Remarkable Regional Business

BBEA 2025 Limited Series - Manufacturing Award Winner - Fabriq

Bendigo Business Excellence Awards Winners 2025
Awards Category: Manufacturing Award
Business Name: Fabriq
Presented to: Melanie Clark
 
// About the business
Fabriq is a family-owned and operated window furnishings business serving Bendigo and Central Victoria since 1995. They specialise in custom curtains, blinds, upholstery and interior décor, offering bespoke design, colour advice and personalised service to make decorating enjoyable. With quality craftsmanship and trusted expertise, Fabriq helps clients create beautiful, lasting spaces they’ll love for years to come.
 
// Links
https://fabriq.com.au/
https://bbea.com.au/

BBEA 2025 Limited Series - Gastronomy Award Winner - Noble Bootleggers Distilling Co

Bendigo Business Excellence Awards Winners 2025
Awards Category: Gastronomy Award
Business Name: Noble Bootleggers Distilling Co
Presented to:  Kristen and Daniel Lemu
 
// About the business
Noble Bootleggers Distilling Co is a boutique, family-run distillery and regenerative farm on the outskirts of Bendigo, Victoria. They craft unique small-batch spirits like gin, amaro and whisky with bold, innovative flavours and quality ingredients. Focused on sustainability, community and meaningful experiences, the Mum-and-Dad team loves connecting with customers at markets and events while creating memorable drinks that celebrate creativity and place.
 
// Links
https://www.noblebootleggers.com/
https://bbea.com.au/

BBEA 2025 Limited Series - Events and Tourism Award Winner - Bendigo Jockey Club

Bendigo Business Excellence Awards Winners 2025
Awards Category: Events and Tourism Award
Business Name: Bendigo Jockey Club
Presented to: Paul Scullie
 
// About the business
Bendigo Jockey Club is a historic country racing club in Victoria, celebrated as the “Nursery of Champions” where many iconic racehorses began their careers. It hosts about 23 race meetings annually at Bendigo Racecourse, including major events like the Ladbrokes Bendigo Cup and Golden Mile. The club offers premier regional racing, hospitality, training facilities, community events and a vibrant race day experience.
 
// Links
https://country.racing.com/bendigo
https://bbea.com.au/

BBEA 2025 Limited Series - Regional Women’s Business Award Winner - Rhianwen Seiter (MacKenzie Quarters)

Bendigo Business Excellence Awards Winners 2025
Awards Category: Regional Women’s Business Award
Business Name: MacKenzie Quarters
Presented to: Rhianwen Seiter
 
// About the winner
Rhianwen Seiter is the co-owner of MacKenzie Quarters, a multi-venue hospitality precinct in Bendigo, and the winner of the 2025 Bendigo Business Excellence Awards – Regional Women’s Business Award. She leads a diverse operation spanning boutique group accommodation, Ms Batterham’s restaurant, MacKenzie Hall events, offsite catering, and Goldie Sandwich Society. Recognised for resilient, people-first leadership, Rhianwen has navigated rising costs and shifting dining trends with strategic clarity, adaptability, and deep community commitment.
 
// Links
https://www.mackenziequarters.com/
https://bbea.com.au/

BBEA 2025 Limited Series - Emerging and Energised Award Winner - Making Cents of Money

Bendigo Business Excellence Awards Winners 2025
Awards Category: Emerging and Energised Award
Business Name: Making Cents of Money
Presented to: Bec Dillon-Hensby 
 
// About the business
Making Cents of Money is a Bendigo-based financial planning business that provides straight-up, no-jargon advice to help people take control of their money and live life on their own terms. Founded by experienced financial planner Bec Dillon-Hensby, the company crafts personalised plans covering budgeting, investing, superannuation and more—making smart money decisions simple, sustainable and tailored to clients’ goals.
 
// Links
https://makingcentsofmoney.com.au/
https://bbea.com.au/

BBEA 2025 Limited Series - Technology and Digital Award Winner - AgriNous Pty Ltd

Bendigo Business Excellence Awards Winners 2025
Awards Category: Technology and Digital Award
Business Name: AgriNous Pty Ltd
Presented to: Joel Rockes
 
// About the business
AgriNous is an Australian agritech business transforming the livestock industry with cloud-based digital solutions. They build fully integrated tools that connect stock agents, saleyard operators, buyers and sellers, replacing outdated paper systems to boost efficiency, traceability and compliance across the supply chain. Founded to streamline livestock transactions and workflows, AgriNous delivers real-time data, automation and modern technology for smarter livestock management.
 
// Links
https://agrinous.com.au/
https://bbea.com.au/

BBEA 2025 Limited Series - Small and Succeeding Award Winner - White Deer

Bendigo Business Excellence Awards Winners 2025
Awards Category: Small and Succeeding Award
Business Name: White Deer
Presented to: Jacqui Naunton
 
// About the business
White Deer is a Bendigo-based brand and graphic design studio led by Jacqui Naunton that helps heart-led business owners craft strategic, standout visual brands and graphics. They offer both studio-done services and DIY-friendly courses focused on Canva and effective design that elevates business presence and sales. With a passion for design and business strategy, White Deer empowers clients to communicate their value clearly and confidently.
 
// Links
https://whitedeer.com.au/
https://bbea.com.au/

William Abbott - Mount William Station (Part Two)

Remarkable Regional Business – Episode 40 (Part Two)
 
Guest: William Abbott
Business Name: Mount William Station
Website: https://www.mountwilliamstation.com/
 
In Part Two of this conversation, William Abbott goes deeper into the realities of building and operating a premium destination business in a regional setting. From navigating staff shortages during the great resignation, to building an international live in hospitality program, William shares the practical lessons that only come from being in the business every day. This episode explores leadership, staffing, legacy, financial discipline, and the small moments that define unforgettable guest experiences. At the heart of the conversation is a principle that applies to every industry. When things go wrong, those moments often become the greatest opportunity to show how good your business truly is.
 
Topics Covered:
 
/ Finding exceptional staff in a post pandemic world
William shares how opening Mount William Station during a global labour shortage forced him to think differently about staffing. From recruiting Australia wide to trusting instinct, values alignment, and long interview walks through the garden, this section unpacks how the right people shape the entire experience.
 
/ Building a live in international hospitality program
With a limited local talent pool, William explains how necessity led to creating staff accommodation and a six month live in program for international hospitality professionals. The result is elevated service standards, global experience, and a flexible workforce that can expand and contract with the seasons.
 
/ Turning the family home into a commercial business
Operating a hotel inside the home he grew up in brings moments of nostalgia, tension, and pride. William reflects on balancing memories with modern business realities while still keeping the homestead a place for family gatherings, celebrations, and shared history.
 
/ Honouring one hundred years of stories and heritage
From tennis tournaments and long lunches to wool shed line ups and station legends, William shares the stories that shaped Mount William Station. These stories now form part of the guest experience through farm tours and storytelling that connects visitors to the land and its past.
 
/ Life after corporate banking
After more than a decade in Shanghai working in corporate banking, William reflects on the shift to running his own business in a town of just a few hundred people. He speaks honestly about purpose, pressure, motivation, and why ownership feels fundamentally different to corporate life.
 
/ Why finance backgrounds often create resilient founders
William explains why understanding cash flow, banking language, and financial structure can be the difference between a good idea surviving or failing. He shares how these skills helped create runway, manage risk, and sustain growth.
 
/ Adapting the business model to real demand
From underestimating older travellers to the unexpected growth of weddings and events, William talks through how Mount William Station evolved by paying attention to demand and being willing to lean into opportunities without losing the core vision.
 
/ Creating moments guests remember years later
Rather than focusing only on service delivery, William explains how the goal is to create moments that stand out as highlights of a year. Small gestures, emotional awareness, and empowering staff to act without approval all play a role.
 
/ Lessons from unreasonable hospitality
Drawing on ideas from the bookUnreasonable Hospitality, William shares how empowering teams to fix mistakes generously can turn disappointment into loyalty. When something goes wrong, it is often the moment that defines the brand.
 
/ The hardest truth about business ownership
William closes with an honest reflection. Business is harder than you think. It takes longer, costs more, and demands resilience. But long term commitment, belief in the vision, and persistence through difficult seasons are what make longevity possible. This is Part Two of the conversation with William Abbott.
 
If you have not listened to Part One yet, go back and start there to hear the full story of Mount William Station and how it began.

William Abbott - Mount William Station (Part One)

Remarkable Regional Business – Episode 40 (Part One)
 
Guest: William Abbott
Business Name: Mount William Station
Website: https://www.mountwilliamstation.com/
 
What happens when a century old family farm becomes the foundation for one of regional Victoria’s most distinctive luxury destination experiences?
In this episode of Remarkable Regional Business, host Caleb Maxwell sits down with William Abbott, the driving force behind Mount William Station. It is a boutique luxury hotel, dining experience, and events destination set on a historic working property in the Grampians. William shares the journey of transforming a multi generation family property into a sustainable and future focused business, while balancing heritage, succession planning, hospitality, and commercial reality. From communal dining and farm to table experiences to global inspiration and partnerships that help solve seasonality, this conversation is full of practical insights that translate far beyond tourism and hospitality.
 
Topics Covered
 
/ Turning a family succession challenge into a destination business
William unpacks how a long and complex succession process led to a bold idea. Create a boutique hotel and events business that could preserve heritage buildings, generate income, and help keep the farm in the family, without compromising the agricultural foundations of the property.
 
/ Designing a guest experience that feels like home
From greeting guests at the door rather than at a reception desk, to shared meals inspired by family dinners, William explains how Mount William Station intentionally recreates the warmth and generosity of a family home, not a traditional hotel.
 
/ Farm to table dining with no set menu
The Mount William dining experience has no menu. Instead, guests enjoy chef led seasonal meals sourced from the garden, farm, and local producers, with each dish explained during service. The result is a dining experience built around connection, conversation, and story.
 
/ Solving seasonality through strategic partnerships
Rather than accepting quiet winter months, William shares how partnerships, including a multi day horse riding experience, transformed low occupancy periods into some of the busiest months of the year.
 
/ Thinking globally while building regionally
William explains how studying world class destination experiences helped set the benchmark for Mount William Station. It lifted standards, sharpened vision, and informed long term strategy.
 
/ Marketing a high commitment premium experience
With a remote location and a premium price point, William discusses why emotive storytelling, clarity of offer, and strong partnerships matter more than simply paying for attention.
 
/ Building high standards through culture and induction
In a regional setting, Mount William Station focuses on warmth, kindness, and genuine country hospitality. William shares how staff induction, cultural buy in, and a strong sense of purpose help maintain quality.
 
This is Part One of the conversation with William Abbott.
Go to Part Two next to hear more of the story and what is coming next for Mount William Station.

Lou Hopwood - LouFit Personal Training (Part Two)

Remarkable Regional Business – Episode 39 (Part Two)
 
Guest: Lou Hopwood, Owner
Business Name: Lou Fit Personal Training
Website: https://www.loufitpersonaltraining.com.au/
 
Topics Covered:
 
/ Staying in the Game for 15+ Years
In an industry where most personal trainers last just 3–5 years, Louise shares what it has taken to build and maintain a thriving regional gym in Mansfield for more than 15 years – and why sustainability matters just as much as growth.
 
/ Avoiding Burnout When You Are the Business
Early mornings, late nights, family life and her own training – Louise breaks down how she manages it all. She talks about the role of recovery, sleep and having a support team around her (myo, massage, mentors) so she can keep showing up for her clients.
 
/ From “I Can Do Everything” to Zone of Genius
Louise explains how she shifted from trying to do everything herself – bookkeeping, marketing, cleaning and more – to focusing on her zone of genius: being in the room with clients. She shares how bringing in help has allowed her to better serve her community and scale sustainably.
 
/ Client Wins That Really Matter
From being able to hold a new grandchild for an hour to living independently at 81 and feeling less socially isolated, Louise reflects on the everyday wins that define success for her and why she cares more about real life outcomes than personal bests on a barbell.
 
/ Collaboration, Community and Reading People
Louise talks about collaboration over competition in regional towns, how partnerships strengthen community, and the skill of reading people – knowing when to push, when to pull back and how to create a genuinely safe space in the gym.
 
/ Lifelong Learning and What’s Next for Lou Fit
From business mentoring to dropping in on other trainers’ classes while on holidays, Louise explains why ongoing learning is non-negotiable. She also shares what’s next for Lou Fit as her kids grow and she continues to reshape the business to work for her life, not the other way around.
 
Connect with Louise: Train with Lou from anywhere via her live virtual and in-studio classes, and get a feel for the community on Instagram: @loufitpt
 
If you enjoy this episode, make sure you subscribe and hit the bell so you don’t miss upcoming episodes. And if you know a remarkable regional business with a story worth sharing, dob them in at: https://hebronfilms.com/podcast