The Fleurieu made its usual good showing at the 2022 South Australian Tourism Awards, with three gold medal winners.

The awards for excellence in the South Australian tourism industry were announced at a gala dinner on Thursday 3 November at the Adelaide Convention Centre.

The celebration acknowledges business excellence, recognises innovation and rewards exceptional customer service.

A total of 16 Fleurieu Peninsula tourism operators were finalists and Rex Ellis was acknowledged for his outstanding contribution as an individual.

A tourism pioneer, Rex Ellis developed adventure tourism before it was even a term, starting outback safaris in 1965.

He built the first feral-proof property in Australia at Douglas Scrub in McLaren Vale, has written 11 books, printed a desert map and walked across numerous Salt Lakes raising money for Birdlife Australia.

The gold medal winners were Kool Tours, for Indigenous tourism experiences; Kimbolton Wines, for winery tourism; and Naiko Retreat, for self-contained accommodation.

There were four silver medal winners: Beach Huts Middleton, Carriage of Occasion, Big Duck Boat Tours and The D’Arenberg Cube.

There were also three bronze medallists: The Currant Shed, Old Coash Road Estate and De Groot Coffee Co.

The three gold winners will go on to represent South Australia at the national awards in Sydney in March 2023.