackers voted for their favourite hostel, tour and backpacker night in every state and territory in Australia and across the Tasman. National awards recognised tour operators, transport providers and car/campervan rental companies while the general category saw awards for best travel agent, recruitment service, website and indigenous experience. Awards were also presented for innovation and outstanding achievement to the industry.

Almost 20,000 votes were received before the winners were revealed to the 380 guests at a gala dinner.

The awards were sponsored by Tourism New South Wales, Tourism Victoria, the South Australia Tourism Commission, Virgin Australia, Insurance Advisernet, WorldNomads.com, Website Travel, Sleepmaker, Bunyip Tours, Global Gossip and the Adventure Travel & Backpackers Expo.

Event producer Martin Lane said: “Once again we have been overwhelmed by the response of backpackers and the industry to the Golden Backpack Awards. Winning one is the ultimate accolade because it’s the customers who decide.”

Click here to see the photos from the night.

Here’s the full list of winners and finalists:

Queensland Awards

Best Hostel: Bunk

Finalists: Gilligan’s, Tinbillys Backpacker Hostel, Calypso Inn, Nomads Airlie Beach, Dingos Rainbow Beach

Best tour/activity: AJ Hackett Bungy Cairns

Finalists: Whitsunday Sailing Adventures, True Blue Sailing, Australia Skydive Group, Cool Dingos Fraser Island Tour, Pro Dive Cairns

Best Backpacker Night: Birdee Num Num

Finalists: Tinbillys Backpacker Hostel, Down Under Bar, Airlie Beach, Gilligan’s, The Woolshed, Full Moon Party, Base Maggie Island

Tasmania Awards

Best Hostel: Central City Backpackers

Finalists: Launceston Backpackers, Arthouse, Bicheno backpackers, The Pickled Frog, Montgomery’s YHA

Best tour/activity: Jump Tours

Finalists: Adventure Tours, 6-day Taste of Tasmania, Bruny Island Cruises, Under Down Under, Topdeck, 6 day Tassie Unplugged, Tours Tasmania

Best Backpacker Night: The Pickled Frog

Finalists: Central City Backpackers, Irish Murphy’s Launceston, Arthouse, Saloon Bar, Republic Bar & Cafe

Northern Territory awards

Best Hostel: Toddy’s Backpackers

Finalists: Alice Lodge, Alice Springs YHA, Haven resort, Youth Shack, Melaleuca On Mitchell

Best tour/activity: The Rock Tour

Finalists: Groovy Grape Rock Patrol, Adventure Tours, 3-day Uluru tour, Crocosaurus Cove, Kakadu Dreams, Topdeck, 11 day Rock N Top

Best Backpacker Night: The Rock Bar

Finalists: Monsoons, Bojangles Saloon & Dining Room, Toddy’s Backpackers, Melaleuca On Mitchell, Annie’s Place

Western Australia Awards

Best Hostel: Perth City YHA

Finalists: Billabong Backpackers Resort, Ningalooo Club Coral Bay, Kimberley Klub YHA, The Old Swan Barracks, Brittania on William

Best tour/activity: Western Xposure, 10-day Perth-Broome

Finalists: Red Earth Safaris, Aussie Wanderer, Ningaloo Blue Dive, Nullabor Traveller, Rottnest Island Ferry Tours

Best Backpacker Night: The Old Swan Barracks

Finalists: Aussie Wanderer, The Deen, Mustang Bar, Ningalooo Club Coral Bay, Black Betty’s

Victoria Awards

Best Hostel: Habitat HQ

Finalists: Melbourne Central YHA, Base St Kilda, Space Hotel, Nomads Melbourne, Urban Central

Best tour/activity: Bunyip Tours, Great Ocean Road

Finalists: Adventure Tours, Great Ocean Road, Autopia Tours, Great Ocean Road, The Official Neighbours Tour, Wildlife Tours, Great Ocean Road, Groovy Grape, Great Ocean Road

Best Backpacker Night: Red Eye Bar, Base Melbourne

Finalists: The Official Neighbours Night, Habitat HQ, Turf Bar, Urban Central Bar, Nomads Industry Bar

New South Wales Awards

Best Hostel: Sydney Harbour YHA

Finalists: Bounce, Nomads Byron Bay, Sydney Central YHA, Base Sydney, Wake Up!

Best tour/activity: OzIntro

Finalists: Bridge Climb, Mojosurf, Australia Skydive Group, Oz Snow Adventures, Surf Camp Australia

Best Backpacker Night: Scubar

Finalists: Cheeky Monkeys, Spot X Mojo Surf, Oz Party Bus, Scary Canary, Side Bar

South Australia Awards

Best Hostel: Shakespeare Backpackers

Finalists: Annie’s Place, Hostel 109, My Place, Backpack OZ, Adelaide Central YHA

Best tour/activity: Groovy Grape, Barossa Valley

Finalists: Adventure Tours, Kangaroo Island, Heading Bush, Nullarbor Traveller, Shark Cage Diving – Calypso Star Charters, Surf’n'Sun

Best Backpacker Night: Backpack OZ

Finalists: Shakespeare International Backpackers, Annie’s Place, Grace Emily Hotel, The Woolshed, Adelaide Central YHA

New Zealand Awards

Best Hostel: Nomads Queenstown

Finalists: Base Queenstown, Jucy Hotel, Auckland, Nomads Auckland, YHA Queenstown, YHA Wellington City

Best tour/activity: AJ Hackett Bungy, Queenstown

Finalists: Auckland Sea Kayaks, Flying Kiwi, Franz Josef Glacier Hikes, JUCY Cruize Milford Sound, Shotover Canyon Swing

Best Backpacker Night: Big Night Out, Queenstown

Finalists: Altitude, Base Queenstown, Globe Bar, Base Auckland, Nomads Queenstown, Pipi patch Bar, Base Bay of Islands, The World Bar, Queenstown

Australia National Awards

Best Car / Campervan Rental Australia: Spaceships

Finalists: Hippie Camper, Backpacker Campervans, Jucy, Spaceships, Travellers Auto Barn, Wicked

Best Car / Campervan Rental New Zealand: Jucy

Finalists: Escape, Backpacker Campervans, Happy Campers, Spaceships, Wicked Campers

Best Tour Operator Australia: Adventure Tours Australia

Finalists: Australia Skydive Group, Greyhound Australia, Groovy Grape, Oz Experience, Adventure Tours Australia, Topdeck

Best transport company  Australia: Greyhound Australia

Finalists: Great Southern Rail, Greyhound Australia, Jet Star, Oz Experience, Premier Motor Service, Virgin Australia

Best Tour / Transport Operator New Zealand: Kiwi Experience

Finalists: Flying Kiwi, InterCity Coachlines, Magic Travellers Network, Stray, Topdeck

General Awards

Best large travel agent: Peterpans Adventure Travel

Finalists: Adventure Travel Bugs, Backpackers World Travel, Flight Centre, STA Travel, Tribal Travel

Best small travel agent: Airliebeach.com

Finalists: OzIntro, Travel Up, Wake Up!, CheapAz Travel, UltimateOz, Happy Travels

Best Backpacker Website: Hostelworld

Finalists: Gumtree, Hostelbookers, Hostelworld, Nomads, OzIntro, YHA

Best Recruitment Service: The Job Shop, Perth

Finalists: Job Capital, Peterpans GOLD, Travellers At Work, Visit Oz, Work and Travel Company

Best  Indigenous Cultural Experience: Tamaki Maori Village, Rotorua

Finalists: Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park, Mitai Maori Village, Rotorua, Uluru Cultural Centre, Adventure North & The Bama Way Aboriginal Journeys, Whakarewarewa Thermal Village Tours, Rotorua

Innovation Award

Presented to Website Travel Connect

Outstanding Achievement Award

Presented to Greg Zammit and Ken Hart

By Alex Harmon  ·  October 28th, 2011 at 4:43 pm

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Comments


  1. scotty
    1 Nov 11
    10:44 am

    2. Another year has passed and my liver is breathing easily at last after a 7 day drinking sesh, courtesy of TNT and the Expo.

    It was my first experience of ITE on the Wednesday and I found it to be an excellent opportunity to meet with other tourism businesses and learn about what they had to offer, whilst babbling on about my business a bit, too. Well worth the extra days in Sydney (apologies to the interviews I missed trying to find the venue, though!!!!)

    Thursday`s conference went faster than any I have attended, meaning the subjects and those on stage were engaging and well chosen-congrats, chaps! As usual, I would prefer a lot longer period of time to discuss the various topics raised with the experts (yes, I know, I ask a lot myself but I am very interested to hear what my colleagues from around Oz and the world have to add.)

    Oh. What happened to the destination round-up, as well? You know, where the folks from Fiji, NZ, Ireland, Canada, etc would get up on stage for a quick review of their particular situation??????

    Then, the GB awards…. great food, nice booze, industry luminaries in their fines, a witty presenter, entertaining characters from all over the tourism industry to chat with/at…..bloody good fun!! (Of course, those getting gongs had a SLIGHTLY better night than the rest of us, judging by the hangovers come Friday…)

    Expo at Town Hall was way better than the lean years we experienced when it was held at Darling Harbour but could still be improved upon. Great to have such a steady stream of potential travellers, rather than the larger percentage of tyre-kickers we seemed to get at the Harbour, anyhow.

    All in all, a week well spent, and now, an alcohol free month…. hang on,it`s bloody Melbourne Cup Day ,isn`t it?? Bugger.

  2. The Real Ron Burgundy
    1 Nov 11
    12:23 pm

    3. Amen Scotty.

  3. Des Ewing
    1 Nov 11
    12:42 pm

    4. Thanks one & all, I had a fantastic time & cant wait till next year… Bit of feedback for the expo but nothing major & big thanks to the guys at “Wake Up”…

  4. Greg @ Jump Tours
    1 Nov 11
    12:56 pm

    5. Big props to Martin, Denise, Alice & the whole TNT team for once again putting on a fantastic event. The Jump crew had an epic week, with the highlight being the shiny trophy we now have after being voted as the Best Tour/Activity in Tasmania!

    It’s difficult to put into words how much such an accolade means – five years ago Jump was little more than an idea in my head, so to win the award after the years of blood, sweat and tears involved in building a tour company from scratch is just the best feeling ever!

    Since the beginning we’ve had the slogan – Tassie Rocks When You Roll With Us – it’s great to find out that the punters agree!

    Cheers all

  5. Martin Lane
    1 Nov 11
    4:08 pm

    6. Thanks for the kind words all. It’s been an absolute pleasure working with you for the last five years – I’ll certainly miss the laughs and the people, if not the late nights and even later bookings!

    @Scotty – there hasn’t been a global round up since 2006 but I’m sure the organisers at TNT will consider bringing it back for 2012 if there’s sufficient demand.

    Cheers

    Martin – Mumbrella

  6. David "Cheeks" Way
    2 Nov 11
    12:17 pm

    7. Congrats to all the winners, great to see the recognition go to some awesome operators, and to all the finalists as well, crikey I truly wouldnt want to have to judge any of that as all are worthy winners in my book..
    Just wanted to acknowledge from across the wee ditch here the award to Greg Zammit and Ken Hart…
    Congratulations fellas, an award from your peers is always the best but you both truly deserve the recognition you both richly deserve, well done guys
    Hooroo
    Cheeks

  7. James Stephenson
    3 Nov 11
    12:45 pm

    8. Congratulations to all the winners on what was a great night for Tourism on a whole in Australia. Me and my partner melissa started a hostel 1 year ago and it is great to be part of these types of events to network with some amazing companies, hostels, bus groups and tour operators.

    We are only new to the tourism market in Australia and when we decided to convert a 150 year old Gaol into an accommodation establishment we were not sure how to get noticed and be part of tourism on a whole. After attending the ITE and networking with some great people and businesses it gives us great confidence to see how others are striving through the tough times Australian tourism has had over the last year or so.

    Thank you for everybody making us feel welcome and making us feel proud to be part of such great events!!!!
    See you all again next year
    Kind Regards

    James Stephenson
    The Old Mt Gambier Gaol

  8. Gabby
    3 Nov 11
    7:28 pm

    9. Congratulations goes to all the winners on what was another great night for the industry. As a finalist it makes us very proud to be nominated against some great products.

    Our passengers remind us daily what it is all about ‘producing a great product and the best experience for the right person’, Whitsundays Sailing Adventures are 8 family owner operators getting together to do what they do best. in paradise. So thanks to all those people out there who voted for us.

    A big thank you also goes to Denise, Martin, Alice & the whole TNT team on a great 3 days. It was informative, fun, well planned and I am looking forward to next year!

    Cheers,

    Gabby and the team at WSA

  9. Jerry Fletcher
    8 Nov 11
    6:57 pm

    10. just wondering if i should start spruiking our business as a “2012 Golden Backpack Award Finalist”, get in early as it were.
    Kind of devalues the “winner” sign in the window when every other possible contender is displaying the same sign, just substituting ‘finalist’ – most punters don’t read the fine print. 6 finalists in each category…….

  10. loic
    25 Jul 12
    6:15 pm

    11. very good

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