The Old Dubbo Gaol has won gold in the Cultural Tourism category and bronze in the Tourist Attractions Category at the 2025 NSW Tourism Awards.
Dubbo Regional Council Mayor Josh Black congratulated the team on their achievements.
“This is a fantastic win to recognise all the work the staff have put into the facility over the past year, and it is a wonderful acknowledgement to the Dubbo region’s rich history to have the site recognised not once, but twice at these awards.
“Last year the team took out bronze in the same Cultural Tourism category, so this year it is exciting to see them stepping up and bringing home the gold.
“The awards are a testament to the excellence, hard work and dedication of the staff who provide outstanding and unique experiences to elevate the tourism industry in the Dubbo region,” Clr Black said.
In the past year the team at the Old Dubbo Gaol have celebrated being in tourism for 50 years with a cocktail dinner in November 2024.
They have also launched an in-house written book Sandstone Heart: A History of Dubbo Gaol, which is the first publication of the Old Dubbo Gaol’s full history, from lockup to landmark.
In 2025 the team have worked to improve the school based educational tours to provide better learning opportunities for young minds including the introduction of more interactive elements, with research and test tours taking place to continue to improve tours in future.
There have also been continuous efforts to improve the Old Dubbo Gaol’s sustainability, including operating with recycled paper bags in place of plastic souvenir bags.
Taronga Western Plains Zoo also took out gold for the best Major Tourist Attraction at the NSW Tourism Awards.
As a Gold winner the Old Dubbo Gaol automatically progresses as a finalist to the 2025 Australian Tourism Awards, which will be held in Fremantle in March 2026.