I was told in the lead-up that the Campaspe Murray Business Awards was one of the nights of the year in Echuca-Moama.
Not only did it live up to expectations, but it delivered a whole lot more.
A crowd of 300 converged on the Tatalia Room at Rich River Golf Club for the ceremony.
This was the first time in three years that the awards had been held, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Murray River Council Mayor Chris Bilkey spoke of the rich history of the awards, which stretch back 22 years.
In his speech, Cr Bilkey discussed the challenges thrown at everyone in the Echuca-Moama region, particularly businesses during the past two years.
“Our border communities were at the whim and fancies of two state governments, who had different times and doubled the pain for us,” Cr Bilkey said.
Cr Bilkey praised the way Echuca-Moama had come through the pandemic and out the other side with a spring in its step, saying “it is our good fortune to be in a LGA (local government area) that is registering strong growth”.
Host Brian Nankervis, now of RocKwiz fame but before that Raymond J. Bartholomew, a semi-regular on Hey Hey It’s Saturday, was his usual dazzling self.
That’s even with wearing the same jacket he donned when last here, in 2019.
Mr Nankervis sure knows how to get the crowd going, with his music quiz a hit.
So too, a member of the crowd, who got up on stage to give a rousing rendition of the Rolling Stones hit Satisfaction.
Even Mick Jagger would have been impressed by that.
The crowd sure was.
But the main focus of the night was celebrating the contribution of businesses throughout Echuca and Moama.
One by one, the winners would get on stage, come off stage, be ushered into the media area (thanks to the organisers for setting that one up, and Astrid O’Farrell in particular for her assistance), where Riverine Herald photographer Steve Huntley and yours truly were on hand.
Not only was it fantastic to meet each of the winners and grab their photos, but they all have great stories.
Stories of success, perseverance, hard work, ingenuity, innovation, dedication to their business and the community.
People like Kyle Bartlett, who won the Young Entrepreneur of the Year.
Kyle started his business 7 Beans Coffee from scratch, has opened four stores, is a volunteer with the Echuca CFA and still works a seasonal full-time job with Kagome.
One of the best things about my job is getting to meet people like Kyle, his wife, Sarah-Jane, and proud parents.
David and Jacqui Wegener, with Moama Bakery and E M Events, were among the victors.
Such has been the success of the Pop and Pour Festival run by E M Events, that Tweed Heads has commissioned Jacqui to help it develop a similar event.
By 10am yesterday, they were on the plane headed north.
The universal theme from each of the winners is they all love living and working in this wonderful part of the world we call home.
Congratulations to SLTEC Fertilizers, which claimed the top gong.
The pride of director Jamie McMaster and the members of the team in attendance on the night was clear to see.
It reaffirms that nights like Wednesday are just tremendous.
You can’t help but leave with a smile on your dial.
The last person of many I interviewed was Billy Brady, who started his own electrical company at 29.
Six years on, his business Brady Electrical won the Foodmach Excellence in Trade Award.
Billy was good enough to give me some time for a chat, knowing that he had a three-hour trip on a wet night ahead to Melbourne, ahead of a 7am start on a job site the next day.
He more than any other encapsulated what the Campaspe Murray Business Awards are about.
“The award isn’t the most important thing (tonight), it is the chance to rub shoulders with fellow businesses and see each other,” he said.
After the trials and tribulations caused by the pandemic, he was 100 per cent right.
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