Nominations have now closed for the DDCC 2018 business awards with a record 235 nominations for business, organisations and individuals over 12 categories being received. Counting multiple nominations, close to 500 have been receiving, giving a true indication of the popularity of this awards programme. A full list of nominations appears in this week’s edition of the Dungog Chronicle.
The awards would not be possible, of course, without the continued support of our valued sponsors including our major sponsor the Dungog Chronicle.
The judging process will now commence with the winners and runners-up being announced at our gala award presentation at the Dungog Memorial RSL club on Saturday 12 May 2018. Our awards presentation evening are always a great event, showcasing our wonderful Dungog Shire business community, organisations and individuals. Tickets are now available to purchase at our website www.ddcc.org.au or by contacting Sarah Crawford at awards@ddcc.org.au or call 0410 332 236
Following recent community engagement sessions throughout the Shire conducted by Dungog Shire Council regarding a proposed special rate variation, an independent community reference panel has now been appointed. The panel met for the first of three meetings on the 4th April, 2018. For my report of the meeting head to our website www.ddcc.org.au or Mayoral Update at Dungog Shire Council website https://www.dungog.nsw.gov.au/
It is great to see that Dungog Shire will be the venue for a Tea Cosy Festival in 2019 and that the fantastic tradition associated with the Morpeth Tea Cosy Challenge, which was run in conjunction with the Morpeth Novelty Teapot Exhibition, will continue. The final Morpeth Tea Cosy Challenge was held in late August 2017, and the Richards family who organised the event for 30 years, are very pleased that the event will continue in Dungog, and have been generous with advice about the logistics of running the event. One special advantage that Dungog has in staging this event is our train service, which means that visitors from the Lower Hunter, and further afield, will be able to use public transport to come to the event.
This is a great chance for the Chamber of Commerce and local businesses, as well as community groups and individuals, to work with the organisers of the Dungog Tea Cosy Festival so that the event and associated activities benefit the entire Shire.
Wendy Farrow, from the Dungog Shire Visitor Information Centre, has let me know that the VIC had a good number of enquiries leading up to the April school holidays. Of particular interest, was the number of Queenslanders visiting the area last week, with some of them mentioning that they were escaping the crowds associated with the Commonwealth Games at the Gold Coast and elsewhere in south-east Queensland.
Kind Regards,
Jennifer Lewis
President – Dungog District Chamber of Commerce
