A tiny Tasmanian town that counts seafood, penguins, national parks and even a distillery among its many attractions has been named the best town in all of Australia to visit.

Bicheno, a seaside hamlet with fewer than 1000 locals, took out the Australian Traveller title ahead of better known tourist destinations such as Port Douglas, Byron Bay, Port Fairy and Bowral when it was revealed early on Monday.

“Everyone who has ever driven the east coast of Tasmania knows how spectacular it is. And one of the highlights has always been stopping off in its sleepy seaside towns along the way,” Australian Traveller print editor and panellist Imogen Eveson said.

“But Bicheno has been evolving over the past few years and now has a fresh new energy putting it on the map.

“Besides the perennial drawcards that will never go out of fashion – nightly little penguin parade, famous blowhole and all-you-can eat fresh Tassie seafood – it now offers travellers stylish accommodation, a whisky distillery and a new wine bar that all bottle the spirit of the town. All the more reason to explore this spectacular pocket of Australia.”

Australian Traveller’s 100 Best Aussie Towns were selected by aggregating the votes of a panel of 15 well-known Australians and tourism industry experts. The towns were ranked from 1-100 and then organised into 10 categories.

Among the panellists were long-time TV travel host Catriona Rowntree, aviation expert Brett Godfrey and Seven Network travel host Irene Jones.

“I get hungry just thinking about this town, head to The Lobster Shack and thank me later!” Rowntree said of Bicheno.

Godfrey, meanwhile, said it was a “Tasmanian hidden gem”, while Jones hailed its calm.

Rowntree said runner-up Port Douglas was home to “one of my best ever cultural adventures I’ve taken my family on”, while Jones said it was simply “tropical holiday greatness”.

Next came another perennial favourite, Byron Bay.

“[It’s a] very well-known town for most Australians with a rich tapestry of culture and lifestyle that blends cuisine and overall experience,” said another panellist, Northern Territory travel industry executive Paul Ah Chee.

Fellow panellist Rae Johnston, an ABC radio host, said: “Byron has changed a lot over the years, but it still retains an eclectic mix of beachside hippie and posh coastal holiday-maker. This means, for visitors, you get a huge range of experiences.”

While Tasmania nabbed the top town, NSW had the most entries in the top 100 with 24. It was followed by Victoria with 20 and Queensland with 15.

Next came Western Australia with 13, South Australia with 11, Tasmania with a total of 10 and then a remarkable seven in the Northern Territory.

Eveson said Australian Traveller had championed regional travel for more than 20 years, encouraging Australians to explore the wealth of amazing places in their own backyard.

“This list is no exception and comes at a time when destinations around the country are doing it tough,” she said.

“We hope to support those towns by encouraging travellers – where they can – to get out there and keep exploring. And with 100 to choose from, you’re bound to be able to find a town to visit that’s closer to home.”

The full list of top 100 towns can be found here

Australian Traveller is part of the Solstice Media stable.