It won Best Tourist Attraction and Unique Accommodation at a gala ceremony in Sydney.

It was the fourth year in a row the zoo had been a finalist in the awards and the second consecutive year it won Best Tourist Attraction. It follows the zoo winning the National Tourism Award for best tourism attraction in 2013.

Since then the zoo has opened the all-new Zoofari Lodge in March and the new Savannah Cabins in September.

"2015 is set to be a big year for the zoo also, with the completion of a new elephant facility, the opening of a new meerkat exhibit and continued breeding success with the wildlife in our care," the zoo's general manager, Matt Fuller, said.

Meanwhile Dubbo City Council was named Gold Winner of the Local Government Award for Tourism.

Dubbo Mayor Mathew Dickerson said the award reflected Council's efforts to position Dubbo as a desirable tourist destination and as a base for exploring the wider Orana region.

"Investment in facilities such as Caltex Park and Barden Park is enabling Dubbo to host major events and with these events come tourists," he said.

"Council is also planning for future tourism development in strategic areas such as Wiradjuri Park and the Regional Botanic Gardens."

Councillor Dickerson said Dubbo was fortunate to have a wide variety of attractions, including Taronga Western Plains Zoo, which gave visitors a reason to stay in the city longer.

"This has been achieved through the development of packages and trails such as the Rhino Adventure Trail," he said.

"Such packages and trails make travelling easier and more efficient with suggested itinerary, travel, accommodation and event tickets and attraction entry all rolled in to one.

"These initiatives require the support of local industry partners as well as neighbouring local government areas."