Tourism in Daylesford and the surrounding areas has received a huge boost after Daylesford was chosen the best town in Australia.
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Voted best town by readers of Australian Traveller Magazine, Daylesford won the top spot from Broome in Western Australia, followed by Beechworth in Victoria.
The surprise defeat toppled the favourite Margaret River, which had won the title in the past two years but placed fourth along with newcomer Longreach. Hepburn Springs also had many mentions.
“Daylesford is gorgeous in its own rustic way – it’s perfect but not necessarily manicured,” one reader wrote.
“We are delightfully surprised that Daylesford received this recognition,” Noel Harvey, chairman Daylesford and Macedon Ranges Regional Tourism Board said.
“The quality of experience for visitors when they come to Daylesford is what got us over the line.
“Things have been difficult in Daylesford and this is a real shot in the arm.
“Hopefully it will translate into more visitors spending more time and money in Daylesford.”
An increase in tourism in the Daylesford and Macedon Ranges saw the amount of money spent by tourists rise by 5.7 per cent for the year 2011-12, according to Tourism Australia’s latest report.
Employment in the DMRR region also increased at an annual rate of 4.6 per for 2011-12.
The report said DMRR contributed a total of $470m in direct tourism consumption, with the majority of visitors travelling interstate to stay overnight.
“It reflects well, not just on all the hospitality and tourism businesses that operate in Daylesford and our region, but also those businesses and individuals that get involved and support the area in so many ways,” Hepburn shire DMRTB representative Cr Neil Newitt said.
“Visitors respond to an area on all sorts of levels and they clearly like what they experience here.”