Trailblazing businesses win big for the Shoalhaven/Illawarra

Pioneering sustainability and community-centred innovation have won two Illawarra and Shoalhaven businesses statewide recognition.

Berry’s Silos Estate has claimed the Excellence in Sustainability award at the 2024 Business Awards for NSW, while Jack Dinnie of Bumpy Road Catering & Events in Bangalee was named Outstanding Young Business Leader.

Competition was stiff as finalists from a diverse range of sectors — from construction in Ulladulla to a tourism company in Jindabyne — gathered for the premiere awards recognising the state’s most creative and forward-thinking businesses.

Silos Estate co-owner Rajarshi (Raj) Ray said the Silos Estate team was “shocked” to take out their prize amid an “extraordinary array of finalists, all doing incredible things in the sustainability space”.

“We didn’t even have a speech prepared – we probably sounded like complete goofs,” he said. “The team is thrilled, but I think we’re kind of thrilled for our community, too. NSW has some 850,000-odd businesses, and it was an honour to fly the flag for the Illawarra and Shoalhaven regions.”

After ditching their corporate careers as a banker and lawyer respectively, Raj and his wife Sophie moved to the Illawarra/Shoalhaven region in 2007 to create a business with “sustainability at its heart”.

Since its inception in 2017 Silos has been an early adopter and sometimes, a pioneer of sustainable practices. Electric vehicles have been charging at the winery since 2007 and since 2008, the business has been carbon neutral for its energy consumption.

Raj said the business also pioneered the recycling of its old wine bottles into building materials used for things like highway construction – a practice that has since been widely adopted by businesses.

“In fact the new highway from Berry to Bomaderry contains 9500 tonnes of our recycled bottles,” Raj said.

“We hope, fingers crossed, we’ll hit net zero in 2025, which is some 20-odd years ahead of the UN target.”

A trailblazing spirit was a common thread among the Illawarra winners.

In running Bumpy Road Catering & Events, the state’s Outstanding Young Business Leader Jack Dinnie, his wife Alyce and their team have sought to think “outside the box” of ways to improve the lives of their community.

Jack, who has worked with the Shoalhaven Food Network, spoken on numerous panels about issues impacting local business and provided training for people interested in hospitality careers, said this would be a key component for the survival of many hospitality businesses in the coming years.

“Between the recent economic downturn and the post-COVID skills shortage the hospitality industry has taken a bit of a beating in recent times. We’re trying to build careers in the industry again for people in the area,” he said.

One of the most notable moves Bumpy Road has made on that note was to seek approval to build housing for staff when needed for the business.

“The idea came from our chef who was struggling to find housing while working for us,” Jack said. “We decided to build something for prospective staff, as a drawcard for talent from places like Canberra, Sydney, interstate and even internationally.”

Adaptation, innovation and strength against the odds emerged as key themes in the business awards.

Business NSW CEO Daniel Hunter said the awards were more than just a celebration of success; they highlighted the incredible resilience of businesses navigating a challenging landscape.

“In the face of adversity, our finalists have demonstrated that resilience and innovation go hand in hand,” he said.

“2024 has tested our businesses with rising costs, staff shortages, red tape, and high interest rates. Yet, our winners are not just surviving, they are thriving and setting new benchmarks in excellence.

“The resilience of our state’s 865,000-plus businesses is especially commendable as they tackle rising insurance costs, energy challenges, and the complexities of the housing crisis.

“This year’s awards highlight that, despite challenges, innovation is alive and well throughout NSW.”

The 2024 NSW Business Awards winners were:

• Business of the Year – Whiteley, Tomago (Hunter)
• Employer of Choice – 20 Employees and Under: Port Medical Aesthetics Clinic, Port Macquarie
• Employer of Choice – 21 Employees and Over: Zauner Construction, Ulladulla
• Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion: Social Futures, Lismore, Northern Rivers
• Excellence in Innovation: Hyphen Health, Thornton (Hunter)
• Excellence in International Business: Whiteley, Tomago (Hunter)
• Excellence in Large Business: Cumulus Visual Effects, Ballina
• Excellence in Micro Business: Ladbroken Distilling Co, Tumbarumba (Riverina Murray)
• Excellence in Small Business: SAPHI Engineering, Mayfield West (Hunter)
• Excellence in Sustainability: Silos Estate, Berry
• Outstanding Business Leader – 20 Employees and Under: Stacey Morgan, Port Macquarie Performing Arts, Port Macquarie
• Outstanding Business Leader – 21 Employees and Over: Michael Hampson, Norco Co-operative, Lismore
• Outstanding Community Organisation: Marathon Health, Dubbo
• Outstanding Employee: Alan Nye, The Physio Movement, Woolgoolga (Mid North Coast)
• Outstanding Local Chamber: Byron Bay Chamber of Commerce, Northern Rivers
• Outstanding New Business: Curezma Pharmaceutical Solutions Pty Ltd, North Sydney
• Outstanding Young Business Leader: Jack Dinnie, Bumpy Road Catering & Events, Bangalee (Illawarra)
• Dean Gorddard Award for Outstanding Contribution by an Individual to the NSW Tourism Industry: Janet Mackay, TRC Tourism, Jindabyne
• Excellence in Sustainable Tourism: Sydney By Kayak, Sydney
• Outstanding 24-Hour Economy Collaboration: ‘Origami Folding Light & Sound Festival’
• FunHaus Factory, Gosford
• Outstanding Visitor Economy Collaboration: The Big Chill Festival, Armidale Regional Council, Armidale
• Outstanding Visitor Experience: Potager, Carool (Northern Rivers).