Andrew Willcox (Dawson, Liberal National Party) Share this | Hansard source

Imagine you wake up each morning in the beautiful Whitsundays or take in the sunset off the Mackay foreshore, then you and your team head down to Sydney for the Australian Tourism Awards. Ocean Rafting, Big4 Adventure Whitsunday Resort, Wildcat Mackay and Magnums Airlie Beach didn't need to imagine. These four local businesses all received gold at the Queensland Tourism Awards, so they were off to the national awards last Friday, where they were all winners.

Magnums Airlie Beach was awarded bronze in the three- to 3½-star accommodation category for being the perfect place to relax on the weekend. A big congratulations to Elizabeth Hackett. Ocean Rafting received a silver award in the adventure tourism category for being the best way to experience our stunning beaches and islands. Congratulations to Peter and Jan Claxton. Big4 Adventure Whitsunday was awarded gold in the caravan and holiday parks category for being the leading adventure resort in the country. Congratulations to Greg McKinnon and his team. Wildcat Mackay also took home gold, in the new tourism business category, for bridging the gap between Mackay and the islands offshore. Congratulations to Asher and Jules Telford.

Dawson really is the best place in the world to live, work and play, and these four businesses are great examples of why that is. I encourage everybody to come to the Whitsundays and have a holiday. I can guarantee you will enjoy it.

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