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It’s hard to deny that Victoria is home to more than its fair share of very charming towns. And while we all have our favourites, it’s always interesting to see which spots get the stamp of approval from beyond the Time Out office. One key authority on the topic is the Australian Top Tourism Town Awards, and they’ve just announced the winners for their 2026 round of top town titles – with a handful of Victorian gems making the list.
Now in its sixth year, the annual awards celebrate Australia’s standout regional destinations across three categories: Top Tourism Town, Small Tourism Town and Tiny Tourism Town. Winners are decided through a combination of public votes and scores from an expert industry panel. This year’s winners were announced at a ceremony at Parliament House in Canberra on September 15, with Victorian towns picking up three of the nine available spots across the tourism town categories. Keen to plan your next escape from the city? Read on.
The biggest Victorian win went to the town of Portsea, which was crowned Australia’s Tiny Tourism Town for 2026. The Mornington Peninsula fave claimed the top spot in the category for towns with fewer than 1,500 residents, beating Queensland’s Toogoolawah and Tasmania’s Port Arthur. Less than 90 minutes from Melbourne, this coastal darling is best known for its beaches, gorgeous coastal walks, grand holiday houses and delightfully close proximity to some of the Mornington Peninsula’s most popular wineries and restaurants.
In the main awards category this year, Echuca was named the country's third Top Tourism Town. The historic Murray River town, known for its paddle steamers, heritage streets and riverside location, came behind Queensland’s Stanthorpe in first place and NSW’s Kiama in second.
Over on the Bellarine Peninsula, Portarlington took out third place in the Small Tourism Town category. The laid-back seaside town, around 30 minutes from Geelong, is a super popular base for exploring the Bellarine, with lovely beaches, top-tier wineries and ferry connections across Port Phillip Bay. This Vic gem came behind Queensland’s Airlie Beach and NSW’s Gulgong for this particular prize.
You can learn more about all of this year’s winners here.
Australia’s Top Tourism Town Awards 2026 winners:
Top Tourism Town (population over 5,000)
- Stanthorpe, QLD
- Kiama, NSW
- Echuca, VIC
Small Tourism Town (population between 1,500 and 5,000)
- Airlie Beach, QLD
- Gulgong, NSW
- Portarlington, VIC
Tiny Tourism Town (population under 1,500)
- Portsea, VIC
- Toogoolawah, QLD
- Port Arthur, TAS