Hawkesbury Business Awards - by local for local

Recognising the achievements of our local business community

Hawkesbury Business Awards 2026 has been cancelled.

A Red-Carpet Celebration of Local Excellence

Join us for an unforgettable evening as we honour the Hawkesbury region’s most inspiring and high-achieving individuals and businesses across a wide range of industries. This prestigious event brings the entire community together to acknowledge innovation, dedication and success.

Now is our 5th year, the Hawkesbury Business Awards is a highlight of the local business and broader community calendar. Anyone is welcome to attend; this is a night for those that support our locals to come together and celebrate!

This year we will have a diverse range of professional local musicians performing including guest appearances. Following the presentations, we will end the night on the dance floor and all photos will be available free!

2026 Awards Night Details

📅 Date: 2026 cancelled.
📍 Venue: Windsor Function Centre, 7 Dight St.
🕡 Doors Open: 6:30 PM (Champagne on arrival).
🍽️ Event Begins: 7:00 PM – Includes a 3‑course meal featuring local produce and a premium beverage package.
🎤 Hosted by: Local MCs.
🎶 Live Music: Local professional musicians and guests.
💃 Dance floor celebration to close the night.
📸Photos: All photos of the red carpet, room and winners will be available for FREE online after the event.

Whole room at the 2025 Hawkesbury Business Awards

Benefits of Participation

Being a part of Hawkesbury Business Awards can be rewarding in many ways for you, your team and business.

Gaining exposure for your brand locally, with finalists announced and tagged on multiple social media platforms. Also listed in the Hawkesbury Independent and via Pulse FM live on the night.
Getting recognition of your efforts and commitment to business. While finalists are recognised by the community as someone they trust, winners are selected by business experts during judging. Both are amazing achievements.
Finalists use the awards logo on their marketing and shop fronts, so the recognition lasts long after the event.
Boosted moral and pride of your team, community support and acknowledgment can have deep impact for our local workforce. It also encourages better candidates to join your team during recruiting.
The judging preparation process and seeking feedback after the event is a great opportunity to review your business. As a result, you can be sure you’re on a growth path.
Networking and exposure during the awards night leads to new opportunities. It is also a cost-effective way to reward your teams’ hard work and have a great night out.
At the awards everything is included, especially the photos. Without a doubt, a great opportunity to refresh your teams’ photos on your website and socials.
Know that you are supporting the other local businesses involved, including the organisers. Because we run this event out of passion, not for profit – by local, for local.

Eligibility to be a Finalist in the Hawkesbury Business Awards

Finalists in the 2022 Hawkesbury Business Awards

The criteria for eligibility is:

have or work under an active ABN to be defined as a business, and
meet the criteria for being a Hawkesbury based business.

We encourage nominations for businesses operated by those under 28 years including minors. For example, our youngest finalist entrepreneur was 12 years old. So, there are no age restrictions.

Every business, regardless of their industry or size is included in the Hawkesbury Business Awards. Including multi-office companies with a local head office or small sole-trader start-ups.

The Hawkesbury Defined

The Hawkesbury is defined as the Hawkesbury Local Government Area for the awards. So, any business nominated must have within this area:

a physical location of operations or an office,
the head office of a national company,
a home-based business,
more than 50% of their clients based, or
another significant attachment or contribution.

How this was applied to finalists.

Woolworths Richmond store was a finalist. However, the national company is not eligible.
A company operating in multiple locations in Australia and the Pacific, has their head office in Mulgrave.
Co-parenting Plus is an app available worldwide with development by a local business.
A business based in Londonderry, outside the area, with over 80% of their clients from within the area. These clients made the nominations.
A sole trader artist made the recent move to Penrith. But, they remained contracting with local businesses, attended local community events, volunteered locally and had grown up in the area. So, their attachment and contribution to the area remained strong.

Nomination Process

Hawkesbury Business Awards 2025 winners with presenter

📅 Nominations open: 2026 cancelled.
⏰ Nominations close: 2026 cancelled.

🏢 Who can be nominated?
Any eligible business, please refer to the criteria above.

👥 Who can nominate?
Anyone, from anywhere.

🔢 How many nominations can I make?
Submit as many nominations as you like, provided each nomination is for a different business or individual.

🙋‍♀️ Can a business owner nominate themselves?
Yes. Business owners can self‑nominate once. You’re also welcome to nominate other businesses you believe deserve recognition.

📝 Do I need to answer the entire form?
No. Only the required questions must be completed. However, providing more information ensures the nomination is allocated correctly and supports the judging process.

Every nomination helps shine a light on the incredible work happening in our local business community.

How to Increase your Nominations

Encourage everyone you know to nominate your business, get your team and family to help with this mission. This is the easiest way to increase nominations, along with these steps.

If you have a shop front or vehicle, print our QR Code poster from this page and hang it up. Then add it to your website and other online presence.
Also ask your clients to fill out a nomination if they are happy when you provide your service.
Add the QR poster to your website.
Share our posts on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn (@hawkesburybusinessevents).
Email your database asking for their support, include a link to this page to make the process easy for them.
Ask via call or message if your family, friends and clients to nominate you. Keep in mind, that each person can only nominate a particular business once.
Display any finalist or winner stickers you have from previous years to show your pride. This will generally result in some people asking you about the awards.
Make sure you nominate, there is nothing wrong with backing yourself. If you don’t believe in you, it is hard for other to do it.

2026 Nominations Poster HB Awards Black Download

2026 Nominations Poster HB Awards White Download

Award Categories

Overall, the categories are based off statistical data to have close to an even number of businesses in each. Therefore, each business has the same starting chance of being recognised, as other businesses.

If you are unsure what category a business is in, there is a table in the FAQ section below. The team will adjust the category if needed, so that nomination is not lost.

This means, large companies and small start-ups are in most categories, but the criterion for judging allows for fair comparison. So, big does not mean a winner or finalist, with some micro businesses taking out our major awards.

Winner at the 2024 Hawkesbury Business Awards

Sugar Glider, winner of Business Person and Community Contribution of the Year at the 2025 Hawkesbury Business Awards

Special Awards:

Young Business Person of the Year (28 years or younger)
Business Person of the Year
Business of the Year
Community Contribution of the Year

Finalists and Announcements

In general, finalists are the 8 most nominated businesses or people in each category. If there is a tie, there will be more then 8 finalists, because we believe it is the people’s choice.

Undoubtedly, being a finalist means that you are one of the most appreciated local businesses or business people. So being a finalist is a true achievement, like winning a people’s choice award.

The special awards finalists are also determined by the same method, winning your industry category has no impact on these.

Finalists are announced:

Firstly, release on our social media accounts, one category at a time in the order listed. In order to not miss a moment, Like and follow our accounts, links at the bottom of the page.
Secondly, all finalists will receive an email letting them know more about the next steps in the judging process.
- finalists can provide extra information related to the judging criteria via an included online form link. However, the form is not compulsory because we understand running a business and life is time consuming. The form only takes 15min to complete.
Following this, a list of all finalists will be published in the June edition of the Hawkesbury Independent.

Judging Criteria for Hawkesbury Business Awards

The criteria consists of the these areas.

Community Commitment – charity work, fundraising and support initiatives.

Networking & Collaboration – participation in industry and networking groups along with collaboration with other local businesses.

Marketing Visibility – social media presence, website quality and promotional efforts.

Customer Service – in-person, phone, and email interactions; staff and premises presentation, product knowledge and communication skills.

Legal Compliance – ABN, trading name registration and licencing as applicable.

Achievements & Future Plans – industry recognition, goal achievement and business plans.

The Process

Judging is undertaken in 2 stages. Initially, the HBE team will gather publicly available data about the finalist. However, independent judges complete the final stage to ensure there is is no bias.

Feedback can be obtained for all finalists after the event.

Community Contribution of the Year

This special award is the last that is announced each year, to reflect that it is the most important. This one does not get judged based on the same criteria as the other awards.

The criteria for this award is:

be eligible as a finalist as a Hawkesbury business with an active ABN,
have contributed the most to the community beyond standard business practice for the industry of operation according to the judges.

Past winners of this award have been:

2022 – RuffTrack support youth to up-skill and redirect their lives to a health path. Due to the flooding locally, the youth and staff worked to clean debris from houses and reinstall farm fencing.
2023 – Hawkesbury’s Helping Hands ensure the local and beyond in need are provided meals and groceries. Over Christmas, other operators in their sector shut down. However, HHH ensure meals and groceries continue, including Christmas Day lunch, with people travelling from Northern NSW.
2024 – Sarah Cassim Consulting business advisory and Sarah founded Hawkesbury Women in Business. She manages a free Facebook advice group and supported people through trauma and then reestablishing their businesses. Starting A Little Leg Up, giving leg hams to those needing it.
2025 – Sugar Glider Cafe in North Richmond is a bakery and cafe. They offer a range of truffles and brownies in store, with 100% of the profits going to Sydney Wildlife Rescue. In addition, they raise awareness through their branding and personally care for sick and injured animals.

Previous finalists and winners

Tickets for the 2026 Hawkesbury Business Awards – Cancelled

Scott and Warren do a stage take over at the 2025 Awards

Formal dress code applies. Under-18 entrepreneurs and family business members are welcome.

Please advise any special requirements when purchasing your ticket.

Ticket Options:

Individual Tickets
Half Table (5 seats) – Discount available
Full Table (10 seats) – Discount available

After the finalists are announced, ticket sales will open. The night is live broadcast on Pulse FM.

Gain brand exposure and a reputation for supporting your local business community – Sponsor the Hawkesbury Business Awards

Help us keep ticket prices accessible while getting direct access to a wide range of local business personalities. Sponsorship packages can be tailored to your goals and ensure you come out ahead.

📣 Targeted Local Exposure
Showcase your brand to businesses, professionals and community leaders from across the Hawkesbury region.

🏆 Positive Brand Association
Align your business with excellence, innovation and community leadership.

📈 Marketing Value Beyond the Event
Sponsors are promoted across our website, social media, media partners and post‑event coverage.

🤝 Meaningful Connections
Build relationships with local decision‑makers, business owners and community organisations.

🌱 Support Local Business
Demonstrate your commitment to the growth and success of the Hawkesbury business community.

Charity Tables

Each year we also ask for sponsors to cover the cost of not-for-profit finalists attending the awards night. We believe that charity funding should remain where it is need them most, a value by which our awards run.

Awards nights have seen team members and volunteers from various organisations have a well-earned glamorous night. If you can not sponsor a whole table, we adjust to accommodate your budget.