We Won National Gold: A Love Letter to Pomonal and the Village That Built The Nook

I am writing this from Fremantle, Western Australia, still trying to process what happened last night.

At the Qantas Australian Tourism Awards, surrounded by the absolute best operators in the country, Nook On The Hill was called to the stage. We won Gold! Nook On The Hill is officially the best Self-Contained Accommodation in Australia.

To say I am speechless doesn’t quite cover it. When I look back at the journey of this little house, it feels surreal that we are standing here today. But it has not been without help. I know now that it takes a village to build a business, and what an incredible village we have here in Pomonal.

I have to start by thanking my family. To Mum, Luke and Holly, thank you for supporting me through the entire building process of this dream. And to my Dad. Dad passed away just after the house was finished five years ago. I was thinking about him last night and I just know he would be so, so proud of what this has become.

My friends, you are my adopted family. I couldn’t have done any of this without you. And to the Nook’s incredible housekeeper, Kyle, your passion and the absolute pride you take in caring for the Nook is the reason we are here. This business is what it is because of your hard work behind the scenes.

But this award is about something much bigger than the little house on the hill. Two years ago, our little village of Pomonal was decimated by a bushfire. It wiped out 46 homes in our tight-knit community. Ten months later, several more bushfires tore through the region, wiping out two-thirds of the Grampians National Park, the very heart of our local tourism.

The Nook had only been open for two summers and we had already lived through two devastating fires. The heartbreak our community felt was unimaginable.

But out of those ashes came a fierce, stubborn determination. We leaned on each other. At the Nook, we doubled down on our commitment to our local producers, our bakers, our wineries and our artisans. We knew that nurturing local relationships and supporting a circular economy was our way out of this disaster.

Winning National Gold is truly a testament to that philosophy. It proves that when you invest in quality and uplift the people around you, incredible things happen.

Adding to the region’s remarkable success, Mount William Station also took out Gold in the 5 Star
Accommodation category. Bringing two national golds back to the recovering community is incredibly
special and proves that Gariwerd is a truly world-class destination.

To every single guest who has walked through our doors, bought local because of our hamper, supported a regional winery, or simply left us a beautiful review… thank you. You are part of this village too.

We are taking this Gold medal back to Gariwerd/Grampians. This one is for Pomonal.

Warmly,
Benj