Owner and present day outback pioneer, Richard Kinnon, said everyone at Kinnon & Co is delighted to receive this award and to be recognised as leaders in creating great tourism products for outback Queensland.
“We really want Australians and overseas visitors to put outback Queensland on their tourist map,” Richard said.
“The more we can do to create a unique, quality outback experience, the more we can benefit the whole region, which has done it tough in the recent years of drought.
“We want people to associate Queensland with a heritage outback experience as well as with beaches and rainforests.”
For the Kinnon family’s business this award is the latest in a string of tourism awards that have recognised their ingenuity and dedication to tourism excellence.
The Kinnon & Co business started a decade ago to help the family subsidise its grazing business and has grown to become an iconic feature of the Longreach region, welcoming around 25,000 visitors a year to a range of experiences and heritage-inspired accommodation. The Kinnon family is still very much at the heart of it all, sharing their own stories as well as their passion for life on the land and for the pioneers who came before them.
The family’s newest accommodation – the 4-star Pioneer Slab Huts which opened in 2015 and the 4.5 star Homestead Stables, which opened in 2016 – have set a new standard in deluxe accommodation that also tells a story of its region.
“We thank OQTA for its promotion of the region and for showcasing our products through these awards,” Richard Kinnon said.
“It means a lot to us that this award will help attract more people to Longreach where we can share our Australian outback and inspire them to help us preserve its way of life for the future.
“We also congratulate all the other award winners who are helping to make our region a great destination for tourists. The turnout for the awards was amazing, with over 250 guests. It was such a great response.”
More media information or interviews with Richard Kinnon, contact Lani Pauli 0403 831 583 or lani@kinnonandco.com.au