Welcome to our December Wrap-Up! We are Celebrating a Year of Positive Change
To our members, sponsors, partners and community, THANK YOU for contributing to a year of meaningful progress and fresh energy at Business Port Macquarie.
We invite you to grab a cuppa and take a look at a snapshot of 2025 at Business Port Macquarie!
Community & Events
A big thank you to everyone who attended our events throughout the year. Each session became a valuable space for conversation, collaboration, and connection. Keep an eye on your inbox, our socials and website for our 2026 events kicking off from January.
We started 2025 with a Cocktail party, because, why not?... and then we launched into our monthly events along our 2025 Coastline Bank Greater Port Macquarie Business Awards program.
The lead up to the Business Awards is such a valuable time for businesses. It's an opportunity to shine a light on their day to day operations and learn from it. It's also a platform to be visible through sponsorship, entries and voting. I urge all businesses to get involved in some capacity because I'm not sure everyone truly understands just how significant the entire program is and how valuable it is to leverage it.
Speaking of the Gala, who can forget it?! It was a high energy party vibe that created so many smiles, laughter, celebration and connection. I loved seeing everyone celebrated across our socials and tearing up the dance floor with each other at the end of the night. It's got everyone excited to deliver another incredible event in 2026!
We also enjoyed coming together at:
Coffee Connections - First Wednesday of each month (commencing Feb 4th). This year we took our Coffee Connections on tour. Some of our members took advantage of hosting these events 'in' their businesses to highlight what they do, others hosted at a cafe. 2026 will be no different. If you want to bring 20-30 people through your business, let's chat!
BA5 Happy Hour - Last Wednesday of each month (commencing Feb 25th). These were a new initiative to help members get to the know the faces behind the brands because, as I say every time we meet, people do business with people. When you hear the passion and the purpose behind the person behind the brand, you are more likely to connect and do business with them. It's the KLT Factor (Know, Like & Trust).
Both our Coffee Connections (open to members and those interested in becoming a member) and our BA5 Happy Hours (for members-only) have been growing because they have the human to human element which is so important in building relationships.
Charity Golf Day - Thank you to all sponsors and players who joined us in supporting the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service. Your generosity will help keep this lifesaving service in the sky.
Digital Deep Dive - We partnered with Ollie Brooke of Cloud Concepts on a full day of learning and embracing AI tools. Attendees walked away with loads of helpful tips and tricks to make their work life easier.
Leaders Round Tables - Our Leaders Round Tables launched with Amanda Hutton, Telstra Group Executive, a senior leader influencing Australia’s connectivity future, visiting and contributing to a conversation that could help shape how Telstra delivers services in our region. I'm looking forward to continuing meaningful discussions on many subjects in this space.
Economic Breakfast & Boardroom Lunch - We partnered with BusinessNSW and delivered an Economic Breakfast with Sherman Chan, Business NSW Chief Economist, who is renowned for her insightful analyses and comprehensive understanding of economic trends.
We also invited Mark Thirlwell, Chief Economist at the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) to an exclusive Boardroom Lunch to share expert insights into the current economic landscape, key trends, and their impact on businesses in Australia and beyond.
Finishing the Year Strong Celebration
This New Year’s Eve, the foreshore will come alive with a spectacular fireworks display proudly supported by our event partners. I invite you to join us for one of the region’s most loved and anticipated celebrations as we bring the community together to farewell 2025 and welcome 2026.
With thousands expected to attend, it’s the perfect way to celebrate with family, friends and visitors while showcasing the vibrancy of our region. Thanks to our generous Partners, we’re set to deliver a night you won’t want to miss.
I'm looking forward to starting 2026 with a bang with you all!!
Strengthening and Building our Leadership
This year we farewelled Alex Glen-Holmes and thanked her for her passion and contribution made to our business community and welcomed Peter Jones into the President role.
We also farewelled Malcolm Neale who was equally as passionate about our community however the calling to run his own business again was too strong. This opened the door for me to step into the position of Acting EO and now, the Executive Officer.
At our AGM in October we welcomed three new Board Members:
Bianca Moore - The Witchy Nook
Chris Simon - NBN Co.
Lucas Garside - Berry Financial Services
Each bring insight, experience, and energy to the team and together we are looking forward to continuing a strong focus on creating positive change in our local business community.
I must add, the Business Port Macquarie Board are the most passionate, business community focused and supportive team and it's a privilege to work alongside them.
Business Connect Magazine
A major milestone for us this year was launching our own Business Connect Magazine.
I've been thrilled with your response and am eager to keep improving how we engage, promote and partner with our members. If you want to share solutions to a known business challenge, have a good news story that will inspire, or an educational piece you would like to contribute, your feedback and contribution is always welcome!
If you would like to feature in the January 2026 edition, we’d love to hear from you. The deadline for content is Friday 16th January 2026 so it's important you let me know very soon.
Take a look through our October edition below and let us know how you would like to get involved.
Advocacy & Representation
We have been continuing to build strong relationships with all three levels of government this year.
In August, we ran a campaign to deliver a 10,000 physical signature petition to put the Oxley Highway / Wrights Road roundabout upgrade back on the agenda in Parliament.
We were incredibly proud and grateful for the support of our business community. You stepped up, and helped us reach the wider community to be able to deliver MORE than 10,000 physical signatures to Robert Dwyer MP within 12 days!! This is the power of the collective voice fighting for a mission that is important to our thriving community.
If you missed hearing Robert's speech in Parliament, you can watch it here:
You'll also be interested to know, the Mad As Hell – Oxley Highway petition social media video was viewed almost 27,000 times!
More recently, we were proud to provide an update from Council on the Draft City Heart Masterplan & Strategy. Alex Adkins, Strategic Land Use Planning Manager for Port Macquarie-Hastings Council, kindly accepted our invitation to give our members an exclusive presentation at our November BA5.
From this, we have gathered valuable feedback and submitting the Chamber’s collective voice to Council on both the Draft City Heart Masterplan & Strategy and the Draft Economic Development Strategy, ensuring your business voice is heard where it matters.
Our Valued Partners
A heartfelt thank you to our Platinum and Gold Partners for your leadership, commitment, and investment. Your support enables us to deliver meaningful advocacy and create opportunities that help businesses across the region connect, grow, and thrive.
It's businesses like the ones you see below who show up, they support and they contribute to everything we do. They are such an important part of our fabric and we look forward to working with them to bring more value in 2026.
We also thank all Business Awards sponsors, and New Year’s Eve Fireworks Sponsors.
Your support makes it possible for us to celebrate the achievements of businesses across our region and bring our community together for meaningful events.
Thank you for helping us celebrate everyone across our region!
If you have considered becoming more involved, we would love to talk with you on the best opportunity for your business needs.
Looking Ahead
You have been a part of a year of positive change, renewed momentum, and strong community spirit. We look forward to an even brighter 2026, working together, advocating together, and celebrating business together.
We plan to kick off 2026 with a fun event, keep your eyes on your inboxes, and our social channels for updates.
...and while we're talking fun events, let's talk 2026 Coastline Bank Greater Port Macquarie Business Awards!
You’ve seen the highlights of what partnering with the region’s premier business event can offer. Now is the perfect time to explore how your organisation can be part of the 2026 Business Awards.
Sponsorship places your brand at the centre of a potent promotional campaign, with exposure to more than 500 Gala attendees and region-wide media and digital reach. It positions you alongside leading local organisations and connects you with decision-makers, innovators, industry specialists, and high-performing businesses.
Your support helps us celebrate excellence, elevate local talent, and inspire the next generation of business leaders. By investing in the Awards, you contribute directly to the momentum shaping our region’s economic future.
Packages are available now, and early commitment ensures maximum visibility throughout the entire campaign.
Click here to view the Sponsorship Prospectus and secure your place in the 2026 Business Awards.
Let’s create something exceptional together.
And that's a wrap!
Don't forget, the floor is not the place to wrap ALL your Christmas gifts in one session. We all know the difficulty in getting back up off the floor but somehow forget before we commit on the way down haha
Have a safe and happy festive season and we look forward to welcoming you to 2026.
PS. Our office will be closed from 5pm Tuesday 23rd December and will reopen Monday 5th January 2026