The owners of the award-winning Daintree Discovery Centre are in Brisbane this weekend to attend the Queensland Tourism Awards, contesting the same three awards they won at last weekend’s Tropical North Queensland Tourism Awards.

Ron and Pam Birkett and the Daintree Discovery Centre team collected the best tourism attraction, ecotourism and sustainability awards at the TTNQ gala dinner at the Cairns Convention Centre on Saturday night.

It was the third consecutive year the centre has won the best tourist attraction award, and will next year to be inducted into the TTNQ Hall of Fame.

It was the first time the centre has won the sustainability award.

“It was a complete surprise to win three awards on the night,” Mrs Birkett said.

“Maybe this is some kind of precedent, especially being a small business located in the Daintree.”

In accepting the award for sustainability, a jubilant Mr Birkett praised the efforts of the staff at the centre, especially during the challenging tourism industry environment.

With more than 22 years of operation, the Daintree Discovery Centre has received an extraordinary number of awards over the years in categories which range in various fields from small business and training awards to general tourism and ecotourism awards.

The world-class interpretive facility is 10 kilometres north of the Daintree River and boasts a spectacular Aerial Walkway leading to a 23m high Canopy Tower at the top of the rainforest canopy.

State Tourism Minister, Jan Jarratt, also recently announced grants to expand its tours and audio services, including the introduction of a portable audio guide in Mandarin and an expanded Kuku Yalanji tour in consultation with the local tribe’s elders.

Other local winners on in the TTNQ awards included Hartley's Crocodile Adventures (Major Tourist Attractions), Sheraton Mirage Longest Lunch (Festivals and Events), and Jungle Surfing Canopy Tours (Adventure Tourism).

Lachlan Walker, the General Manager of Sheraton Mirage, was especially pleased with the award in the Festivals and Events category.

“We are extremely proud being associated with this prestigious award and alongside Events NQ, and are honored to be acknowledged by our tourism industry. 

"We are thrilled to be a part of the partnership with Donna Anderson, Managing Director of Events NQ who we work with to create this ever increasingly popular event for the region, and very proud to be recipients of this exciting and impressive award.”

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