2018 Industry Celebration Night
Posted on December 5th, 2018
Celebrating 30 years of the Capricorn Coast Visitor Information Centre; Pioneers of Industry who have operated their businesses consecutively for 20 years or more; congratulating local business and individual Award Winners; acknowledging Best of Queensland Pilot Program top score recipients; and presenting Local Legend Awards to musicians Busby Marou and Author Anna Daniels all contributed to an incredibly successful Capricorn Enterprise Annual Industry Celebration Night held at Henderson Park Farm Retreat last Friday night!
The night was a sell out, with nearly 140 Members and Guests attending this event, with surprise special guests Anna Daniels, Thomas Busby and Jeremy Marou attending to receive their Local Legend Awards.
Busby Marou provided wow factor to the night, surprising the audience by performing their latest “Sounds of Summer” single which has been chosen as the theme song to this year’s cricket season!
Master of Ceremonies Ally Cullen from Channel 9 local news did a fabulous job and Tom Busby announced to the audience that winning their Local Legend Award was better than the Aria’s!
Particular thanks must also go to Bryce Millar at Mad Dog Productions for compiling a 6 minute visual tribute of 30 years of the Capricorn Coast Visitor Information Centre (VIC) as well as a special tribute to the late Ann Augusteyn at Capricorn Caves, this year marking the 30th Anniversary of ownership of the business, with daughter Helen Harmsworth and son Robert Augusteyn receiving their award with Capricorn Caves General Manager Amanda Hinton.
Past CCTO Chairs Mayor Bill Ludwig and Paul Lancaster along with current Capricorn Enterprise Chair Derek Lightfoot and Deputy Chair Bob Pleash helped celebrate thirty years of the Capricorn Coast Visitor Information Centre with our wonderful volunteers, who received certificates and flowers for their incredible service to our community, businesses and of course our visitors!
Individual Awards were presented to Eloise Chaffers, Great Keppel Island Hideaway for her 2018 Young Tourism Leader success (Department of Tourism) and for attaining 1 of 4 finalists in the Australian Regional Tourism (ART) Professional Program, with Pat Lilleboe from the Sail Inn Motel completing the Queensland Tourism Industry Council (QTIC) Young Professionals Mentoring Program this year. Olivia Evans from Sandstone Park, Carnarvon Gorge was also awarded her 2018 Young Tourism Leader certificate with Deputy Mayor of Central Highlands Regional Council Gail Godwin-Smith travelling quite a distance to represent our western tourism family.
The Keppel Bay Sailing Club, Capricorn Food & Wine Festival, Empire Apartment Hotel, Capricorn Caves and Beef Australia 2018 were all acknowledged for a number of Awards they have won in the past year.
And five (5) operators were acknowledged in our region who have received a perfect score (100/100) in the Pilot Program this year who are on their way to becoming “Best of Queensland” businesses which will be announced in the New Year by Minister for Tourism Kate Jones MP and Tourism and Events Queensland.
We sincerely thank all Members and Guests who attended the evening and were particularly grateful for representatives from Tourism and Events Queensland (Group Executive Global Marketing, Michael Brenagh) and the Department of Innovation, Tourism and Industry Development (Deputy Director General Jeff McAllister) .
We look forward to an even bigger event next year!
View more photos from the night here.
