Winners 2019

Congratulations to all Finalists and Winners of the 25th Anniversary Sunshine Coast Business Awards! Whether you were crowned a category winner or not, you now sit amongst the very best of the best businesses on the Sunshine Coast! We are incredibly proud of who you are and what you do for this great region. Read more about our winners below. In our most competitive year to date – a record number of 210 leading regional businesses stepped forward to apply for the Sunshine Coast Business Awards. Finalists were announced on the 24 September – a huge congratulations to everyone who applied! See the full list of Finalists..

Accommodation

Small: BLI BLI HOUSE RIVERSIDE RETREAT Bli Bli House Riverside Retreat is a masterpiece of exquisite Victorian luxury in the heart of the Sunshine Coast. This magnificent five-star property overlooking the river has been creatively renovated with attention to every detail of the luxurious Victorian era that has been reproduced throughout. This is truly a place where luxury and convenience meet as our guests step back in time to a bygone era of romantic charm, decadent amenities and historic intrigue. Phil and Merryl look forward to the privilege of being your hosts to share with you this incredible luxurious food and accommodation experience.

Large: RACV NOOSA RESORT

RACV Noosa Resort is nestled on six hectares of conservation sanctuary, in the tranquil surrounds of Noosa Heads, perfect for families and couples. RACV Noosa Resort offers spacious and modern one, two and three-bedroom self-contained apartments or Luxury villas, which include a rooftop spa. Apartments include prestigious fittings and fixtures throughout, including kitchen facilities with luxury appliances and stone bench tops. The Resort offers facilities including a day spa with six treatment rooms, two heated pools, water slides and splash park, outdoor heated spa, restaurant and sunset bar with wood-fired pizza, gym, flood-lit tennis court, playground and bike hire.

Attractions

Small: SUNSHINE CASTLE

The Sunshine Castle is Australia’s biggest and only Norman style medieval Castle. As a significant cultural Landmark in this location it offers visitors the completely unique opportunity to explore a part of medieval history that is not indigenous to Australia. Discover the Castle’s towers, turrets, feasting hall, dungeon and other exhibits on a self-guided tour and treasure hunt. History comes to life with the Castle’s resident knight and many seasonal programs including Owl-encounters, Archery, Storytelling or Courtyard Crafting. Choose the theme to your elegant dream wedding or magical event and channel your inner princess or brave knight.

Large: THE GINGER FACTORY

Play, Taste & Discover at the Ginger Factory, home of Buderim Ginger. Welcoming over 300,000 visitors annually, the Ginger Factory is one of the Sunshine Coast’s most popular tourist attractions. Open daily, the Ginger Factory is a world of ginger discovery offering fun rides, informative tours, great shopping, and a fantastic Café. With free admission and free parking, the Ginger Factory is an adventure for the senses with many opportunities to enjoy our world of ginger regardless of your age.

Building & Construction

Small: BECKER CONSTRUCTIONS

Becker Constructions was born as a succession plan from highly regarded and long-standing Caloundra Builder. Formed in 2004 as Dave Becker Constructions the personalised reference to “Dave” was removed to ensure it became a more inclusive family business. Becker Constructions provides customised work relevant to the needs of the individual client. This includes residential and commercial sites, maintenance to constructing luxury homes. Our business is built on word of mouth and the success of our Becker Constructions is underpinned by our values of Integrity, Passion, quality and Excellence.

Large: MURPHY BUILDERS

Murphy Builders provides a comprehensive range of award-winning building services throughout Queensland, New South Wales and the Northern Territory. In operation since 1975, the Murphy team manage commercial and residential projects of all shapes and sizes. We offer traditional value, custom built. Our business has a family-based ethos with a hands on and “get it right the first time” approach. Murphy Builders represents the vision that any builder can build a building, but good builders stand by their work.

Clean Technology

Small: WASTE FREE SYSTEMS

At Waste Free Systems we are a social enterprise and have reimagined the way waste is organised in SME’s. We supply businesses with smart bin systems to separate waste before it leaves the premises and Repurpose the waste resources wherever possible, saving 90 % of waste from landfill. Our success is driven by innovation and finding solutions to usage of waste resources, we have created our own Social Circular Economy. We lead by education, world first solutions and linking where possible to our local economy and community, our benefit to the environment and our social impact.

Large: AGRENOF

Grenof is an Australian-owned solution-based company focused on providing innovative and proven technologies and solutions to the water, wastewater, renewables, mining, oil and gas sectors. Grenof provide turnkey solutions for customers by taking a clear planning approach, focusing on strong operational delivery and guaranteeing the desired customer outcomes. Core business is collaboration with major utilities and industry to commercialise new clean technologies. Grenof provides sustainable outcomes for water and wastewater treatment, asset management, operations, monitoring, and water quality. Grenof’s business approach to full water lifecycle sustainability has driven success in innovative technologies and applications that positively impact on the environment.

Creative Industries

Small: IN NOOSA MAGAZINE

Created to connect the community through storytelling, IN Noosa Magazine is an authentic voice for all things Noosa. Designed to INform, INdulge and INspire readers, IN Noosa is more than a magazine. It is a multi-media solution for businesses and readers. We are proud of our strong digital presence including our online magazine as well our Conversations IN Noosa podcast that has reached more than 12,500 downloads. IN Noosa Magazine is a beacon of environmental responsibility from the eco-friendly cardstock to the handmade distribution stands and both the Plastic Free Noosa and Eco-Check Noosa accreditations.

Education & Training

Large: KAWANA WATERS STATE COLLEGE

Kawana Waters State College strives to develop lifelong learners (with students from Prep to Yr12) who make a positive contribution to a global society. We are an Independent Public School and we are proud of our extensive links throughout the Sunshine Coast Business Community. Consisting of 200 staff and 1700 students, we offer an amazing array of specialized learning opportunities for students and staff. The College offers programs of Excellence in Academics, Arts (Dance, Drama), Football and Aquatics .. and we are a leading provider of Health Education. We are proudly “Kawana’s School”.

Small: WILDLINGS FOREST SCHOOL

Wildlings Forest School put the dirt back into childhood. They let kids be kids. They are adventure play, risky play, and nature play makers and children’s rights advocates. Their aim at Wildlings is to get more children outdoors connecting with nature, creating the village parents are yearning for and inspiring change in the education system. They have created programs for the next generation of ‘natural’ born leaders and creative thinkers. These programs help develop grit, resilience and other characteristics that will help children become successful people in the real world.

Experiences

Small: RED LOCK ESCAPE ROOMS

Red Lock Escape Rooms provides a fun and unique escape experience on the Sunshine Coast. The escape room experience involves a small group entering one of our immersive themed rooms and they work together to solve puzzles, find clues and unravel mysteries so they can escape before their time runs out! Our themed rooms include Area 51 (escape an alien invasion), Aunt Annie’s Asylum (a thriller experience set in an abandoned Asylum hospital), the Mob Job (a 1960s gangster style Murder mystery), and Bank Heist (an adrenaline-fueled fantasy bank heist experience).

Large: THE GINGER FACTORY

The Ginger Factory, home of Buderim Ginger, Australia’s iconic ginger processor and marketer, has been delighting local, regional, interstate and international visitors for more than 35 years. Attracting around 300,000 visitors annually, it is one of the Sunshine Coast’s most popular tourist attractions, having received numerous awards over the years. Open daily from 9:00am – 5:00pm, The Ginger Factory offers visitors the factory tour & tastings, live bee show & tastings, fun rides, boutique shopping, café and ice creamery all set in lush sub – tropical gardens with a focus on all things ginger and local food tourism.

Festivals & Events

ATLAS MULTISPORTS

Atlas Multisports produces mass participation sporting events, including the home-grown Sunshine Coast based sporting event the 7 Sunshine Coast Marathon and Community Run Festival, the McDonald’s Brisbane Marathon Festival and the 7 Cairns Marathon Festival. With a passion for charity sporting events we also organise the 7 Rocky River Run and the Mooloolaba to Mudjimba Island Charity Swim. Each event features a strong community and charity angle, with considerable funds donated each year to both our major beneficiaries and smaller charities. Atlas Multisports also runs a Sunshine Coast based triathlon club, which includes group training sessions and online coaching.

NOOSA FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL

The Noosa Food & Wine Festival brought together some of Australia’s best chefs, wine, drink and food producers and foodies for five days of great food experiences in Noosa! 113 fantastic events took place at the Festival Village, Noosa Main Beach, along Hastings Street for the Long Lunch and Noir Noosa, in signature restaurants and throughout the Noosa hinterland with produce and brewery trails. Chefs included Matt Preston, Matt Moran, Alla Wolf-Tasker, Manu Feildel, Neil Perry, Christine Manfield, Ben O’Donoghue, Clayton Donovan, Jock Zonfrillo, Kirsten Tibballs, Adriano Zumbo, Matt Sinclair, Nick Holloway, Ronni Kahn, Paul Carmichael and more.

Food & Agribusiness

Small: KOKOPOD CHOCOLATEL

KOKOPOD is a boutique chocolatier handcrafting its award-winning range on Queensland’s pristine Sunshine Coast. KOKOPOD pairs the finest sustainable European couverture chocolate with superior ingredients sourced from regional Australia to create unique & refined flavours.

Large: COYO

Back in 2010, COYO created the world’s first Coconut Milk Yoghurt, inspiring an entire new food category worldwide. From humble beginnings in founders’ Sandra and Henry’s Yandina kitchen, to a purpose-built factory now employing 55 Sunshine Coast locals. COYO is driven by a purpose of being “Conscious creators of delicious food for healthy people and a happy planet.” and has now become the most awarded Coconut Yoghurt company in the world. COYO is a health and wellness brand providing plant-based functional food to benefit gut health and is available throughout Australia and internationally through its licensee network.

Health & Wellness

Small: GRAVITYFIT

GravityFit is the only company in the world to have designed, developed and sold unique and innovative products to activate and strengthen the deep muscle system. After only 5 years, these products have been sold in over 50 countries and used by elite organisations, physiotherapists and athletes globally. With over 20 patents granted in major markets, GravityFit has successfully turned pioneering research into a successful, global business that can fundamentally improve the human condition.

Large: JETTS FITNESS

Jetts Fitness offers members the opportunity to ‘Workout on their terms’. Open 24/7, with flexible membership options, low fees and the equipment members need to get results. We give customers the flexibility of no lock-in contracts, which means they can stay with us because they want to, not because they have to. With the aim to get the most amount of members, in the best shape of their lives, in the least amount of time possible and to do it in the Jetts way.

Hospitality

Small: ITALIA PIZZA & PASTA

Italia Pizza and Pasta was born out of the desire of first-generation Italian/Australian owner Joe to share the delicious rustic and authentic Italian dishes he had grown up with. After moving to the Sunshine Coast from Sydney Joe was disappointed he couldn’t collect the scrumptious pizza and pasta he had grown up eating at home and in the many restaurants his relatives owned in NSW. Italia Pizza and Pasta have succeeded in creating amazing award-winning rustic and authentic Italia food to the Sunshine Coast since 2012 and Italia Pizza & Pasta is now a popular eatery on the Sunshine Coast.

Large: NOOSA BEACH HOUSE PETER KURUVITA

Peter Kuruvita, chef, restaurateur, and television personality and one of Australia’s well-regarded chefs welcomes you to Noosa Beach House. Perched above Hastings Street, Noosa Beach House Restaurant & Bar provides relaxed coastal dining in a stylishly chic setting, where fabulous food is simply prepared and cooked to perfection. Menus reflect Peter’s unique style of cooking, inspired by his global travels and remarkable destinations. Featuring an open kitchen the restaurant evolves from a sunny daytime venue in to a sophisticated dining experience in the evening. Pull up a chair and savour the flavours.

Manufacturing

Small: BAKSLAP

Local adventurer-turned-inventor Raphael McGowan was inspired to create a business which makes a profit while making a positive difference in the world with his first product *bakslap* hitting the online and retail markets earlier this year. *bakslap* is a sunscreen and lotion applicator helping reach hard to reach places on the body like the back, without getting messy hands. And it has all been developed on the Sunshine Coast.

Large: CONCEPT LABORATORIES

Concept Labs is a family owned and operated manufacturer of topical skin care products, industrial cleaners and cosmetics providing sustainable, efficient and tailored solutions for many leading multi-national brands both locally and internationally. Operating for over 20 years, our products are Australian Made and meet the highest manufacturing standards globally. We have the ability to manufacture any creams, liquids, gels or oils utilising our own formulations or our clients.

Professional Services

Small: HRM

In 2005 Sally Desch was working for a recruitment company when she noticed businesses struggling to run their businesses and manage their teams. While their recruitment needs were met, their human resource needs were not. Sally’s vision of providing a complete labour hire and human resource service for small businesses who needed help finding, recruiting, educating, and managing the right people came to life in the form of HRM. Now HRM have 1500 clients from around the country, and have placed over 4000 candidates in jobs, making HRM one of the most successful businesses on the Coast.

Large: TRAVIS SCHULTZ & PARTNERS Travis Schultz Law (TSL) is a leading personal injury and compensation law firm based in Mooloolaba. Their success is driven by delivering high quality professional services AND making legal services accessible to all. By operating efficiently, they keep costs down, charge lower fees and use their expertise to drive bigger settlements. This means their clients receive the lion’s share of compensation payouts. Travis Schultz Law represents the best there is on the Sunshine Coast by putting clients first, being a good corporate citizen and committing to philanthropy.

Retail Trades & Services

Small: ABIDE INTERIORS

Abide Interiors is a home and lifestyle furniture brand located on the beautiful Sunshine Coast. Our talented design team travel the world to source unique products that will bring value and personality to your space. Explore our range and discover how the team at Abide Interiors can help you create a unique and beautiful space with their designer furniture.

Large: AUSSIE TIME SHEETS

Aussie Time Sheets offers employee time and attendance products to businesses throughout Australia and the South Pacific. A typical client of ours would be a business with under 50 employees, with our larger clients having well over 1,000 employees. Our products include quality time recording hardware together with a suite of software products to suit businesses from any industry. As a local I.T company, we are proud to represent the Sunshine Coast from Perth up to Singapore and across to Christchurch, with our Queensland developed software being used in businesses from a small café to large coal mines and everything in between.

Social Enterprise `

Small: FOOD & AGRIBUSINESS NETWORK

Food & Agribusiness Network (FAN) is a collaborative ecosystem that empowers its members and industry to grow. Established by the industry for the industry, FAN is a not-for-profit food and beverage cluster that has been operating for five years. FAN will grow the industry by creating an ecosystem that supports collaboration, accelerates innovation and drives trade locally and globally. Today FAN has 300+ members from across the food value chain in the Greater Sunshine Coast region (Gympie, Noosa, Sunshine Coast and Moreton Bay) and is recognised as a leading Australian cluster organisation. Members include growers, manufacturers, retailers, foodservice operators and affiliated services and suppliers.

Large: COAST2BAY HOUSING GROUP

Coast2Bay Housing Group is a not-for-profit community and affordable housing company with individuals at the heart of our mission to: **Transform Lives** – by supplying homes with a pathway to affordable living; **Promote Social Inclusion** – by providing a place to live for those in greatest need; **Contribute to Economic Development** – by providing key worker accommodation and stimulating sustainable construction activity. We are the largest community and affordable organisation on the Sunshine Coast and support over 1200 individuals and families with housing solutions each year. Many of these would otherwise be homeless.

Trades and Services

Small: IEXPEDITION

iExpedition is a team of passionate, highly qualified travel experts with a shared love of exploration. Our dedicated online platform was born out of dream to introduce others to the incredible wonders of the world so that they too could experience the wonders of nature and the spirit of adventure. iExpedition’s team has more than a decade’s expertise and knowledge dedicated to polar & expedition cruising to the most exciting and interesting destinations on Earth.

Large: KANGAROO BUS LINES

Kangaroo Bus Lines is a family owned and operated organisation delivering superior service and experiences to the Sunshine Coast. Our business encompasses a wide range of transport solutions and is complemented by our professional coach drivers, a dedicated customer service team and experienced Operational taskforce. Our young, modern fleet is immaculately presented featuring the latest technology and safety features along with other added attributes such as wheelchair accessible options. We are centrally located in Kunda Park near Maroochydore, and together, we have the ability to cater transport needs for the entire Sunshine Coast region.

Export

CONCEPT LABORATORIES

Concept Labs is a family owned and operated manufacturer of topical skin care products, industrial cleaners and cosmetics providing sustainable, efficient and tailored solutions for many leading multi-national brands both locally and internationally. Operating for over 20 years, our products are Australian Made and meet the highest manufacturing standards globally. We have the ability to manufacture any creams, liquids, gels or oils utilising our own formulations or our clients.

Hall of Fame

HELIMODS

HeliMods is a multi-award-winning aerospace technology company that is recognised as a world leader in the helicopter modification and special missions’ space. We offer end-to-end customised design, engineering, manufacturing and airframe integration services to our clients, as well as a range of high value products that are considered best-in-class globally. Our clients in the aero-special missions’ 17 of 21 industry include airborne emergency medical, law enforcement, firefighting and defence. Operating out of our purpose-built, globally unique facility on the Sunshine Coast, HeliMods continues to shape industry with its progressive and technology driven approach.

Business of the Year

NOOSA BEACH HOUSE PETER KURUVITAS

Peter Kuruvita, chef, restaurateur, and television personality and one of Australia’s well-regarded chefs welcomes you to Noosa Beach House. Perched above Hastings Street, Noosa Beach House Restaurant & Bar provides relaxed coastal dining in a stylishly chic setting, where fabulous food is simply prepared and cooked to perfection. Menus reflect Peter’s unique style of cooking, inspired by his global travels and remarkable destinations. Featuring an open kitchen the restaurant evolves from a sunny daytime venue in to a sophisticated dining experience in the evening. Pull up a chair and savour the flavours.