A balmy Wednesday evening last week at Theatre Royal in Castlemaine was the setting for the 2023 Mount Alexander Business Awards. Proceedings kicked off in the Theatre courtyard with drinks, nibbles and live music from The Martini Set before adjourning indoors for the Awards ceremony. MASC Mayor Rosie Annear gave the Welcome to Country and Introduction. Altogether, 10 awards were presented over the night, punctuated by dinner and dessert breaks.
The award categories and winners were as follows.
- Community Focused won by Castlemaine Institute
- Creative Marketing won by Warral Maldon
- Diverse and Inclusive won by Trace Balla
- Environmental Impact won by Fumina Projects
- Innovative Product or Service won by BIG 4 Castlemaine Gardens Holiday Park
- New Business won by Maldon Bakery
- Young Achiver won by Matthew Thompson/Sandy Creek Clydesdales
- People’s Choice won by Sandy Creek Clydesdales
- Business of the Year won by Fumina Projects
- Lifetime Achievement Award awarded to Larry O’Toole
The Castlemaine Hot Rod Centre presented the Lifetime Achievement Award to the late Larry O’Toole, acknowledging his outstanding contributions; O’Toole family members gathered on stage in a moving tribute.
Maldon featured prominently. Rebecca Barnett’s Maldon Bakery just edged out Franco’s Restaurant and Splash Literacy as best new business of 2023. Warral Maldon likewise had its nose in front ahead of Maldon Rose and Love Shack Brewing Company for the Creative Marketing award. Matthew Thompson of Sandy Creek Clydesdales took home the Young Achiever prize ahead of runners-up Joshua Bendeich (Johnny Baker) and Teagan Lambie (Edifice Constructions); Matthew and Jaimie were on their feet soon afterwards to accept the People’s Choice award, based on 500-plus local votes, in front of Shedshaker Brewing and Sprout Bakery.
Maldon & District Community Bank sponsored the Community Focused award and were represented by our own Meg Sattler, while Pam Jewson took to the stage to present the Creative Marketing award. Other sponsors and partners included Castlemaine Rotary Club, Business Mount Alexander, Lascorp, Workspace Australia, RMG (Project and Engineering Solutions), Castlemaine Mail/Midland Express, Don Smallgoods, NBN Local, Westvic Staffing Solutions and the Tarrangower Times.
See all the pictures in the issue.
This article appeared in the Tarrangower Times, 24 November 2023.
