THE best of the best in local business has been revealed at this year’s Far West NSW Excellence in Business Awards held on Saturday, November 30.
Organised by Regional Development Australia Far West NSW, the ceremony included music, dinner and entertainment at the Gary Radford pavilion overlooking the racecourse.
RDA Far West NSW regional development director Michael Williams said this year’s awards had a record-breaking number of nominations.
“In total we had more than 4100 nominations,” he said.
“It’s just a fantastic night and our premier business event for the year.
“It’s fantastic to see so many people come together and just celebrate other people’s success.
“We have 12 different categories tonight, plus our People’s Choice Awards, and then the Outback Spirit Award.
“So we’re recognising our trainees and apprentices as well, all the way up to the biggest businesses in our community.”
The awards are judged out of the region to ensure fairness.
Best New Business was Far West Developments, which specialises in tourism construction projects, started by co-owner Michael McIvor and family less than 12 months ago.
“What we’re working on now with Far West Developments is all the trenching services and earthworks for a tourism project that’s happening here in Broken Hill,” Mr McIvor said.
“With that we’ve been able to get a lot of people out here that are on a working holiday visa.”
Mr McIvor said his business also had workers return to the town after completing their required days of labour for their visas.
“They loved the red dirt and came back,” he said.
Community-centric organisations were also shown appreciation, with the Outback Mobile Resource Unit, a mobile playground that travels through remote regions, winning Excellence in Social Enterprise/Outstanding Community Enterprise.
Unit director Viki Olds said it was the first time the team had been nominated.
“We’re all very, very excited,” she said.
Childcare assistant Emma Fenton, who runs the boot-on-the-ground element of the unit, said she was happy the mobile playground was getting the recognition it really deserves.
“Viki and the women before me have constantly worked hard to put the needs of people in the bush first, and have fought for funding and the opportunities that they have now,” she said.
“It’s really humbling and lovely to be recognised.”
At the end of the night the prestigious Outback Spirit Award was presented to advanced steel fabricator Fabtec, which also won Excellence in Business.
Fabtec director and owner Scott Campbell said the award was for each and every one of his hard-working staff.
“We have awesome people, and this award is the result of that,” he said.
“I’d like to congratulate all the finalists and winners and thank our local sponsors and the RDA.
“It is very humbling to win (both awards) as anyone in this room tonight could’ve won.
“I would especially like to thank my son Simon, I know the business will be in good hands in the future.
“We are so proud to live and work in such a wonderful community.”
