Kununurra wins tourism gold

A unique outback dining experience in Kununurra has taken top honours on the national stage, winning two gold awards at the Qantas Australian Tourism Awards held in Fremantle on March 6.

The Gourmet Camp Oven Experience, created by local chef Josh Melville, claimed gold in both the tourism restaurants and catering services; and the excellence in food tourism categories, shining a light on the East Kimberley’s growing reputation for world-class tourism experiences.

The national awards ceremony, hosted in the historic Fremantle Prison, brought together around 800 tourism leaders and industry representatives from across the country to celebrate excellence in accommodation, attractions, food experiences, and regional tourism.

What began as a simple idea during a staff camp oven cook-off has grown into one of the Kimberley’s most memorable dining experiences.

Set among boab trees and dramatic red cliffs on the outskirts of Kununurra, the Gourmet Camp Oven Experience welcomes just 24 guests each evening to a secret outback location.

Guests are collected from their accommodation before being transported to the site, where they enjoy a four-course dinner cooked over coals and in camp ovens.

The menu highlights local produce and native ingredients, while guests dine beneath solar-lit chandeliers and the Kimberley night sky beside crackling campfires.

Speaking after the awards ceremony, Gourmet Camp Oven Experience founder Josh Melville said the recognition was a proud moment for the team and for Western Australia.

“We’re lucky enough to have taken home two gold medals at the tourism awards last nights: best tourism restaurant in Australia, and food excellence gold as well, so we’re extremely proud of that,” he said.

“The Gourmet Camp Oven Experience is a four-course dining experience underneath the stars in the beautiful East Kimberley.

“We pick up our guests from their accommodation, take them out to a secret location, and cook over the fire and in camp ovens, play a little bit of music as well.

“We hero local and native ingredients.

“It’s just something extra special.

“We have solar light chandeliers along a long table, and we dine underneath the stars. We take 24 guests each evening, and so it’s nice and intimate.

“We’re just so thrilled to represent the State and to take home gold for WA.”

Other Kimberley businesses that received national recognition, were Willie Creek Pearls, which won silver in the tourism retail, hire and services category; Oolin Sunday Island Cultural Tours, which won silver for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander tourism experiences; and HeliSpirit, which received bronze in the major tour and transport operators category.

The awards capped a two-day tourism industry program across Fremantle and Rottnest Island, highlighting innovation and collaboration within the sector while celebrating the operators helping showcase Western Australia to the world.

WA’s tourism sector hit a milestone 1.024 million international visitors in the latest 12-month visitor data. It was the nation’s top-performing State for international tourism recovery, recording Australia’s biggest year-on-year percentage increase in overseas visitor numbers.

Tourism Minister Reece Whitby said the awards showcased the very best of all Western Australia had to offer to a world-class tourism industry.

“Every finalist was a gold award recipient in their category at a State level before stepping on to the national stage, which speaks to the incredible talent, dedication and innovation across our tourism sector,” he said.

“We’re thrilled to see our local operators celebrated nationally, showcasing why Western Australia is such a special place for visitors and business events”.