ONE of Tasmania’s most recognised agri-tourism ventures, Coal River Farm, has again been awarded at the Tasmanian Tourism Awards.
Held late last year, the awards honour outstanding achievements across 25 categories representing a number of sectors in the industry, recognising innovation, excellence, quality and sustainability in tourism, and provide the benchmark for best practice within the industry.
Coal River Farm took home the gold for the Tourism Retail and Hire Service category and for the Excellence in Food Tourism category, something they’ve grown used to over the past few years, having won the award in each of the last five years. Daniel Leesong owns and operates Coal River Farm with his family and said the idea sprung only a few years ago from a blending of passion and opportunity.
“The inspiration came from us living and being passionate Tasmanians and seeing a big interest factor amongst visitors on how food is grown here, how it’s made, and the terroir involved in it,” Mr Leesong said.
“The rest is history really. We grew quite quickly, and since then we’ve been overwhelmed by the support and by the interest people have shown that have come through. “Their thirst for knowledge and understanding on where their food comes from is just amazing.”
In only five years since opening their doors, Coal River Farm now has eight storefronts across Tasmania, Western Australia and Victoria that showcase their Tasmanian chocolate and cheese to a national audience, something that should hold them in good favour when they represent Tasmania at the Qantas Australian Tourism Awards later this year.
“The last few years have been exhausting with dealing with closures in our stores, opening and shutting and opening the doors in Melbourne, so it’s been great to have this consolidation year, where we can get back to everything and focus on I guess growing our brand,” Mr Leesong said.