They were all winners at the annual Blue Mountains, Lithgow and Oberon Tourism (BMLOT) Awards of Excellence, held at Scenic World in Katoomba last Friday.

The official regional tourism organisation’s awards recognise and promote product and service quality in the regional tourism and hospitality industry.

The BMLOT regional tourism awards feed into the NSW Tourism Awards and the Qantas Australian Tourism Awards. 

Sally and Bob Parrington from Jenolan Caravan Park said it was a team effort.

“First, we have to thank Aiden and Benita Clarke for establishing a great park,” she said.

“When we took over three years ago Jenolan Caravan Park already had many awards.

“We were lucky to have a great business to further develop and promote to bring people to Oberon.”

Mrs Parrington said the staff, in particular Susie Gibbons and Rebecca Setter, have to be thanked for their support and dedication.

The three winners were heartily congratulated at the start of Monday night’s Oberon Plateau Tourism Association (OPTA) dinner meeting.

Mayor John McMahon said the hard work done at the Visitor Information Centre had been recognised through the awards.

“Lynne Causer’s knowledge is a great asset to the centre and the whole staff’s enthusiastic provision of information, their friendly approach and warmth shown to visitors has made for a quality centre,” he said.

Cr McMahon was equally impressed with the Jenolan Caravan Park. 

“In my 30-odd years involved with council, Sally and Bob [Parrington] are two of the top operators of the caravan park we have had over that time,” he said.

“The facilities and service can’t be bettered anywhere and we really appreciate what you’ve done in raising the standard of the caravan park operation.”

Cr McMahon also commented that tourists were not particularly well-regarded in days gone by, but attitudes have changed. 

Tourists are welcomed to Oberon and tourism has become the shire’s third largest income earner, with the potential to become even more important in the future, he said.