Here’s a full breakdown of all the finalists.

FINALISTS

Three diverse companies are up for the Central Highlands Water Trade Business Award in this year’s Federation Business School Commerce Ballarat Business Excellence Awards.

They include Invermay-based Pipe Pro Directional Drilling, which installs underground pipes with minimal disruption to the environment.

The company is owned by Danielle and Jason James, who both have a background working in the iron ore mines of Pilbara in Western Australia.

It was in WA where they first discussed founding their own drilling company, which they eventually established in Ballarat back in 2013.

Mrs James said Pipe Pro Directional Drilling installs communication conduits along with water, sewer and gas pipelines.

The company recently secured a contract to help install the National Broadband Network across Sebastopol and Wendouree.

It has now added other services including asbestos removal and disposal, pipe welding and vacuum truck excavations.

Mrs James said they were also working towards acquiring accreditation to partake in traffic management.

“It is very exciting to be a finalist this year and we are honoured to stand alongside so many brilliant Ballarat businesses,” she said. “We have never been involved before.”

Also up for the trade gong is Advanced Cabinetry, which is located on Fussell Street at Ballarat East.

The company was founded in 1999 and now has a team of 23 employees, who manufacture and install cabinetry along with associated appliances.

Its recently refurbished showroom offers full size kitchens, laundry, vanity and wardrobe displays that showcases the latest hardware and materials.

Advanced Cabinetry also services the trade and commercial markets, involving projects from single to multi dwellings, apartments, schools and nursing homes in Ballarat and across the state.

Manager Tanya Smith said her team was thrilled to be involved.

“To be recognised as a finalist in the awards is a great achievement for everyone who is a part of Advanced Cabinetry, our team play a large role in the success of the business,” she said.

“We thank them and our clients for allowing us to come to work each day and do a job that we love.

“Being one of very few cabinet makers in Australia to carry the ISO accreditation and being a registered building practitioner shows our level of commitment to clients.”

Sturt Street-based business G.J. Gardner Homes Ballarat has also been chosen as a finalist in the Central Highlands Water Trade Business Award.

The company, which has 19 staff, specialises in building new custom homes, with more than 100 designs.

In 2013, they won an award and owner Rob McMaster said it was great to be involved again.

“It is an exciting and great privilege to have been selected as a finalist in this years trade category as we are one of many excellent businesses around Ballarat,” he said.

“The key to our success is honouring our values and believing in our vision for the company.

“Our goal is to continue with our earned reputation for ensuring the highest standard of quality workmanship by employing a local team of qualified builders and preferred subcontractors.”

FINALISTS

Although cycling has been a popular pastime for well over a century, there is always room for innovation, says Loreto College E-commerce and Online Business Award finalist Arthur Shaw. The Gove Cycles Bike Rack Cafe owner says it’s amazing to be nominated by customers.

“To then make the finals cements to us that we are on the right track. Small business is forever evolving, so it is great to know that we are changing and succeeding with the market trends,” said Mr Shaw. “I believe the key to our success is great customer service, along with consistency and knowledge of our product.  Forward planning is important as the market is constantly changing.”

The business was previously nominated in the new and emerging category, which they won in 2012, and was nominated in the restaurant, cafes and pubs category in 2015.

“The cafe opens at 7am for those on the way to work, with cooked brekky on the weekends. The bike shop has a fully-equipped bicycle servicing department with 50 years' combined experience and offers Body Geometry fitting to ensure that you receive a fully customised fit to your bike.”

For Richard McClure, an online marketplace allows him to engage with his customers 24 hours a day.

His business Stems Flower Market was established in 2005 and employees 28 staff, including a team at their flower farm in Warrenheip. Stems is a fully integrated flower market offering straight bunches of flowers direct from the farm through to full floristry services including designer bouquets and arrangements.

“At Stems we continuously strive to offer our customers the best flowers from around the world to choose from,” says Mr McClure.

“We want customers to be overwhelmed with choice when visiting our store and experiencing our unique walk-in coolroom packed with the freshest flowers available in the country. Our online range is ever changing and constantly updated with the season’s best offerings.

“We are thrilled to be part of the business awards as it recognises the hard work and commitment that the Stems team put in to serving our customers. We continue to aim and strive to offer our customers a superior choice in range and quality.”

The restoration of The Provincial Hotel returned an architectural gem to Ballarat, and the current business owners want to make sure it remains a leading venue.

Jessica Guilfoyle, acting venue manager at The Provincial, says the 15 boutique accommodation rooms, function room and restaurant offer breakfast, lunch dinner and everything in-between for people in Ballarat and coming from beyond.

“We have just been awarded Classic Luxury Hotel of the Year by the Luxury Travel Guide. Our accommodation is complimented by our amazing menu served in our restaurant and function room,” she said. 

“In November we relaunched our restaurant space with a new name Nineteen09, paying homage to the year the building was built. The key to our success is engaging and retaining the best staff, operating with systems that support us and knowing the needs of Ballarat.  Our vision for the future is to be a leading venue offering visitors to Ballarat an exceptional place to stay and Ballarat locals alike an exceptional place to dine.”

FINALISTS

Could it be third time lucky for Boost Juice in the Federation Business School Commerce Ballarat Business Excellence Awards for 2017?

Having been a finalist in the 2015 and 2016 Stockland Wendouree Retail Business Award, Boost are proud to appear in two categories this year, also being a finalist in the Harwood Andrews Franchise/Buying Group Business Award. Operations manager Sam Haans says his 48-member team and their ‘Love Life’ attitude make his business a stand out.

“In the past 12 months we have gone mobile with the Boost Mobeel, as well as opening the first-ever Boost Juice Drive Thru,” says Sam.

“We are always working hard to innovate and to give back to the community. We love getting the Boost Mobeel involved in community and charity events!”

Boost opened its first store in Wendouree three and a half years ago, and has recently opened a Sebastopol drive-thru partnered with CIBO Espresso to provide barista-made coffee.

Retail finalist Specsavers Ballarat opened its doors in April 2009, and a second Wendouree store opened in December 2016. They now employ 40 people, with 14 taken on at the second store.

Specsavers provides complete optometry services including comprehensive sight tests seven days a week. They offer free digital retinal photography and free contact lens trials, and offer a wide range of glasses frames.

Director Krystal Green says the high volume business takes prides in giving exceptional customer service.

“We strive to exceed our customer’s expectations and we do this by delivering a customised experience that we tailor for each individual, said Ms Green.

“We listen to our customer and prioritise their needs and wants. We tailor our products and services, including our industry leading price points, to exceed their expectations. We also recognise and value our amazing team that dedicate themselves to our business day-in, day-out.”

Specsavers is locally owned and operated by three local directors, and are proud supporters of the local Fiona Elsey Cancer Research Institute.

Head butcher at Sinclair Meats Simon Hutton says the process of rebranding their 12 year-old business has been challenging but offered the opportunity to tell the back story of what actually goes into running a butchery.

“Internally a greater focus on our staff and gaining an understanding of what actually leads to issues within the business increased stability, and implementing new processes and procedures has helped increase the quality of the job that we are doing,” says Simon. “Sinclair Meats stands out because of our constant hunger to be better. We don’t sit around idly waiting for the work to come to us. As a team, we are aggressive in attacking our goals and want to be challenged, particularly as tradesmen. 

“We offer the traditional butchering methods such as working with whole carcasses, hand tying sausages and corning our own silverside but we’ve added modern gourmet aspects like ready-to-cook meal solutions.”

FINALISTS

These up-and-comers are finalists in The Courier New and Emerging Business Award.

Food truck East India Trading Co, lakeside restaurant The Yacht Club Ballarat and cleaning service Clarke Clean are in the running for the gong.

East India Trading Co food truck has been a common sight along Ballarat's streets this year, dishing up tasty Indian cuisine to passersby.

The team operates from Thursday to Saturday, usually on the corner of Mair and Armstrong streets.

They also provide private catering and gourmet pies under the banner Foreigntwenty.

Owner Ronnie Singh and manager Hayley Faull said they hoped to become a household name in Indian ready-made meals in the future.

"The key to our success is that we are constantly trying new things with our menu by keeping to our culture but still venturing into new dishes like chips, cheese and curry, gourmet pies, butter chicken tacos," Mr Signh said.

“It feels really really good to be a finalist actually. We are a local business that has just completed a year and this is a great accomplishment for us.”

Next up for the gong is Lake Wendouree restaurant The Yacht Club, which opened its doors in 2015.

Run by owners Wayne and Bree Sharp, the lakeside cafe offers a casual dining experience all week, for breakfast, lunch and functions.

Mr Sharp said the application process gave them a chance to reflect on the way they ran their business.

“With significant growth since conception it was a great experience to take the time to see what we were doing well, areas of improvement and more importantly to see how far we have come in such a short amount of time,” he said.

“As a destination venue, we believe our location is unique and a great selling point, however we pride ourselves in the level of customer service that we provide.”

The owners are now looking to diverisy their business in the future.

And cleaning service Clarke Clean is also up for the gong.

The business provides a full range of commercial cleaning solutions to schools, universities, businesses, factories and hospitality.

Staff also cater to the domestic market with end of lease cleaning, carpet and window cleaning and building construction cleaning.

Managing director Dylan Lesock said his staff were excited to be a finalist for the first time.

“We love being a part of the Ballarat community and it is vital to recognise each other’s achievements,” he said. “We have gone through dramatic changes in the past 3 years scaling from a one-person operation to 20 staff at our peak in the space of three years.

“This is due to our high-level communication and innovative approaches to cleaning and doing business with our clients.

And the company has high aspirations. Mr Lesock said he hoped Clarke Clean could be competitive on a national scale within two years.

FINALISTS

UFS Dispensaries owns and operates nine pharmacies, three medical centres, a wellbeing centre and gift shop in Ballarat, and another seven pharmacies throughout the region.

For the past year the Sturt Street UFS Pharmacy has operated as a Supercare Pharmacy, open 24 hours a day, every day, with a free nursing service from 6pm to 10pm providing an after-hours alternative to the emergency department for people with minor illness or injury.

“UFS is committed to delivering full service pharmacy and medical services, with adequate numbers of properly trained staff available to provide high quality customer service and health care advice,” said chief executive Lynne McLennan.

“UFS is a not-for-profit mutual organisation, owned by its members, with profits reinvested in the company or returned to the community via member discounts, donations and sponsorships.”

The company opened its first pharmacy in Ballarat in 1881. Ms McLennan said potential benefit to members guided the business decisions rather than profit.

St John of God Ballarat Hospital was last year ranked in the top 5 per cent, 17 per cent and 15 per cent for day, overnight and emergency department patient satisfaction compared with similar private hospitals.

Chief executive Alex Demidov said the fantastic result reflected the commitment and dedication of staff.  

“Receiving recognition motivates us to continue to strive to provide excellent services and shows what we currently do is in line with community need and expectations,” he said.

St John of God Ballarat Hospital offers a wide range of private hospital surgical, medical and maternity services including emergency department and outpatient care for rehabilitation and mental health.

The coming year will see increased services with construction starting on a new special care nursery, an expanded inpatient rehabilitation unit, cardiac catheter laboratory upgrades and neurosurgery.

Good health is just as important for our animal family and Ballarat Veterinary Practice has grown over the past 70 years from a one-man vet clinic to a busy three-clinic practice with a fourth clinic opening this month.

BVP provides the best veterinary care with a wide range of medical and surgical services including specialist services that allow more complex patients to be treated in Ballarat. 

The Miners Rest equine clinic has two registered specialist equine surgeons, a bone scanning facility, and the only equine standing MRI facility in Victoria.

Staff keep up-to-date with the latest treatments and procedures, invest in new equipment, and are always looking to improve client/patient experience through customer service and technology innovation. 

Community involvement is important to the practice with vets and nurses attending community groups, offering education sessions, supporting local wildlife shelters, and taking part in local radio programs.

FINALISTS

Happy buzzing bees are the key to business success for Amanda Collins and Scott Denno.

In their first year of trading as Backyard Beekeeping Ballarat, the unique urban beekeeping enterprise is the only business of its type in Ballarat.

“We are bringing bees back to city backyards through our honeybee hive leasing and management business, and we also manage migratory honeybee hives throughout the Grampians region,” Ms Collins said.

Honey sales are also popular with local neighbourhood honey and eucalypt honey from their migratory beehives sold directly and through local stores under their Backyard Beekeeping Ballarat and Ballaarat Wild Bush Honey labels.

“Our vision for the future of the business is to continue to grow locally providing access to bee hive hire and management, local honey through our retail outlets and equipping the growing number of urban beekeepers with quality local beekeeping supplies,” Ms Collins said.

In January the business opened as Ballarat Beekeeping Supplies providing woodware, tools and protective equipment for backyard beekeepers.

Finalist Black Cat Truffles is also built around a slightly unusual ingredient considered a luxury on dishes around the world.

Husband and wife team Andres and Lynette Haas are on a mission to spread the word about truffles to anyone who will listen.

“What makes us stand out is our passion and knowledge of all things truffle, which gives us the energy to preach truffle, truffle, truffle to the world,” Mr Haas said.

“Don't be scared of truffles. Embrace them as a guilty pleasure when in season.”

The couple are nearing the end of their sixth truffle season, having planted the trees at their Wattle Flat trufferie 10 years ago.

Black Cat Truffles sells fresh truffle direct to the public at farmers markets around Melbourne, at on-farm events and will even express-post their produce around Australia. 

They also hold truffle hunts in conjunction with tastings, cooking masterclasses and truffle-themed lunches held around the area.

At Salt Kitchen Charcuterie, Mick Nunn and his six staff transform regional produce in to smallgoods using techniques learned from time spent in Europe.

“Our product is an expression of our region,” Mr Nunn said.

“We are committed to working with our western Victorian producers Western Plains pork and Sher Wagyu beef to create products that have genuine provenance.

“Flavour is the driving force behind everything we make.”

Last year the business installed a temperature and humidity-controlled drying room to allow them to develop a range of whole muscle dry-cured products under their Salt Kitchen Charcuterie and Mr Cannubi labels.

Capocollo (cured pork neck), Flat Pancetta (cured pork belly), Noix de Jambon (dry cured French ham), Fiocco (small Italian prosciutto-style ham) and Guaniciale (cured pork jowl) and Wagyu Bresaola all come out of the Wiltshire Lane business to be distributed in Melbourne.

“We love what we do and still get an enormous amount of satisfaction making, tasting and presenting our products,” Mr Nunn said.

FINALISTS

Australia’s sole remaining coloured woollen mill continues looking to the future to build on long-held family tradition.

Creswick Woollen Mills has been recognised as one of Victoria’s fastest growing regional attractions based on Australian heritage in RACV tourism awards.

Founded in 1947 and this year celebrating its 70th anniversary, the company remains very much a family business with Boaz Herszfeld executive director for his grandfather’s mill.

The mill has undergone significant growth after receiving a Regional Development Victoria grant to enhance the site. Mr Herszfeld said this has allowed the mill to grow its animal attractions and expand facilities to cater for Asian visitors.

Each week, busloads of Chinese tourists come to the mill to buy new products Mr Herszfeld has introduced to the specially-created showrooms built for them.

“We want to welcome all visitors to the Ballarat area and to be a must-see destination,” Mr Herszfeld said. “We want to utilise our technology to make visiting a fantastic experience for visitiors here in Australia and to attract visitors from around the world.”

Museum of Australian Democracy at Eureka is a destination telling Balarat’s unique tale using digital technology and interactive experiences to enhance and enrich story-telling. 

MADE also offers award-winning café Saltbush Kitchen, which introduces visitors to day-to-day uses for Australian native flavours.

The museum has created a touring exhibition, Chinese Fortunes, which will travel to Melbourne and China. The exhibition will share success stories on Australian goldfields, focusing on Ballarat.

MADE chief executive officer Sarah Masters said the museum was continually working to evolve and find new ways to convey the importance and a greater understand in the birthplace of Australian democracy.

“We are thrilled with the public acknowledgement and acclamation of MADE and a recognition of our contribution as an integral part of the Ballarat visitor economy,” Ms Masters said. “MADE is free to enter for Ballarat locals. We are the home of the Eureka flag and on the site of the Eureka Stockade.”

MADE had more than 68,000 visitors last year, including  almost 10,000 students from across Australia.

Australian rock icon John Farnham drew a sold-out crowd to North Gardens in January for the Red Hot Summer Concert, presented by Regional Touring. Ross Wilson, Shannon Noll and James Reyne also had fans rocking along in a crowd featuring visitors from overseas and across the nation, which generated $2 million economic benefit to the region.

Ballarat’s Red Hot Summer Concert is now one of the hottest tickets on the national outdoor concert calendar and North Gardens will again see the return of the Red Hot concert on Saturday, January 27 featuring the legendary Suzi Quatro and the Angels, Baby Animals, Screaming Jets, Chocolate Starfish and Moving Pictures.

Adapting to the changing needs of the Ballarat community is what Ballarat Community Health, a finalist in the 2017 Federation Business School Innovation Award, takes pride in.

Community engagement, good governance and operating sustainably are ways the organisation seeks to realise its vision of supplying the best possible community health.

This mission has been at the heart of the organisation since its establishment in 1970, when it was known as Sebastopol Health. 

Chief executive officer Robyn Reeves said being an award finalist was recognition of the staff’s hard work and commitment to seeing opportunities for improvement.

In addition to a 2016 revision of their service plan and model of care, the BCH staff innovation award has produced such programs as Make A Change, focused on drug and alcohol rehabilitation and the Memory Health Support Services for dementia support.

“The key to our success is our close ties with our clients and community and a dedicated team of professional staff who are able to develop and deliver programs and services that are most needed and will have the greatest positive impact,” Ms Reeves said. 

For Pipe Pro Directional Drilling, a drilling company founded by Dannielle and Jason James in 2013, innovation came in the form of using trenchless technology to install underground pipes safely. The company soon expanded from installing communication conduits to water, sewer and gas pipelines.

Keen to engage in local projects, the company has secured a contract to install all the underground conduit for the National Broadband Network in Sebastopol and Wendouree and is a 2017 finalist. Ms James attributed the company’s success to their continual drive to improve and ability to work well together as a couple.

“Starting out on our own four years ago with just us as one other employee, it amazing how much we have grown and learnt and we are extremely honoured and proud to be finalists,” Ms James said.

“Our goals for the future are to add Traffic Management services to our company, purchase equipment to allow us to drill in rock and possibly set up a second office and site in South Gippsland.” 

Another finalist is Buninyong based Dearly Plaques and Memorials, which was established three years ago to fill a gap in the funerary market. That gap has been filled by the Interim Marker, which serves as an answer to the lack of a memorial for the time period between burial and placement of a permanent marker. The marker also functions as a take home memorial for cremated remains.  

“I have introduced new materials and concepts to the industry that are being taken up around Australia and into New Zealand. The recognition locally for my business, by being a finalist will have an enormous effect here in Ballarat and within the wider national and global industry,” Owner Sally Kennedy said.

“Winning or remaining a finalist, I am happy with this status. I have been recognised by my peers as a leader in innovation which will help break down barriers moving forward. The awards were a good opportunity to take a step back and look at how my business is working.”

FINALISTS

Oak Tree Ballarat Dental is growing so fast since opening four years ago that it is doubling its surgery size.

The finalist in The WIN Network Customer Service Award is expanding its Longley Street surgery to keep up with demand.

The dental practice has recently invested heavily in 3D technology, including Ballarat’s only cone beam CT 3D imaging machine and the latest CAD-CAM machine which allows the in house, chair side, fabrication of crowns and bridges.

Oak Tree Ballarat Dental partner and dentist Dr Jess Lim said the business was committed to helping the community not only smile but to eat, sleep, breathe and live better.

“To help create a healthier community we need to first break the stigma about dentistry that has formed over generations. We understand that as dental professionals we are treating a person and not just a mouth and believe it is not acceptable for dentistry to be painful or scary,” Dr Lim said.

“We are excited about some of the new and advanced ways we can provide treatment, especially when it comes to implants and orthodontics. We are focused on treatment that is less invasive, more efficient and benefits the overall well being of our patients.” 

Fellow finalist Sovereign Press is no stranger to the awards, having been selected as a finalist eight times. It is known for having Ballarat’s largest multi-colour sheet fed press and a super fast digital department with online 24/7 ordering.

The Wendouree-located business has made a commitment to being an environment leader in the printing industry. Managers Brad and Claire Wootton said Sovereign Press became FSC certified, a LowCo2 member and could offer carbon neutral printing.

It launched an online storefront in 2016, allowing customers to obtain prices and order online quickly and efficiently. “Our vision for the future is to continue to set benchmarks in the industry product, sustainability and innovation,” Mr and Mrs Wootton said.

“We want to encourage the local community to reduce the massive amount of expenditure that is spent on printing and other services out of Ballarat and get the money back into our community, supporting our local employees and growing Ballarat for generations to come.”

Adroit Insurance Group has seen a shift away from insuring against conventional bricks and mortar type policies to financial lines, including management liability and cyber insurance.

“Across the country we are seeing a rise in the number of cyber related crimes and Ballarat has not been immune to this trend, however people are only just becoming aware that they can insure against these exposures,” managing principal Damon Edwards said.

Mr Edwards said being an intermediary between insurers and customers, the business understood the importance of offering excellence in customer service. “With the rise of the online insurance providers, unless we are adding value in the purchase of insurance, we will become obsolete. We benchmark the service we provide to ensure that our customers receive the best possible experience when dealing with us.”

Mr Edwards said the key to the business’ success was its people. He encouraged residents to give them a go. as not all policies were the same. “Our staff genuinely care about their customers and strive for excellence.”

FINALISTS

For Griffin Burger, family is the name of the game. 

Having just celebrated their second birthday, the business has been serving up a special range of burgers to the Ballarat community since 2015 and are now a finalist in the City of Ballarat Restaurants, Pubs and Cafes Award as a first time entrant. 

“Our unique burgers are of the highest quality and all of our staff members are trained in exceptional customer service. We have burgers to suit everyone and we cater for all allergies and intolerances which we feel has given us the edge in this category. Winning the award would be a huge achievement for us in our first year of entering the competition,” Griffin Burger’s Sam Griffin said. 

Griffin Burger fans have a lot to look forward to as the eatery lists opening a bigger and better store in Ballarat, including a bar and great seating areas as one of its future plans. 

Ballarat beer lovers were spoiled for choice when Hop Temple opened in 2015. A re-purposed garage and stables serves up the largest range of craft beers in Victoria. Hop Temple Manager Zac Hill said they were were thrilled to be chosen as a finalist in the City of Ballarat Restaurants, Cafes and Pubs Award. 

“We really enjoy the process as it gives us the opportunity to take a step back and really look at our business, what we've achieved and areas we would like to improve on.” 

He said entering the competition had been an opportunity to show the judges all their processes and achievements over the past 12 months.

“We think range of craft beer, staff knowledge and service, and our diversity of events help give us an edge, but we're up against some amazing businesses so we'll have to wait and see on the night,” Mr Hill said. 

“It would be amazing to win our category, it's been a huge goal of ours. We've put our heart and soul into Hop, and to have the reaffirmation that we're getting it right is invaluable. We also take it as an opportunity to thank our staff for all their hard work.” 

Putting fine Italian food back on the table is the name of the game for Carbonis Italian Kitchen. Opening in December of 2015, the restaurant prides itself on serving up traditional Italian fare and passion for food has scored them a place as a finalist in the City of Ballarat Restaurants, Cafes and Pubs Award. The authentic Italian nature of the restaurant, from ingredients to recipes, and environment and service is something that for executive chef Donatello Pierantuono sets the business apart. 

“My background in cooking has been mostly Italian cuisine until 2009, the year when I left my restaurant on the outskirts of Florence and relocated to Melbourne,” he said, adding the award process had been a great opportunity to step out the daily operation of the restaurant and look deeply into all our procedures, training, accounting, budgeting and operations. “We would feel honored to be recognised as the best in our category. Our plans are to get always better and a few little surprises are on the line.” he said. 

FINALISTS

Access to support for all to achieve their optimal health and well-being remains the constant focus for Ballarat Community Health.

A key part of this has been adapting services and technology to best meet modern needs in an evolving community. Dedication to achieving this is why BCH is a finalist in the CGU Insurance Community and Government Award.

BCH opened a redeveloped centre in Sebastopol last year and is planning renovations for its Wendouree base to better respond to community expectations in health care services and rapidly changing government health policies and technological advancements.

The organisation was established in 1993 with the amalgamation of the Sebastopol and Wendouree community health centres. A broad range of services and programs create opportunities and environments that empower people to develop healthy lifestyles and prevent or manage illness.

BCH chief executive officer Robyn Reeves said the organisation’s success was in close ties with the community and passionate staff.

“Our vision is that our community achieve the best possible health and well-being,” Ms Reeves said. “We will achieve that through community engagement, good governance and operating as a sustainable profit for purpose business.”

Empowering the community and social inclusion is at the heart of Ballarat Neighbourhood Centre programs.

Based in the Ballarat South Community Hub, the centre has a long tradition of providing quality adult learning, particularly in the city’s eastern and southern suburbs. BNC offers affordable pre-accredited and accredited courses in a wide variety of subjects in computing, literacy and numeracy and pre-employment programs.

A vibrant space helps activate a sense of place for the community’s most disadvantaged people and to inspire and support lifelong learning. BNC’s vision is support for all people to develop their skills and work readiness.

Uniting Ballarat is committed to ensure no-one falls through the gaps. The agency has delivered fundamental support to the community for more than 35 years, particularly in housing and crisis support, well-being, and early childhood education.

Well-being services have expanded to new programs in dual diagnosis psychology, a nurse practitioner clinic and brief interventions.

Uniting Ballarat’s services unique to the region are: Lifeline Ballarat, the city’s only 24-hour confidential crisis support hotline that takes calls from across the nation; BreezeWay Meals, which helps the homeless or those in crisis every day of the year; Street to Home program, which works directly with street sleepers in housing, medical, financial and employment assistance; and, Tabor House, the region’s only youth residential withdrawal unit.

The agency has about 330 volunteers working with 192 paid staff. Uniting Ballarat executive officer Sean Duffy said the hard work and dedication of staff and volunteers was the agency’s success in delivering such an important and wide range of services.

“We are extremely proud of the programs that we run and the difference we make within the local community,” Mr Duffy said. “It’s a great opportunity to promote what we do so that we can reach even more people doing it tough.”

FINALISTS

The Scape Artist creator has a lifelong passion for turning patches of dirt into incredible works of art.

Paddy Milne’s four-year-old business is a finalist in the Power FM Small Business Award category. It is a landscape design and construction business that creates new gardens in and around Ballarat.

Mr Milne has gained vast amounts of the knowledge required through horticultural and landscaper constructions qualifications.

“This training has allowed me to effectively design and implement gardens that will thrive in our local conditions, as well as bringing the outdoors alive in highly practical ways for his clients,” Mr Milne said.

He studied horticulture at the Ballarat Horticultural Centre and accumulated a vast amount of plant and soil knowledge: essential for the success of any landscaping project.

He then went on to complete a four-year apprenticeship in landscape construction, working with stone, steel and timber. After working on major projects with landscaping companies in Canada and the UK, he returned to Central Victoria.

Fellow finalist Raceline Motorcycles has seen a rapid growth in the off road motorcycle division over the past seven years.

Matt Polson said a reflection of the Shepperd Street business’s rapid growth had been the huge success with its Beta Motorcycles range.

“Beta Motorcycles is a high end Italian motorcycle manufacturer that we have partnered with to complement our extensive range of Motorcycle accessories, spare parts and fully equipped workshop facility,” Mr Polson said. “With years of experience competing in not only some of the toughest events in Australia, but also the world, we can ensure you get the right advice whether it’s that week long trail ride you have been talking about for years, or the vision of your next podium finish, we can help you make it a reality.”

Central Victorian Investments Limited assists in funding to local and out of town small businesses wanting to do business in Ballarat. 

General manager Brendan Gillett said in the past three years the business approved more than $50 million, or more than 60 per cent of its total $85 million, in approvals to these businesses. 

“It’s just our way of doing our bit in keeping Ballarat Victoria’s fastest growing regional city,” Mr Gillett said. 

He said it was an incredible feeling to be an award finalist for the first time. 

“The process of creating our application was very beneficial for the whole team and we are all very proud of this achievement, even if we aren’t successful,” Mr Gillett said.

After seeing a gap in the market to assist young investors, Central Victorian Investments Limited has recently launched ‘Grow With Us’.  The new product is a secured note available to people under the age of 25 designed to allow investors to achieve their longer term financial goals. 

He said the vision for the future of the business was maintaining the integrity and success of the business. 

FINALISTS

Two years ago artists Emily Can Der Molen and Laura Mah joined forces at a local community centre to engage a handful of young students. 

Fast forward to 2017 and the duo have opened their own studio on Webster Street where they now provide creative opportunities for hundreds of children and their families. 

The MAKE Art School provides a space where students can get creative, working with the philosophy that there is no right or wrong way to approach art. 

The fast-growing business has been named as one of the finalists for the Commerce Ballarat Creative Industries Business Award. 

“As best friends and business partners, we’ve poured many hours and much love into our business and we look forward to continuing to grow our little art school so that it becomes known as the go-to place for Ballarat families looking for creative fun,” Ms Van Der Molen said.  

Also a finalist is Blampied business Overwrought Sculpture Garden and Gallery, which has been operating on the Midland Highway for the past 11 years. 

Owners David Dawson and Karen McAloon work with a team of seven staff to craft uniquely Australian metal sculptures.  

The works, which are on display in the adjoining hay shed gallery are available for purchase online and at select retailers across the country. 

The business recently purchased a new laser cutting machine from China which will have a significant impact on the way future designs are developed.  

“I am inspired by my natural environment and the flora and fauna of regional Victoria,”  Mr Dawson said.  

“By utilizing my skills I have developed over many years in metalwork, woodwork and design I create metal and and sculptures both naturalistic and abstract.”  

The business is proud to promote the fact it can create custom designs to customer requirements and hope to expand its national presence in the coming years. 

The third finalist for the prestigious award is Alfredton-based marketing company Hstudios, who have been operating since 2004. 

The business which employs five staff provides a wide array of services from marketing strategy through to video and radio production and commercial photography. 

The business which is owned by Heath and Pina Worsley has been active in shifting their focus towards the digital space to provide a rounded marketing product. 

Ms Worsley said the company sought to stand out from the competition by providing a one-stop shop for businesses marketing needs. 

“Our goal is for all of our clients to enjoy the experience but most importantly for our clients businesses to grow,” Ms Worsley said.

Having the one company covering your marketing requirements not only makes it more time efficient but gives you brand consistency throughout your advertising.

“To be a finalist really substantiates all the hard work we put into our business to achieve amazing results for our clients.” 

Boost Juice Ballarat may boast three shops in the city, but it’s the company’s first – and only Drive Thru – at Sebastopol that has set it apart.

Since opening its first store at Wendouree three years ago, the business has expanded to 48 staff members in the Ballarat region.

Boost Juice was also finalist in the business awards in 2015 and 2016, proving the company has been a top performer for a significant time.

It has also been selected as a finalist in two categories this year.

For now the company will focus on its vision to makes its Drive Thru a success as it continues to aim for growth.

This included combining with CIBO Espresso to deliver barista-made coffee.

Boost Juice operations manager Sam Haans said the company wanted to continue growing.

“We are extremely proud to have been selected as finalists in two categories this year,” he said.

“We have the freshest smoothies and juices made to order, as well as Barista made coffee and lunch options at the Sebastopol Drive Thru.”

Also making the final cut for the category is Rams Home Loan Centre Ballarat.

Rams prides itself on its outstanding personal service, first home buyer products and fast turn around times.

The family owned franchise said it was pleased to be recognised for its hard work in the community.

Its key to success has included respecting people and always communicating with clients.

The Rams team is more than happy to adjust for its customers and arrange meetings at times that suit them.

Now the company plans to grow its community sponsorship and charity efforts to help the less fortunate, something it said is a very important part of its vision.

Franchise principal Rebecca Ebbels said the company wanted people to know they were a personable team that was excited to be a finalist.

“To be a finalist is amazing,” she said.

“It feels like we’re being recognised for all our hard work and as a small family owned franchise it means a lot.”

The Athlete’s Foot Ballarat is also a finalist for the Harwood Andrews Franchise/Buying Group Business Award

Since December, 1991 the company has provided shoes for people of all walks of life in the city.

That 25 years has seen the store grow to include a weekly running club with Evolution Runners that caters to all levels of athletes from across the Ballarat region.

Now The Athlete’s Foot prides itself on its passion, Ballarat knowledge, community care and its people orientated focus.

This year marks the fourth time it has been nominated for an award, following its appearance in the finals in 2012, 2014 and 2016.

The store has always maintained a customer driven focus for its business.

Athlete’s Foot community and events manager Sam Hardefeldt said he had a great team.

“We have a passion for our job and not just coming to work,” he said. “It is a lifestyle to work at The Athlete's Foot.

“We want to be customer driven, and always striving to be a service and a benefit to others.

“We have a great team who aren't just work colleagues, but are friends.”

Adroit Insurance Group prides itself on its customer service and the value adding products it delivers, so it is no surprise the company has been nominated as a finalist.

The company benchmarks the service it provides to ensure customers receive the best possible experience when dealing with the company.

Managing principal Damon Edwards said it was always pleasing to see acknowledgement for your work.

“The announcement as a finalist in two categories is something that all our staff are proud of,” he said.

“We have incredibly dedicated staff who genuinely care about their customers and strive for excellence.

“We’d just encourage people, particularly those who purchase their insurance out of town or direct with an insurer, to give us a go.

“Not all insurance policies are the same and if you’re comparing on price alone then you run the gauntlet.”

Sharp Accounting prides itself on ensuring its customers understand their service.

Avoiding accounting talk in favour of plain English is a key part of the company’s business.

Director Glenn Sharp said Sharp Accounting’s vision was for the provision of quality business improvement advice. “We are determined to make sure our clients are well serviced and financially in control,” he said.

“There is so much more that we can do to empower them to achieve their own goals.

“It was humbling and exciting to be announced as one of this year’s finalists, among so many great Ballarat businesses.

“I am proud of the sensational team we have built at Sharp Accounting.

“There is so much more that we can do to empower them to achieve their own goals. We are determined to make sure our clients are well serviced and financially in control.”

The current Telstra Business Centre Plus IT has existed since 2011.

Since that time, they have endeavoured to provide quality end-to-end customised ICT solutions for customers.

The company’s 27 staff members work under managers Lee Mudge and Michael Cushing.

Its philosophy is simple – make the complex simple for customers.

The company aims to understand the daily challenges faced by customers, and become their trusted partner to make solutions simple and effective.

Manager Michael Cushing said the company was extremely excited to make it through to the finalist stage of the business awards.

“We are locally owned and operated ICT business and understand the challenges our customers face on a daily basis,” he said.

“Our role is to become your trusted partner and make the ICT journey simple and effective.

“We have a simple philosophy, to make the complex simple for our customers and to have them at the centre of everything we do.”

Since 2012 Delacombe manufacturer Ceramet has sought to distinguish itself from the competition through its comprehensive service in metal pressing, fabrication, tool design and manufacturing as well as solar research.  

This full service ranges from product design support and prototype development through to the final development of tools tailored for clients. 

In recent years the Ballarat company has sought to stay at the forefront of its industry through diversification. 

The company has engaged in a joint venture with a Korean and Chinese company to supply brake components into China.  

This is the second year running Ceramet have been named as a finalist in the awards.  

Ceramet technical and commercial manager Stephen Casey said the company’s success was proof manufacturing still had an important  role to play in the Australian and Ballarat economies. 

“Through innovation, diversification and a can-do attitude we can continue to be successful,” Mr Casey said of the Australian manufacturing industry. 

Fellow Delacombe manufacturer Albins Performance Transmissions also capped off a big financial year by being shortlisted for the prestigious award.  

The business which was established back in 1978 has grown to become the largest high performance driveline manufacturer in the southern hemisphere, boasting 65 employees. 

A global leader in off-road racing transmissions, Albins’ trans-axle and inline transmission technology has been used in some of the biggest races in the world such as the Baja and Dakar rallies.

Albins is the official control transmission supplier for the V8 Supercars and recently diversified into supplying military land systems. 

In April the company added a further 20 employees to meet the growing demand which came from securing a major contract with the Australian Defence Force.  

The business received a grant from the state government to further expand its defence manufacturing capabilities. 

The business has partnerships across the globe and exports its products to North America, Asia, Europe and the Middle East.   

“Ballarat is not just going along, Ballarat is thriving and we have the opportunity to, and are, contributing to the success of our local supply chain partners,” Albins director Steven Nicholson said.  

Another veteran of the Ballarat manufacturing scene, Fussell Street business Advanced Cabinetry is also in the mix to take out the 2017 award. 

The business which started in a small garage back in 1999 has grown to employ 23 staff.  

The recently refurbished showroom offers full size kitchens, laundries along with vanity and wardrobe displays showcasing the latest hardware and materials.   

Advanced Cabinetry deal with a broad range of buildings from renovations through to new builds. 

“To be recognised as a finalist in the awards is a great achievement for everyone who is a part of Advanced Cabinetry,” managing director Clint Smith said.  

“Our team play a large role in the success of the business and we thank them and our clients for allowing us to come to work each day and do a job that we love