Snowy Monaro Business Awards, and the winner is...

The Snowy Monaro Business Awards have been handed out at The Station Resort in Jindabyne.

With the chill of early season snow in the air, around 200 people turned out to cheer on and support the local business community.

Twelve categories were contested, in this the second year of the awards…

Excellence in Caravan & Holiday Parks

This category recognises excellence in caravan or holiday parks that offer cabin and tenting accommodation and enhance the tourism experience in the destination.

Winner –

Snowy River Holiday Park, Dalgety

Judges comments:

Snowy River Holiday Park has won this award for their personalised service, clear goals for future growth, continuing to improve their offering and sustainable practices and for their partnerships with local businesses to the benefit of the wider community.

In accepting the award Colin Fabish said, “I am going to blow our horn a bit. We’ve had the park for six years and in that time we have increased the occupancy by 172%.”

Excellence in Accommodation

This category is open to properties who achieve a deluxe guest experience which includes a wide range of facilities of superior design quality, typically complemented by service standards that reflect the varied and discerning needs of the guest.

Finalists –

• Rydges Horizons Snowy Mountains
• Lake Crackenback Resort & Spa

Winner –

Lake Crackenback Resort & Spa

Judges comments:

Lake Crackenback Resort & Spa has won this award because they know how each of their high-quality service offerings – food, accommodation, and recreational activities, meet the needs of their target markets. They are very aware of the challenges and opportunities of the future with a range of strategies in place to address them.

Excellence in Adventure Experience

This category recognises outdoor adventure tourism experiences that involve visitor participation and a personal challenge.

Finalists –

• Lake Crackenback Resort & Spa
• Reynella Rides
• K7 Adventures

Winner –

K7 Adventures

Judges comments:

K7 Adventures has won this award for the year round opportunity they provide customers of all abilities to experience the Snowies, led by guides with high quality classifications and experience.

In accepting the award Peter Cocker said, “We have 5o activities and a fantastic team of 25 guides and instructors, some of these people are world leaders in their class.”

Excellence in Culture and Heritage

This category recognises tourism operations that foster a greater understanding and appreciation of authentic culture, history, heritage and the arts.

Finalists –

• Coffee Beats Drinks
• Lake Light Sculpture

Winner –

Lake Light Sculpture

Judges comments:

Lake Light Sculpture Inc has won this award for supporting local culture through their one of a kind sculpture event, which is growing in entries and community support. The team has clear strategies to increase the award monies to attract more acclaimed sculptors and larger feature artworks and are fully aware of future challenges and opportunities.

Excellence in Ecotourism

This category recognises ecologically sustainable tourism with a primary focus on experiencing natural areas that foster environmental and cultural understanding, appreciation and conservation.

Winner-

Lake Light Sculpture

Judges comments:

Lake Light Sculpture has won this award for highlighting the natural assets of Jindabyne and encouraging the viewing audience to reconsider environmental issues through personal contemplation of the artworks including repurposing discarded resources made into beautiful sculptures.

Excellence in Innovation

The Excellence in Innovation award recognises businesses that have made significant contributions to their industry through the introduction or improvement of an idea, method, technology, process or application.

Finalists –

• SYSTEMTEC Computer Consulting
• Tall Red Poppy Marketing

Winner –

Tall Red Poppy Marketing

Judges comments:

Tall Red Poppy Marketing has won this award for their innovative use of social media, use of metrics to gain insights into the market and positive impact beyond your business with a number of community groups and organisations that have benefited from the business.

Excellence in Food Experience

This category is open to food producers, tour operators, cooking schools, food attractions, farm gate experiences, farmers markets, trails and other food tourism experiences in the region, featuring NSW produce as the core component.

Finalists –

• Rose’s Lebanese Restaurant
• Rydges Horizons Snowy Mountains
• Thredbo Burger Bar

Winner –

Rose’s Lebanese Restaurant

Judges Comments:

Rose’s Lebanese Restaurant has won this award for the quality experience and product they provide that is not readily available elsewhere in the region. Roses achieve this through a strong focus on quality and experience for the customer, using locally sourced produce wherever possible.

In accepting the award, Tony Nassar said, “This year is 27 years for mum, for Roses and cooking in the area.”

Excellence in Inclusive Employment

The Excellence in Inclusive Employment award recognises a business that provides employment opportunities for a person with a disability in a workplace that is supportive and welcoming.

Finalists –

• Cooma Challenge
• Raine & Horne Snowy Mountains

Winner –

Cooma Challenge

Judges comments:

Cooma Challenge has won this award for the opportunities they provide to a diverse range of people by matching individual capacity with appropriate roles. They also successfully maintain an environment in which employees feel valued and included in their workplace and that the creation of this environment supports their feeling of participation.

In accepting the award, CEO Darren Carr said, “Cooma Challenge has been going for 65 years. What we see and what we encourage all of you to see in your businesses is the ability in each and every person.”

Excellence in Sustainability

The Excellence in Sustainability award recognises businesses that are working to reduce the impact of their operations on the environment and/or provide products and services that have positive environmental outcomes.

Finalists –

• Capital Region Memory Farm
• CoffeecBeatscDrinks
• Perisher Ski Resort
• Roses Lebanese Restaurant

Winner –

Perisher Ski Resort

Judges comments:

Perisher Ski Resort has won this award for their approach to environmental corporate social responsibility through sustainability goals and resulting achievements.

The ambitious sustainability goals that Perisher adopted in 2017 are zero waste to landfill by 2030, zero net emissions by 2030, and zero net operating impact on forests and habitat.

In accepting the award Richard Phillips said, “When you think of Perisher you might not think of us getting up for this award, but we have taken on some pretty lofty goals. The entire company is behind it.”

Outstanding Young Employee

The Outstanding Young Employee award recognises an inspirational young employee aged between 18 and 30 years. To enter into this award the individual must have been employed by their current employer for a minimum of 18 months.

Finalists –

• Kurt Wassink, Rose’s Lebanese Restaurant
• Trudi Marapodi, Cooma Challenge

Winner –

Trudi Marapodi, Cooma Challenge

Judges comments:

Trudi Marapodi has won this award for her willingness to learn and adapt, her leadership and an ability to affect change, not to mention enthusiasm for creating a more inclusive community and her maturity and reliability in the workplace.

In congratulating his young employer, Darren Carr said, “We have a nickname for Trudi at Cooma Challenge – The Member for Bombala! There is nobody more passionate about their community.”

Outstanding Employer of Choice

The Outstanding Employer of Choice award recognises organisations that put in place strategies and initiatives to create stimulating and supportive workplace environments for their employees. These strategies or initiatives must have a positive impact on both employees and the organisation as a whole.

Finalists –

• Boyce Chartered Accountants
• Jindabyne Refrigeration
• Perisher Ski Resort
• Snowy Hydro
• TRC Tourism

Winner –

TRC Tourism

Judges comments:

TRC Tourism has won this award because they provide a truly flexible workplace where people can thrive, by either working from home, wherever that may be, on the road or in one of their four offices. Their work environment is described as “flexible and fun”, and TRC acknowledges how important it is to invest in staff development and new technologies to improve business performance.

Excellence in Small Business

The Excellence in Small Business award recognises a business with 1 to 20 employees that has attained significant growth and is able to demonstrate the specific strategies and processes implemented to achieve sustainable growth in the previous 24 months.

Finalists –

• Gordon Litchfield Wool
• Hip Pocket Workwear and Safety Cooma
• Mainstreet Clothing
• Monaro Media Group
• TRC Tourism

Winner –

TRC Tourism

Judges comments:

TRC Tourism has won this award for how they have developed into an international consulting firm, specialising in a range of destination management, recreation, and tourism related activities. TRC know who their customers are, the best ways to service their needs and are a great supporter of our community.

People’s Choice Awards, over 1,800 votes were cast.

Winners –

Bombala, Alicia Robinson
Cooma, Roses Lebanese Restaurant
Jindabyne, Nikki Kable Personal Training
Snowy Monaro Villages, Lake Crackenback Resort & Spa

#Region Media’s Ian Campbell was MC of the awards ceremony.