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Cape Paterson Surf Life Saving Club hosted sold-out Bass Coast Shire Council Business Awards on 27 October 2023

The 2023 Bass Coast Shire Council Business Awards, held at Cape Paterson Surf Life Saving Club on October 27, showcased local excellence with 170 attendees and 2,300 People's Choice votes.

By news@gippsland - 27th October 2023 - Back to News

Local businesses in the Bass Coast Shire were the toast of the town on Friday, October 27, as the 2023 Bass Coast Shire Council Business Awards unfolded at the picturesque Cape Paterson Surf Life Saving Club, the awards night was sold-out, attended by 170 local business people and their supporters. This year's awards ceremony showcased a profound commitment to everything local. From the delicious food and beverages to trophies, vibrant flowers- the event incorporated and celebrated the outstanding talents of our region.

With 2,300 People's Choice Award votes and 54 diverse business applicants, the region's commitment to local talent shone through

People's choice awards

One of the highlights of the evening was the overwhelming response to the People's Choice Awards categories. This year, we received a staggering 2,300 votes, nearly doubling last year's count. The community's increasing involvement in celebrating local businesses in our region is heartening, and we extend our gratitude to all those who participated.

We thank all 54 applications submitted from businesses across diverse sectors, including construction, hair and beauty, health, hospitality, manufacturing, the visitor economy, retail, and professional services. Among these, 35 businesses applied for the awards, and we were thrilled to welcome 25 first-time applicants who took their place on the stage of recognition.

Business awards success

The esteemed judging panel for this year's awards was comprised of six industry professionals who generously volunteered their time to support the Business Awards. The panel included:

Kim Story, Destination Phillip Island
Andrea Evans-McCall, Countries University Centre
Rebecca Massaro, Interchange Gippsland
Heidi Hamm, Sustainability Victoria
Melissa Cashman, Phillip Island Nature Parks
Jennifer Carroll, GoTo Solutions

We would like to express our sincere appreciation to our sponsors, whose unwavering support made this event possible:

Harman Wines (Business of the Year)
Interchange Gippsland (Access, Equity and Inclusion)
Corio Generation (Business Innovation)
Westernport Water (Environmental Sustainability)
rEVENTS Academy (Event Excellence)
Destination Phillip Island (Marketing and Communications)
Small Business Mentoring Service (Resilience)
Food and Fibre Gippsland (Celebration Night)
nbn Local (Photography)

The 2023 Bass Coast Shire Council Business Awards were a resounding success, celebrating the entrepreneurial spirit and creativity of our local businesses. Council is proud to support and promote these exceptional enterprises, and we look forward to seeing them continue to thrive and contribute to the vibrancy of our community.

Business of the Year winner - Bass Coast Boat and Caravan Storage comments from the judges: