Eco luxe: Peter Johnson and Kerry McFadyen at their treehouses.
Slice of success: Slice of Haven food and wine festival attracted celebrity MC Peter Everett who was a hit with young and old.
TWO key Camden Haven icons are among the finalists in the North Coast Tourism Awards.
The Slice of Haven Food and Wine Festival and Diamond Waters Treehouses are up for the festivals and events award and luxury accommodation categories respectively.
Both are relatively young on the local scene but have certainly made an impact.
Slice of Haven was born in 2008 and attracted 20 stallholders showcasing the finest gourmet cuisine from local ingredients.
The festival attracted around 1500 visitors. Fast forward to 2012 and the event has grown to include over 70 stallholders bringing over 16,000 visitors. The vision of supporting local business and produce remains constant.
“Our organising committee, who are all volunteers, are extremely excited and proud to be a finalist in the festivals and events category. We hope recognition at a regional level will help give the Camden Haven the identity it needs,” said event coordinator Jenelle Nosworthy.
Peter Johnson and Kerry McFadyen of Diamond Waters Nursery built their luxury treehouse accommodation on site and opened the doors to guests just 12 months ago.
The bookings have been solid and have included media identities and several international guests who have spruiked far and wide their experiences staying in the Camden Haven.
“The first twelve months of operation has been the most fantastic experience for us,” Peter said.
“Not only have we reached the finals of the North Coast Tourism Awards for Luxury Accommodation but we have also been nominated for the Australian Timber Industry Interior Fitout Award for a which an enormous amount of credit must go to Kim Thompsett of Holiday Coast Decorating by Design and local master craftsman, Paul Cullen.
“We are bringing guests to the Camden Haven that might not otherwise have visited the area and we are very happy about that.”
The awards ceremony will take place on September 1 at Rydges Port Macquarie.