Drawcard Ballarat tourist attraction Sovereign Hill has won gold at the state’s top tourism awards. The team behind the popular living museum have taken out gold in Excellence in Accessible Tourism at the 2025 Victorian Tourism Awards. The award recognises businesses that provide a product, experience or service that goes above and beyond to accommodate and cater for people with disabilities.
Also taking top honours was Sovereign Park Motor Inn winning gold in the 4-4.5 Star Accommodation category. The property consistently delivers guests a second to none experience and this, like other awards the team have recently won, only solidifies their stellar reputation.
Other winners from the region included silver for Hotel Vera (Hosted Accommodation) and bronze for Kryal Castle (Tourist Attraction), with the Ballarat Wildlife Park being highly commended (Major Tourist Attraction).
The night also saw recognition for the Tourism Midwest Victoria team, with the Brilliantly Unexpected campaign being awarded bronze (Tourism Marketing and Campaigns). This caps off a big first year for the destination campaign, with plenty more brilliance to come.
The Victorian Tourism Awards, hosted annually by the Victoria Tourism Industry Council (VTIC), honour business excellence and performance within the industry. Ninety-nine finalists across 29 categories were recognised at this year’s awards, with gold winners now advance to compete at the Australian Tourism Awards which will take place on Friday 6 March 2026.
Quote attributable to Tourism Midwest Victoria Chair Hon. John Pandazopoulos
“We are incredibly proud of this year’s finalists, each of whom continues to set the standard for excellence in tourism and help shape our region as a standout destination for visitors.
These awards celebrate the remarkable achievements of our tourism operators who work tirelessly to deliver unforgettable experiences that keep people coming back time and time again.
A huge congratulations to the teams at Sovereign Hill and Sovereign Park Motor Inn for taking home gold in their categories.”
Quote attributable to Cr Tracey Hargreaves, City of Ballarat Mayor
“Ballarat is proud to be home to such a thriving and imaginative visitor economy. The awards highlight why our region is such a compelling place to visit, with many tourists coming on the recommendation of their Ballarat based friends and family who want to show off their ever-evolving city.”
Media enquiries:
Tourism Midwest Victoria
marketing@tourismmidwestvic.com.au