The Northern Rivers Rail Trail took out two categories at the 2026 North Coast Regional Tourism Awards, winning both Tourist Attractions and Excellence in Accessible Tourism at a gala dinner held Thursday night at Pacific Bay Resort in Coffs Harbour.
The rail trail, which converts disused rail corridor between Murwillumbah and Casino into a shared walking and cycling path, was one of several Northern Rivers operators to feature prominently among this year’s winners.
The awards are presented by Destination North Coast in partnership with the NSW Tourism Association and recognise operators across the broader North Coast Destination Network, from the Tweed to the Manning Valley.
Crystal Castle & Shambhala Gardens, the Byron Bay-region tourist attraction and wellness retreat, also won two categories — Tourist Attractions and Excellence in Accessible Tourism — matching the rail trail’s haul.
Byron Bay’s Crystalbrook Byron picked up two awards of its own, winning Business Event Venues and 5 Star Accommodation.
Other Northern Rivers winners included Lismore City Council, recognised in Festivals & Events for its Eat the Street event; Tweed Eco Cruises and Vision Walks – Eco Tours, which both won in Ecotourism and Tour & Transport Operators; Husk Farm Distillery, winner of Tourism Wineries, Distilleries & Breweries; and Tweed Holiday Parks, whose Kingscliff North and Pottsville North properties won Caravan & Holiday Parks while its Fingal Head park was Highly Commended in Cultural Tourism.
Clarence Valley Council won Cultural Tourism, and My Clarence Valley won Tourism Retail, Hire & Services.
The Belfry Guesthouse, in the Nambucca Valley, was inducted into the awards’ Hall of Fame after winning gold in Hosted Accommodation for a third straight year, in 2024, 2025 and 2026. Tanya Watts, representing the Coffs Harbour local government area, received the Outstanding Contribution to Regional Tourism award.
Winners and finalists who choose to proceed will move on to the 2026 NSW Tourism Awards, with state-level winners eligible to progress to the Australian Tourism Awards in 2027.
Ahead of the finalists being announced in June, NSW Tourism Association chief executive Natalie Godward said reaching finalist status was “a significant accomplishment and a reflection of the passion, professionalism and commitment these businesses bring to our regional visitor economies every day.” Destination North Coast general manager Michael Thurston said finalists “represent the very best of the North Coast visitor economy” and that their work “supports local jobs, businesses and communities across the region.”
Full list of 2026 winners by category:
Tourist Attractions: Northern Rivers Rail Trail; The Big Banana Fun Park; Crystal Castle & Shambhala Gardens
Festivals & Events: The Hoey Moey (The Park Beach Hotel Motel) — Tidal Sounds Music Festival; Lismore City Council — Eat the Street
Ecotourism: Tweed Eco Cruises; Vision Walks – Eco Tours; C-Change Adventures
Cultural Tourism: City of Coffs Harbour — Yarrila Arts and Museum; Port Macquarie Museum; Clarence Valley Council (Highly Commended: Tweed Holiday Parks Fingal Head)
Tourism Retail, Hire & Services: Better by Bike; Coffs Coast Accommodation; My Clarence Valley
Business Event Venues: Crystalbrook Byron
Tour & Transport Operators: Tweed Eco Cruises; Vision Walks – Eco Tours; Coffs Harbour Trike and Private Tours
Tourism Restaurants & Catering Services: Spare Chef Catering; Harwood Hotel; Valla Beach Tavern
Tourism Wineries, Distilleries & Breweries: Husk Farm Distillery; Woolgoolga Brewing Co.; Mograni Creek Estate
Caravan & Holiday Parks: Tweed Holiday Parks Kingscliff North; Tweed Holiday Parks Pottsville North; Discovery Holiday Parks Forster
Hosted Accommodation: The Belfry Guesthouse; Amaroo Escape; Cascade Springs
Self-Contained Accommodation: The Ridge Gloucester
4 or 4.5 Star Accommodation: Sea Sea Hotel
5 Star Accommodation: Crystalbrook Byron
New Tourism Business: Manning River Ferry Services; What’s Beyond the Mile – Home to the Tiny Mile
Excellence in Accessible Tourism: Northern Rivers Rail Trail; Crystal Castle & Shambhala Gardens.
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