HUNTER VALLEY LEGENDS
Philip Hele, OAM - His family have owned & operated the Hunter Valley Resort since 1991.
In 1994, he was an inaugural director of the Hunter Regional Tourism Organisation (HRTO) and chaired the organisation for a number of years.
Much of the 90's was spent overseas in the US, Europe and UK marketplaces ensuring the Hunter Valley was included in travel agent itineraries for visitors to Australia. Through the 2000's he did the same thing in the emerging Asian markets making sure there was significant international visitor dispersal from the Sydney source market into regional NSW, especially the Hunter region.
In 2001, he with 3 other Hunter business people, established the Bluetongue Brewery, the first truly regional craft brewery in NSW, Bluetongue going on to become the 6th largest brewery operation in Australia.
The Governor of NSW appointed him to the board of Tourism NSW in 2007. For the next 5 years whilst on the board, he represented the interests of Regional NSW businesses, securing a record $40 million for Regional NSW marketing. He was also a member of the Regional NSW Flagship Events board and Chairman of AVIC (this body responsible for the accreditation and marketing of all 176 Visitor Information Centres across NSW).
In 2011, he was appointed chairman of the Regional NSW Reference Group for the inaugural Visitor Economy Taskforce report to government recommending a completely new strategic direction for regional NSW visitor economy, and how regional NSW should be marketed through to 2020.
At the 2012 NSW Tourism Awards in Sydney, he was recognised with the award for Significant Contribution to NSW Tourism by an Individual.
In 2013, he rejoined the board of Hunter Valley Wine and Tourism Association and remains a director to this day.
In the 2014 Queens Birthday Honours list, he was awarded an Order of Australia for Services to Australian Tourism and the Hunter Valley Community.
His latest venture is the new 4 Pines at the Farm taproom facility and associated Hunter Farm and Adventure Centre at his family's Hunter Valley Resort on Hermitage Road.
Philip Hele, OAM was inducted as a Living Legend in 2022.