During 2019, About Regional continued to extend its business coverage by showcasing dynamic and innovative businesses and initiatives across the region. South East NSW certainly is home to a talented bunch of entrepreneurs! Here’s a look back at some of the year’s success stories.
10. From paddock to Parliament – Braidwood black garlic business blooms
by Alex Rea
Cathy Owen and Jenny Daniher at work on the garlic farm near Braidwood. Photo: Supplied
Black is the new flavour, we wrote in August, and Braidwood’s black garlic business Garlicious Grown is going from strength to strength. It was chosen as one of 12 NSW businesses to be part of the Flavours of NSW stand at Australia’s premier food trade show – Fine Food Australia.
9. Global sailor launches navigation courses in Merimbula
by Contributor
Jackie looking for reefs, coming onto the Bahamas. Photo: Supplied
In May we reported that with the high seas behind her and having settled in the Bega Valley, Jackie Parry and her team were preparing for the nationwide rollout of their Coastal Navigation Courses, starting in Merimbula.
You’re invited to share their journey via SisterShip Training.
8. Relying on REX for regional lifestyle, city career
by Elka Wood
Regional Express’ secret is its fleet of Saab 340 turboprop planes. Photo: Supplied.
Rising out of the dust of the 2001 collapse of beloved Australian airline Ansett, REX has a key role in the growth of our local shires, we wrote in November. We spoke to some of the region’s regular commuters about how REX makes a difference by allowing more people to live regionally and still commute regularly to business centres like Sydney and Melbourne.
7. Tilba’s dairy maids: hardy, passionate, and with lovely long eyelashes
by Lisa Herbert
Creamy, rich Jersey milk is used in the Tilba cheese factory. Photo: Supplied.
When Erica and Nick Dibden bought the ABC Cheese Factory in 2012, there was no local Tilba milk being used in the factory. In fact, there was no cheese being produced there at all. But they’ve turned the situation around and these days, Tilba Real Dairy is open all year round, selling premium cream, milk, yoghurt and cheese products plus a beautiful selection of other local gourmet products.
6. Switchfoot Boardstore continues Pambula’s epic surf culture history
by Elka Wood
Florence, Patricia and Jed outside their Pambula business, Switchfoot Boardstore. Photo: Elka Wood.
“Surfing is a young sport in Australia,” Bournda-based board shaper Jed Done told About Regional in November. “The first foam boards were being made in the early 60s. Before that, it was all timber.”
Jed has been catching up on surfboard technology since he first began building boards when he was 15 and is now one of a handful of hand-shapers in the world, known for his trademark negative rocker in the tail of the board, which increases drive and speed. Find him in his Pambula surf shop, Switchfoot Boardstore, which he runs with his partner Patricia Mills.
5. South Coast home to Australia’s only commercial seaweed farm
by Elka Wood
Pioneering seaweed researcher Pia Winberg with some of the products in her Phycohealth line. Photo: Facebook.
Until a few years ago, most food-grade seaweed was sourced from Japan and Korea, where commercial farms produce tonnes of the stuff to meet worldwide demand. But Australia is catching up and it’s happening close to home, with Shoalhaven-based marine biologist Dr Pia Winberg running Australia’s only commercial seaweed farm from her farm-lab facility in Nowra. We spoke to Dr Winberg to learn more about her Phycohealth products.
4. Merimbula cafe embraces the messy unpredictability of parenthood
by Elka Wood
Deanna Reynolds of The Daisy Lounge in Merimbula. Photo: Supplied.
In July, we visited Merimbula’s parent-and-child friendly cafe and activity space, The Daisy Lounge, where owners Deanna and Brendan Reynolds have created an open, relaxed atmosphere. A mop and dustpan and broom stand ready in a corner, showing parents what they already know: mess is inevitable. We took a closer look at what’s on offer.
3. Get ready for first Food Truck Friday in Merimbula – Woo Hoo!
by Lisa Herbert
Food trucks like the Faraway Farm Fermentary will converge on Spencer Park this Friday. Photo: Lisa Herbert
In June, the first Food Truck Friday pop-up event for the Sapphire Coast came to Merimbula, boasting a dozen or so of our best food vans, with fire pits and patio heaters, festoon lighting and live music. Here’s a look back at what we wrote about the event.
2. From Eden to Bega to Bermagui young people are building businesses
by Elka Wood
Jason Akmens and Jess Collins live and work in Bermagui, running That Geek Guy. Photo: Supplied.
Starting your own business takes ticker, and it’s a leap of faith that you hope your community will support. In 2019, three new Bega Valley businesses headed by young people caught our eye. It’s the sort of drive, ambition, and service that About Regional is keen to support – as a member of that same community.
1. Trapman Bermagui – the life of a commercial fisher and social media star
by Elka Wood
Jason Moyce, or “Trapman,” often works alone but sometimes employs a deckhand, usually from the local high school leavers. Photo: Supplied.
Jason Moyce, who operates one of about five boats out of Bermagui, is a second-generation commercial fisherman in a world where not that many Australians can honestly write “fisherman” in the occupation box on any form.
But Jason’s fishing career is a little different to his dad’s in Botany Bay. That’s because he lives part of his career online, going by Trapman Bermagui on social media. He says he created his popular Facebook page in part to try to form a bridge between professional and recreational fishers, and he’s clearly having fun with his 50,000 followers!
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