We’re right up there as Australia’s Best Town, making it into the number two slot according to leading travel app Wotif’s 2024 Aussie Town of the Year Awards. Broken Hill was just edged into second place by Victoria’s Bendigo.
The Silver City’s attractions to visitors include artworks on display at the City Art Gallery, Priscilla, Queen of the Desert’s spirit living on with the annual five-day Broken Heel Festival, and the ruggedly landscapes just outside of town in one of Australia’s most sacred Aboriginal Historic Sites, the Mutawintji National Park.
Broken Hill City Council Visitor Services Coordinator, Patrick Kreitner, says it’s always great as a destination to place on any list, and being number two on Wotif’s Aussie Town of the Year Awards was a good achievement which he hopes will provide benefits to the region as a wave of tourism should start to pick up from next month with St Pat’s, Easter, and school holidays all looming.
“I think Broken Hill is one of the most exciting places anywhere in regional Australia,” Mr Kreitner told the Barrier Truth.
“There wouldn’t be a lot of towns that would have that much depth of history and culture and significance to the country, but with so many cultural layers.
“We see that every day when people are coming through the Visitor Information Centre, they’re just amazed by everything that’s here and all the different experiences they can have. It’s really an oasis in many ways. The whole region, Far West NSW, is a real treasure trove.
“Once people are here, it’s really easy to get them excited about the area and send them about. The tricky bit is getting the word out that people need to plan enough time when they come through. A list like this will hopefully prompt people to have a look into planning to come to Broken Hill.
“We know that Broken Hill is on many people’s bucket lists. This might just be the trigger they need to say, ‘okay, well, this year, we’re going make it happen’.”
Mr Kreitner also says the regional towns listed in Wotif’s top 10 continues a trend during Covid and post-Covid that Australians are continuing to seek, discover, and rediscover Australia’s best inland treasures for the first time.
Broken Hill Mayor, Tom Kennedy, told the Barrier Truth the high ranking meant a lot for the historic mining town that has so much to offer to tourists thanks to its charm and the city’s uniqueness.
“How the article starts is, ‘Forget Noosa, forget Gold Coast, Broken Hill has been ranked number two in the whole country for tourism visitation’. What it will mean is people that read that article will suddenly show interest in Broken Hill, come here, and you’d hope they continue to say just how good Broken Hill is,” Mayor Kennedy said.
“What you know about all those towns [in the top 10] is even though they have a considerable amount of tourism, when you go there, they still feel like authentic cities whereas you go to some of the previous tourism places that would have won those or been at the top of those, they’re very tourism-orientated and when you get there, you feel like you’re a tourist whereas in Broken Hill, you feel like you’re part of the city.”
Now in its seventh year, the Wotif Aussie Town of the Year Awards recognise trending Australian destinations for the year ahead and is based on a Wotif data index that looks at accommodation affordability, quality, and traveller satisfaction, with this year’s reflective of wanting to swap coastal getaways for inland educational experiences through a diverse mix of regional towns.
“Aussie travellers are driven by a curiosity to experience the world around them and it’s fantastic to see that pursuit of discovery leading many to find culture close to home,” Wotif Travel Expert, Sarah King, says.
“As one in five (20 per cent) Aussies are planning a trip during the upcoming Easter long weekend and over half (56 per cent) plan on taking advantage of school holidays for local getaways, these awards provide the ultimate inspiration for those planning their travels for the year ahead.”
2024 Wotif Aussie Town of the Year Awards
- Bendigo, VIC
- Broken Hill, NSW
- Stanthorpe, QLD
- Katherine, NT
- Bathurst, NSW
- Tanunda, SA
- Griffith, NSW
- Stanley, TAS
- Exmouth, WA
- Coober Pedy, S
PICTURE: PRISCILLA McINTOSH
