Winning a Medal at the Australian Tourism Awards is one of the great honours in the tourism industry. These awards are widely considered the benchmark for excellence in Australian tourism, with judges conducting an extensive assessment of business operations, marketing, sustainability, product development and customer experience.
But here’s the funny thing.
While I’m incredibly proud to receive a national medal, there is another recognition that means just as much — perhaps even more.
On the same week as winning at the national level I was also informed by Tripadvisor the Margaret River Discovery Tour has achieved a remarkable 18 consecutive years as the #1 Experience in the Margaret River Region.
And that award doesn’t come from judges.
It comes from real people who have actually done the tour.
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What the Australian Tourism Awards Actually Measure
The Australian Tourism Awards are not a popularity contest.
They’re a deep dive into how a tourism business actually operates.
To even enter the Tour & Transport Operators category, businesses must submit a detailed application addressing areas such as:
- Business strategy and product development
- Marketing performance and target markets
- Customer service initiatives
- Sustainability and responsible tourism practices
- Industry accreditation and compliance
In fact, the judging framework itself allocates scores across multiple areas including business performance, customer reviews and marketing effectiveness.
The process can require thousands of words of documentation, evidence, performance metrics and strategic analysis. In other words:
This isn’t just about running a nice tour.
It’s about proving that the business behind the tour is exceptional in every dimension.
To come away with a Bronze Medal at the national level in that environment is something I’m genuinely proud of.
But it tells only part of the story.
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The Award That Matters Most: Real Humans
The recognition that means the most to me isn’t from judges.
It’s from guests.
For 18 consecutive years, Tripadvisor has ranked the Margaret River Discovery Company as the #1 Experience in the Margaret River Region.
That’s not a judging panel.
That’s thousands of travellers leaving honest reviews after their day out in the Margaret River landscape.
Every review represents a real human who paddled the river, hiked the coast, tasted wines, and experienced the region in a deeper way.
When people say something like:
“This was the highlight of our entire trip to Australia.”
That’s the moment the business exists for.
Not trophies.
Not industry recognition.
Just people walking away saying: “That was unforgettable.”
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Ranked #1 in Western Australia
The recognition doesn’t stop there.
According to the Shiji ReviewPro Global Review Index, the Margaret River Discovery Company currently sits as:
#1 tourism experience in Western Australia
…out of 900+ tourism operators across the state.
That ranking aggregates review performance across major travel platforms including:
- Tripadvisor
- Google Reviews
- Booking platforms
- Global travel review networks
In other words, it’s not one website.
It’s the combined voice of thousands of travellers across the entire tourism ecosystem.
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A Tiny Business in a Big Tourism Industry
What makes all this even more surreal is the scale of the business.
The Margaret River Discovery Company is essentially:
- One guide
- A 4WD
- Three canoes
- An esky full of local produce
It’s a one-man tourism operation.
Yet somehow it sits alongside much larger tourism businesses on both the national awards stage and international review platforms.
The reason is simple.
The tour was never designed to be a traditional wine tour.
Instead, it’s built around a deeper idea:
Terroir.
The French concept that the character of wine is shaped by geology, climate, ecology and landscape.
So the experience isn’t just about tasting wine.
Guests paddle the Wooditjup Bilya (Margaret River), explore the forest and coastline, and then taste wines with a much deeper understanding of how the land shapes them.
The landscape becomes the story.
And the wine becomes the final chapter.
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Why Guest Reviews Matter More Than Trophies
Industry awards are incredibly valuable.
They provide benchmarking, accountability and recognition from peers.
But guest reviews represent something even more important:
Truth.
They reflect how visitors actually experience the product in the real world.
There are no judging criteria.
No submission documents.
No strategic narratives.
Just people saying:
- Was it memorable?
- Did it feel authentic?
- Would you recommend it to friends?
And for nearly two decades, travellers have overwhelmingly answered:
Yes.
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A Shared Achievement for the Margaret River Region
One thing often overlooked about tourism awards is that they are never truly individual achievements.
Every tour depends on a network of local legends.
Farmers, winemakers, chefs, coffee roasters, mechanics, suppliers and small businesses that make the experience possible.
Margaret River is one of the most remarkable tourism regions in the world precisely because of that community.
When guests say a day with the Margaret River Discovery Company was the highlight of their trip, they’re really talking about the entire region working together to create something special.
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Looking Ahead
Winning a Bronze Medal at the Australian Tourism Awards is an incredible honour.
But the real goal has always been simple:
Create an experience that connects people to the landscape, culture and story of Margaret River.
If the reviews continue to say we’re doing that well…
Then that’s the award that matters most.
✅ Australian Tourism Awards — Bronze Medal
✅ #1 Experience in Margaret River — 18 consecutive years on Tripadvisor
✅ #1 Tourism Experience in Western Australia — Shiji ReviewPro (900+ operators)
For a tiny tourism business built around a few canoes and a 4WD…
That’s a pretty extraordinary journey.
About Margaret River Discovery Tours
Sean Blocksidge is the owner operator of the Margaret River Discovery Company, an avid photographer, blogger and South West WA ambassador. In 2010 he won Western Australian Guide of the Year and his tours have been rated the #1 thing to do in Australia on the Tripadvisor website for the past two years.
