The Top Tourism Towns in NSW have been crowned - some you might never have heard of
A South Coast gem has once again taken the crown for the Top Tourism Town in NSW, but it was Country NSW that really shone in this year's awards.
Every year, the NSW Tourism Association awards the top towns in the state, with Kiama now achieving an incredible three Gold wins in a row.
The coastal town took out the Top Tourism Town category again in 2026, and has been inducted into the NSW Top Tourism Town Hall of Fame.
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Kiama has won NSW Top Tourism Town three years running. Getty
Kiama was recognised for its "continued dedication, passion, and collaboration of the local community, tourism operators, businesses, and volunteers who work together to create exceptional visitor experiences year after year".
Organisers called the feat of winning three years in a row "truly remarkable".
Coming in second place in the Top Town category was regional gem Orange, followed by Wollongong, also along the coast south of Sydney.
Orange was another stand-out contender, also winning Gold in the People's Choice category.
The NRMA People's Choice Awards recognise the towns that have "captured the hearts of their communities and visitors alike", with winners being decided by public vote.
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Orange was another stand-out spot coming second overall and winning People's Choice. Destination NSW
Meanwhile, in the Small Tourism Town category, a place in regional NSW you might not have heard of before took out the top spot.
Gulgong, a historic gold-rush town in the Mudgee region, won thanks to its "rich heritage streetscape, thriving food and wine scene, boutique accommodation, arts and culture, and access to some of the state's most striking natural landscape".
Silver in the small town category was awarded to Gloucester, a town in Mid-Coast Council, within the Barrington Coast hinterland, with bronze going to Thirlmere, a small semi-rural town in the Macarthur Region of Sydney.
Gulgong, in Mudgee, is a historic gold rush town. Visit NSW
Gulgong was recognised for its "rich heritage streetscape" among other things. Getty
The winner of the Top Tiny Tourism Town award in 2026 was Broke, in the Hunter Valley of NSW.
A beautiful village in the tranquil Broke-Fordwich pocket of Australia's oldest wine-making region, Broke is known for having some of the best boutique and sustainable wineries in the area, as well as acclaimed fine dining, World Heritage-listed wilderness and ancient Aboriginal rock art.
Silver was awarded to Millthorpe, which you could actually visit on the way to Orange. Taking home bronze was Mungindi, within Moree Plains Shire, along the NSW and Queensland border.
Broke in the Hunter Valley was the Top Tiny Tourism Town in 2026. Visit NSW
The Small Tourism Town NRMA People's Choice winner was Shoal Bay, and the Tiny Tourism Town People's Choice went to Millthorpe.
The Top Tourism Town is the overall award for towns with a population of more than 5000, Small Tourism Town looks at towns with a population of between 1500-5000, while the Tiny Tourism Town category focuses on 1500 or fewer.
The 2026 awards were announced at the Local Government NSW Destination and Visitor Economy Conference in Maitland.
The ceremony also saw Huskisson inducted into the NSW Top Tourism Town Hall of Fame, following back-to-back Gold wins, including most recently at the 2025 NSW Top Tourism Town Awards.
The category winners go into the running to be crowned Top Tourism Town in Australia at the end of the year.
