South East NSW

The Outstanding Employee Award recognises an inspirational employee who has demonstrated a passion for their role and a commitment to their workplace and the community.

Entry criteria 

Employers are required to highlight their employees’ commitment over the past 12 months to their workplace, the community, and to being an outstanding employee. To be eligible to enter this category, the employee must have been employed by their current employer for a minimum of 18 months at the time of entry.

2026 Finalists

Adam Rigby, Jindy Windows, Jindabyne

Brock Trounce, Southern Tablelands Electriacal and Control, Goulburn

Elaina Chandler, Town & Country Bookkeeping, Goulburn

Emma Knott, Hume Conservatorium, Goulburn

Stacey Rossetto, Narooma Law, Narooma

The Outstanding Young Business Leader Award recognises an inspirational business leader, aged 35 or under at the time of entry, who has demonstrated a commitment to their workplace, industry, and the community through leadership.

Entry criteria

Entrants must demonstrate their ability to lead and inspire people, showcasing exceptional leadership skills and strategic decision-making, while demonstrating how they have effectively utilised resources to achieve strong organisational outcomes, drive innovation, and deliver measurable success over the past 18 months.

Entrants must also demonstrate financial responsibility and success, outlining how their leadership has contributed to the organisation’s financial stability, performance, or growth. This may include evidence of responsible financial management, improved financial outcomes, or initiatives that have strengthened the organisation’s overall financial position.

To be eligible for this category, the individual must have held a senior management or executive-level position within their organisation for a minimum of 18 months at the time of entry.

2026 Finalists

Charlotte Jenkins, Clyde's Equine Bodywork, Batemans Bay

Jane Purcell, Break The Ice Media, Goulburn

Lachlan Mackay Wiggins, TRC Trails, Jindabyne

Megan Simjanovski, POP Camp, Karabar

The Outstanding Business Leader Award recognises an inspirational business leader, aged 36 years or over at the time of entry, who has demonstrated a commitment to their workplace, industry, and the community through leadership, while also providing mentorship to others.

Entry criteria

Entrants must demonstrate their ability to lead and inspire people, showcasing exceptional leadership skills and strategic decision-making, while demonstrating how they have effectively utilised resources to achieve strong organisational outcomes, drive innovation, and deliver measurable success over the past 18 months.

Entrants must also demonstrate financial responsibility and success, outlining how their leadership has contributed to the organisation’s financial stability, performance, or growth. This may include evidence of responsible financial management, improved financial outcomes, or initiatives that have strengthened the organisation’s overall financial position.

To be eligible for this category, the individual must have held a senior management or executive-level position within their organisation for a minimum of 18 months at the time of entry.

2026 Finalists

Callum Champagne, Grow the Future, Bega

Danielle Ghosn, Goulburn Organics, Goulburn

Daniel Neuhaus, Trader & Co, Yass

Hanna Marshall, Merimbula Visitor Information Centre, Merimbula

Jess and Nathan O'Donnell, Swannies Clothing Merimbula, Merimbula

Kristie Tsakiris, Merimbula Auto, Merimbula

Stacey Yeadon, Southern Tablelands Electrical and Control, Goulburn

The Outstanding Business Leader Award recognises an inspirational business leader, aged 36 years or over at the time of entry, who has demonstrated a commitment to their workplace, industry, and the community through leadership, while providing mentorship to others.

Entry criteria

Entrants must demonstrate their ability to lead and inspire people, showcasing exceptional leadership skills and strategic decision-making, while demonstrating how they have effectively utilised resources to achieve strong organisational outcomes, drive innovation, and deliver measurable success over the past 18 months.

Entrants must also demonstrate financial responsibility and success, outlining how their leadership has contributed to the organisation’s financial stability, performance, or growth. This may include evidence of responsible financial management, improved financial outcomes, or initiatives that have strengthened the organisation’s overall financial position.

To be eligible for this category, the individual must have held a senior management or executive-level position within their organisation for a minimum of 18 months at the time of entry.

2026 Finalists

Matt Morrissey, Embrace Disability Group, Jerrabomberra

Ricky Edmonds, A Stroke Ahead Swimming, Goulburn

This award celebrates the NSW businesses taking Australian excellence to the world whether through exporting, technology, partnerships, international expansion, global trade, or digital service delivery. It recognises the businesses shaping Australia's global reputation and creating opportunities for growth, innovation, and influence overseas.

Entry criteria

Entrants must demonstrate achievements over the past 12 months in at least one of the following areas:

• Exporting products or services

• International market expansion or market entry

• Cross-border digital trade

• International partnerships or alliances

• Licensing, franchising, or distribution overseas

• International brand or reputation building

**No finalists in this category for 2026

The Employer of Choice Award – 20 Employees and Under recognises a business that has implemented strategies and initiatives to create a stimulating and supportive workplace environment.  

Entry criteria 

Entrants must demonstrate their achievements over the past 12 months across the key areas of employee recruitment, engagement, and retention. Category criteria are based on initiatives that have had a positive impact on both employees and the business.

2026 Finalists

Camcast, Goulburn

Embrace Disability Group, Jerrabomberra

FLING Physical Theatre, Bega

Trader & Co., Yass

The Excellence in Innovation Award recognises a business that has implemented innovative solutions for new and existing needs through the introduction or improvement of a product, technology, or application that impacts the wider community.

Entry criteria

Entrants must demonstrate their achievements over the past 12 months at the time of entry across the key area of innovation.

2026 Finalists

Embrace Disability Group, Jerrabomberra

Four Winds Vineyard Circular Vintage, Murrumbateman

Goulburn Organics, Goulburn

Grow the Future, Bega

Rockstock Deli, Jindabyne

Southern Tablelands Electrical and Control, Goulburn

The Excellence in Sustainability Award recognises a business that has demonstrated its commitment to sustainable business practices and is working to reduce the impact of its operations on the environment.

Entry criteria 

Entrants must demonstrate their achievements in environmental sustainability over the past 12 months at time of entry. The category criteria are based on initiatives and projects within the business that are not related to its core offering.

2026 Finalists

Beach Road Clinical Services, Batemans Bay

Braidwood Food Company, Braidwood

Four Winds Vineyard Circular Vintage, Murrumbateman

Goulburn Organic, Goulburn

Grow The Future, Bega

The Outstanding Community Organisation Award recognises an organisation that works to improve the social, cultural, or environmental wellbeing of the community.

Entry criteria

Entrants must demonstrate their commitment over the past 12 months to being an outstanding community organisation. This category is open to social enterprises and not-for-profit organisations that have been trading for a period of over 24 months at the time of entry.

2026 Finalists

Grow the Future, Bega

Yumaro, Moruya

The Outstanding New Business Award recognises a start-up that has effectively driven growth and is able to demonstrate potential to achieve future success.

Entry criteria 

Entrants must demonstrate their commitment to being an outstanding start-up over the past 12 months. This category is open to businesses that have been trading for less than 24 months at the time of entry.

2026 Finalists

All Stages Performing Arts, Yass

Beauty Withinn, Goulburn

Fitness 4 Life, Malua Bay

Foxdog Distillery + Brewery, Mogo

Revive Jindabyne, Jindabyne

Shire Midwifery, Bangor

Travel Billy, Pambula

The Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion Award recognises businesses that champion inclusivity for diverse communities, such as older people, people from culturally diverse backgrounds, and people with disability. An inclusive business facilitates the needs of all its employees and customers.

Entry Criteria

Entrants must demonstrate their commitment over the past 12 months to address the needs of a diverse community. This category is open to businesses that have been trading continuously for two or more years.

2026 Finalists

Camcast, Goulburn

Embrace Disability Group, Jerrabomberra

Rainbow Club Batemans Bay, Batemans Bay

Raine & Horne Goulburn & Crookwell, Goulburn

The Excellence in Micro Business Award recognises a business with 5 employees and under that has effectively driven growth and can demonstrate the specific strategies implemented to achieve business success and/or resilience.

Entry criteria 

Entrants must demonstrate their achievements in business excellence over the past 12 months at the time of entry. This category is open to businesses with fewer than five employees at the time of entry, that have been trading for more than 24 months.

2026 Finalists

Eagles Range, Jindabyne

Jindabyne Electrical, Jindabyne

Lume Chiropractic, Batemans Bay

POP Camp, Karabar

Southern Tablelands Electrical and Control, Goulburn

Sweet Pea & Poppy, Murrumbateman

Tathra Beach Personal Training Studio, Tathra

The Travel Compass Merimbula, Merimbula

Town & Country Bookkeeping, Goulburn

TravelManagers - Jessica Bennett, Batemans Bay

Wildlife Reimagined, Yass

The Excellence in Small Business Award recognises a business with 6 to 20 employees that has effectively driven growth and can demonstrate the strategies implemented to achieve business success and/or resilience.

Entry criteria

Entrants must demonstrate their achievements in business excellence over the past 12 months. This category is open to businesses with 6 to 20 employees at the time of entry, who have been trading for more than 24 months at the time of entry.

2026 Finalists

Beach Road Surgery & Skin Clinic, Batemans Bay

Birchwood Jindabyne, Jindabyne

Camcast Pty Ltd, Goulburn

Jigsaw Plan Management Pty Ltd, Goulburn

Merimbula Auto, Merimbula

Michelago General Store & Café, Michelago

Swannies Clothing Merimbula, Merimbula

Trader & Co, Yass

TRC Trails, Jindabyne

The Excellence in Medium Business Award recognises a business with 21-99 employees that has effectively driven growth and can demonstrate the specific strategies implemented to achieve business success and/or resilience.

Entry criteria

Entrants must demonstrate their achievements in business excellence over the past 12 months. This category is open to businesses with 21 to 99 employees at the time of entry, who have been trading for more than 24 months at the time of entry.

Please Note: There will be 2 Awards presented at the gala awards.

2026 Finalists

Catalina Club, Batemans Bay

Eurobodalla Health and Fitness, Batemans Bay

Growing Abilities, Goulburn

The Excellence in Workplace Health & Wellbeing Award recognises a business that demonstrates an outstanding and holistic commitment to protecting and enhancing the health and wellbeing of its people. This award celebrates organisations that create physically and psychologically safe workplaces, reduce incidents and risks, support mental health, promote respectful behaviour, and embed a strong culture of proactive health & wellbeing leadership.

This award acknowledges businesses that go beyond compliance, those that integrate modern best practice across mental health, wellbeing, and respectful workplace conduct to ensure every employee feels safe, supported, valued and able to thrive.

Entry Criteria

Entrants must demonstrate: 

• A clear and effective workplace health, safety and wellbeing strategy, with policies, training, reporting mechanisms, and demonstrated actions that foster a safe workplace culture.
• Innovation or best practice in safety and wellbeing policies, procedures, leadership capability, technology, training or cultural initiatives that enhance physical and psychological safety.
• Evidence of employee engagement in safety and wellbeing programs, such as participation in safety improvement activities, mental health initiatives, and respectful-workplace training.
• Measurable improvements in workplace outcomes, such as reductions in physical incidents, injuries, near-misses, hazards, psychological injuries, workers compensation claims or absenteeism.

2026 Finalists

Step 1 Physiotherapy, Goulburn

Southern Tablelands Electrical and Control, Goulburn

The Outstanding Local Chamber Award recognises a chamber that has made a meaningful and measurable impact on its local business community over the past 12 months. This category celebrates chambers that champion local economic growth, strengthen business capability, foster collaboration, and deliver initiatives that create positive economic, environmental, or social outcomes.

Entrants must demonstrate how their chamber has identified community or business needs, delivered purposeful projects or advocacy, and contributed to a stronger, more connected, and more resilient local business ecosystem. Whether through events, programs, advocacy, partnerships, or community engagement.

Examples of Eligible Chamber Activities but not limited to:

• Business networking or training workshops
• Mentoring or training programs
• Local advocacy wins or policy influence
• Events that supported local operators or industries
• Community business collaboration initiatives
• Campaigns that lifted local business visibility
• Initiatives improving business resilience after natural disasters
• Projects that strengthened business confidence or resilience 

Entry criteria

To be eligible for this category, local chambers must be a part of the Business NSW Chamber Local Chamber Alliance program.

2026 Finalists

Bega Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Bega

Business 2580, Goulburn

Jindabyne Chamber of Commerce, Avonside

The Outstanding Visitor Experience award recognises a business that understands the importance of visitor engagement for a region’s economy* and reputation. The business needs to articulate how they promote the region while as well an offering an exceptional visitor experience.

Entry criteria

Entrants must demonstrate how their business showcases the region/community and how their offering is unique within their industry.

2026 Finalists

Merimbula Tourism Inc, Merimbula

Murrumbateman Chocolate Co, Murrumbateman

Murrumbateman Field Days, Murrumbateman

Ocean Reach Pambula Beach, Pambula Beach

Sea Otter Australia Festival, Malua Bay

Wildbrumby Distillery, Crackenback

The Outstanding Visitor & 24-Hour Economy Collaboration Award recognises a collaborative project, initiative, or partnership that has strengthened and enhanced the visitor economy including the 24-hour economy over the past 12 months.

This category celebrates efforts led by Local Business Chambers, Local Government, Visitor Information Centres, Tourism Industry Associations, and groups of two or more operators who have worked together to deliver exceptional visitor experiences and increase the economic, social, and cultural value of their region.

Entry criteria

Entrants must demonstrate how their project showcases the region/community, including how the collaboration and alignment of tourism operators, business and the community contributed to the project’s success.

Projects may include but are not limited to:

• new product or innovative product development
• upgrades or enhancements to tourism infrastructure or services
• generating knowledge and/or insight to improve decision making
• creating partnerships to advance industry performance
• a marketing or awareness campaign, and
• an initiative to address a sector specific challenge.

*What is the 24-hour economy? When we talk about a 24-hour economy, the focus is on how we make our economy just as vibrant, productive and diverse in the night as it is throughout the day. The night-time economy consists of all the activities that take place as the traditional ‘business day’ ends. There are three distinct nighttime periods (see below), each with their own set of dynamics and community needs. The night-time economy is made up of a broad range of industries. These include core businesses such as restaurants, cafes, pubs, bars, theatres, festivals, markets and live music and non-core or supporting businesses, including transport, retail, service industries, educational establishments and gyms. Daytime: 0600 – 1800 Evening: 1800 – 2100 Night-time: 2100 – 0200 Late night: 0200 – 0600 

** No finalists in this category for 2026

The Excellence in Sustainable Tourism* Award recognises a tourism business that has demonstrated its commitment to sustainable business practices both internally and in customer interactions. The award recognises efforts to minimise environmental impacts from its operations.
 
Entry criteria  

Entrants must demonstrate their achievements in sustainable tourism* over the past 12 months. The category criteria are based on initiatives and projects within the business that are not related to its core offering.

** No finalists in this category for 2026

This award recognises the outstanding contribution by an individual to the NSW tourism industry, honouring those who go over and above their own commercial focus to contribute to the broader industry. 

Entry criteria

Nominations are accepted from any party except the nominee.
 
Note: The emphasis should be on personal and professional commitment and contribution beyond what would be deemed part of their job. Their tourism contribution outside of their normal work should be emphasised.

This category is to acknowledge businesses of excellence involved in the sale of products and services from a physical retail precinct building or a home-based business retailing products and services (with stock on premises, held or made, sold from the home or sold online).

2026 Finalists

Bek's Bloomz, Run-O-Waters

Bredbo Christmas Barn, Bredbo

Hair on Imlay, Eden

Pink Flamingo Home Loans, Millingandi

Spinzone Batemans Bay, Kambah

Swannies Clothing Co Merimbula, Merimbula

Sweet Pea & Poppy, Murrumbateman

This category is to acknowledge business excellence in the delivery of trade services, construction services and value add manufacturing.

2026 Finalists

Camcast Pty Ltd, Goulburn

Hextra, Jindabyne

Jindabyne Electrical, Jindabyne

Matriark & Co, Queanbeyan East

Southern Tablelands Electrical and Control, Goulburn

TRC Trails, Jindabyne

This category is to acknowledge businesses for their excellence in the provision of services in the areas of law, accounting, Marketing, Media and IT as a firm or independent consultancy business.

2026 Finalists

FLING Physical Theatre, Bega

Town & Country Bookkeeping, Goulburn

This category is to acknowledge enterprises for excellence in the provision of high-quality care and customer service within the healthcare and wellness industries.

2026 Finalists

High Country Fitness, Jindabyne

Tathra Beach Personal Training Studio, Tathra

This category is to acknowledge excellence in agriculture and primary industries production.

2026 Finalists

Eagles Range, Jindabyne

Four Winds Vineyard, Murrumbateman

Business of the Year is open to all winners of the following categories:

• Excellence in International Business
• Employer of Choice - 20 Employees and Under
• Employer of Choice - 21 Employees and Over
• Excellence in Innovation
• Excellence in Sustainability
• Excellence in Diversity & Inclusion
• Excellence in Micro Business
• Excellence in Small Business
• Excellence in Medium Business 
• Excellence in Large Business  

This award recognises a business that demonstrates achievements and excellence over and above all other entrants. This award will be judged by a panel of three judges, each of whom has not judged any other award entries.