Congratulations to all nominees in the inaugural Tassie Tour Guide Award program! We are proud to announce the following finalists, with this year's winner to be announced on the 1st of July, during the evening networking event of the 2025 Tasmanian Tourism Conference.

Sam Bradley,Derwent Experience

Sam Bradley is a Tasmanian tour guide, storyteller, and founder of The Derwent Experience. With a deep love for his island home, Sam creates experiences that bring together nature, history, food, and connection. Whether he’s leading a walk through Hobart’s heritage streets or sharing a quiet moment by a mountain river, Sam guides with curiosity, care, and heart. His tours reflect a belief that the best travel moments are often the simplest — shared stories, good company, and a sense of place. Sam’s work invites people to see Tasmania not just as a destination, but as something to belong to.

Nathan Cocks, Tassie Tours Tasmania

Nathan Cocks is a passionate Tasmanian tour guide with Tassie Tours, specialising in the Hastings Caves and Tahune Airwalk experience. With a background in outdoor education and hiking leadership, Nathan has spent the past 18 months developing his craft across Tasmania. Known for his personalised approach, Nathan engages guests through interactive experiences - sharing endemic plant samples, telling compelling environmental stories, and showcasing 900-year-old Huon Pine pieces. Studying surveying and spatial sciences alongside guiding, Nathan continuously enhances his knowledge through university education, peer learning, and conversations with industry professionals, delivering memorable experiences that highlight Tasmania's natural beauty and cultural significance.

Cat Davidson, Inala Nature Tours

Based on Bruny Island in southern Tasmania, this passionate naturalist and guide brings science to life with humour, heart, and deep local knowledge. Specialising in Tasmania's extraordinary wildlife, they make complex ecology accessible while creating spaces where guests feel respected and open to wonder. With guiding experience from Hudson Bay to the Falkland Islands, Cat Davidson connects people with place, transforming observation into memory and stewardship. Her philosophy centres on deep respect for guests, wildlife, and Indigenous heritage. Guiding for Inala Nature Tours, they blend ecology with storytelling, inspiring curiosity, creating unforgettable encounters and lasting connections to the natural world.

Laura Dabner, Woolnorth Tours

Laura Dabner graduated from TAFE Tasmania, Drysdale in 1998 with an Advanced Diploma of Hospitality Management. Having worked in all aspects of the industry, and lived all along the east coast of Australia, in 2014 she returned home to take over Woolnorth Tours from her mum. From here, Laura worked as a guide and learnt much of her history and farming knowledge from her mother.

Howard Smith, eGuide

Howard Smith is a seasoned tour guide with over 20 years of experience in tour guiding. As founder of the award-winning Cradle Coast Tours and now a valued guide at eGuide with David Hearle, Howard is known for his deep local knowledge, engaging storytelling, and strong commitment to sustainability. He creates meaningful connections with guests and ensures every environment is left as it was found. Howard has a passion for Tasmania’s natural beauty and an ability to inspire and educate others.