Family win: John, Julie and Sarah Hall with Oreo and Prickle have won the 2022 Travellers’ Choice award winner for Tourist Attractions.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
While renowned for its prickly presence, a visit to Strathmerton’s Cactus Country is anything but — now confirmed by Tripadvisor.
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The nation’s largest cactus garden has just taken out a 2022 Travellers’ Choice award winner for Tourist Attractions by Tripadvisor.
Owner and chief executive of Cactus Country John Hall said receiving the award was “a dream come true”.
“We have been blown away by the support we’ve had during COVID,” he said.
“It’s been a really tough year for the tourism industry up on the Murray and to win this Travellers’ Choice Award, as well as the 2021 Victorian Tourism award, has been a dream come true.
Sea of plants: Cacti and succulents as far as the eye can see.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
“We really hope it’ll shine a spotlight on the great things happening in our sunny part of the world.”
The award was given in celebration of businesses that had received great traveller reviews from around the globe on Tripadvisor in the past year.
Taking a piece of Mexico and placing it steadfast in the Goulburn Valley, the family-run business has thousands of cacti and succulents, along with a bar and restaurant and two farm pups.
In a note to the business, chief commercial officer at Tripadvisor Kanika Soni said ranking in the awards was “always tough” — particularly coming out of a pandemic.
“Whether it’s using new technology, implementing safety measures or hiring outstanding staff, I’m impressed by the steps you’ve taken to meet travellers’ new demands,” she said.
“You (Cactus Country) have adapted brilliantly in the face of adversity.”
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