FINALISTS have been named but the Port Macquarie-Hastings' night of nights to celebrate the best in local business has been put on hold.
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The 2021 Coastline Credit Union Greater Port Macquarie Business Awards has been postponed until November while the region rides out the wave of reintroduced COVID restrictions.
Organisers of the annual event said it was the right thing to do.
Port Macquarie Chamber of Commerce chief executive Mark Wilson said while the decision to put the event on hold was "extremely disappointing", ensuring the COVID restrictions are adhered to and setting an example for the community was more important.
"We have a lot of very eager finalists this year and the request for ticket sales to our gala dinner have been phenomenal," Mr Wilson said.
"But ethically, we believed that it was better to postpone the event than put a few hundred people from our business community in the same room at a venue when COVID is still hanging over our heads.
"We've got to adapt as things change.
"We believe it is essential to consider the health and well-being of both the business and local community at the moment, and feel that the vast majority of people would support a postponement."
The organising committee will be aiming for a November celebration.
This year, more than 225 entries were received for the Business Awards which will celebrate the region's resilience in the face of adversity.
Entries were assessed by independent judges with the final score supported by public voting.
More than 10,575 online votes were received this year.
"Our judges, independent business professionals from across the region, were very pleased to see the entrants challenging their skills and providing plenty of detail by which to assess each submission," Mr Wilson said.
"In some categories, the scores were literally one or two points apart, so our judges were very grateful for the added support from the public voting and mystery shop."
Tickets to the gala dinner can be purchased from the Chamber website.
The finalists for the 2021 Coastline Credit Union Greater Port Macquarie Business Awards are:
1. Accommodation
- Macquarie Waters Boutique Apartment Hotel
- NRMA Port Macquarie Breakwall Holiday Park
- Sails Port Macquarie by Rydges
- The Mid Pacific
2. Automotive Services
- Leicht's Tyre & Auto
- McKay Logistics t/a Hertz
- Miedecke Motor Group
- RSM Motorcycles
3. Childcare, Education & Training
- Men At Work Training & Assessment
- Sprockets! Future Sporting Rockets
- The Nature School
- The Posify Group
4. Community & Social Services
- All Disability Plan Management
- Liberty Domestic & Family Violence Specialist Services
- Many Rivers Regional Housing
- The Hope Community
5. Construction
- DPH Handyman & Yard Maintenance
- Pacific Blue Electrical Pty Ltd
- Sunny's Skips
- TV Magic Mid North Coast
6. Creative Services & Communications
- Arthouse Industries
- Focus Magazine
- Port Macquarie News
- Webstudio
7. Financial Services
- bcu
- Berry Financial Services
- NAB Port Macquarie
- Newcastle Permanent
8. Food Production & Catering
- Blue Cow Gelato
- Char Bar Catering
- The Other Chef Fine Foods
9. Hair & Beauty Services
- Brows by Willow
- Lovely Locks Hairdressing
- Plum Studio
- VANITY Medi Spa
10. Hotels, Clubs & Bars
- Bar Florian
- Panthers Port Macquarie
- Port Macquarie City Bowling Club
- Wauchope Country Club
11. Industry, Manufacturing & Engineering
- Birdon
- Chicken Caravan
- Rampage Marine and Fabrication
- SMP Fabrication Pty Ltd
12. Medical, Healthcare & Fitness
- Hastings Physio and Health
- Hearing Australia
- Miss Motivator
- Saacks Orthodontics
13. New Business
- Adaptive Physiotherapy and Performance
- Coast Eco Cleaning
- The Chip Shop by Char Bar
- The Village Preschool & LDC
14. Professional & Business Services (5 or less employees)
- Chloe Tugnett Administration
- Dare 2 Care
- Direction Accounting and Business Coaching
- Lantern Legal
15. Professional & Business Services (6 or more employees)
- Collins W Collins
- Integer IT Pty Ltd
- Men At Work
16. Real Estate & Residential Services
- Belle Property Port Macquarie
- Port Property Professionals
- Wiseberry Real Estate Port Macquarie
17. Restaurants & Cafes
- Brew Box
- Little Fish Cafe
- Round & Round Coffee
- Whalebone Wharf
18. Retail (5 or less employees)
- itravel Port Macquarie
- Mid Coast Uniform Solutions
- Mid North Coast Heating & BBQ`s
- The Holy Cow Butchers
19. Retail (6 or more employees)
- Harvey Norman Computers
- JB HIFI Port Macquarie
- Page 5 Office National
- Wauchope Rural Centre
20. Tourism & Attractions
- Billabong Zoo Koala & Wildlife Park
- Facade Escape Room
- Hello Koalas Sculpture Trail
- Port Macquarie Koala Hospital
21. People's Choice
- Billabong Zoo Koala & Wildlife Park
- Blue Cow Gelato
- Chop 'n Chill
- Hello Sailor PMQ
22. Community Impact Award - To Create a World Worth Living In
- Colourworks Australia
- Port Macquarie EaTs
- Sovereign Hills
- Telegraph Point Community Association Inc
23. Excellence in Work Health & Safety
- Birdon
- Eastern Air Services
- Facade Escape Room
24. Woman in Business (Hastings Business Womens Network)
- Angela Frimberger - Facade Escape Room
- Jo Hollis - All Disability Plan Management
- Susan Judd - Dare 2 Care
- Vicki Morris - Sprockets! Future Sporting Rockets
25. Outstanding Employee
- Anthony D'Angelo - Eastern Air Services
- Belinda Castle - The Nature School
- Nik James - RADIO 531
- Ros Trotter - Dare 2 Care
- Taylor Heath - Facade Escape Room
26. Outstanding Young Business Leader
- Chloe Tugnett - Chloe Tugnett Administration
- Daniel Parry-Hawkins - DPH Handyman & Yard Maintenance
- Guy Terkelsen - Hastings Physio and Health
- Jacqui Leach - The Nature School
27. Outstanding Business Leader
- Catherine Oehlman - The Nature School
- David Ross - Direction Accounting and Business Coaching
- Moira Finch - Port Macquarie Private Hospital
- Nathan Tomkins - Whalebone Wharf
28. Employer of Choice
- All Disability Plan Management
- Facade Escape Room
29. Excellence in Innovation
- Birdon
- Dare 2 Care
- Inspired Creations
- Port Macquarie Private Hospital
- Sprockets! Future Sporting Rockets
30. Excellence in Sustainability
- Miedecke Motor Group
- Sunny's Skips
31. Excellence in Micro Business
- Brows by Willow
- Designing Divas
- DPH Handyman & Yard Maintenance
- Goodwin Tennis
32. Excellence in Small Business
- Focus Magazine
- Hastings Physio and Health
- Sprockets! Future Sporting Rockets
- twotriplefour by Bills
33. Outstanding Community Organisation
- Lifeline Mid Coast
- Linked Community Services
- OCTEC Limited
34. Excellence in Business
- All Disability Plan Management
- Men At Work
- Sails Port Macquarie by Rydges
- Whalebone Wharf