Meet the Winners. State of Dubbo Report.

Meet the Winners. State of Dubbo Report.

- Tuesday, November 04, 2014

Welcome to your Dubbo Chamber Newsletter - Meet The Winners

As another year rushes to a close, we still have a few business events happening in Dubbo. Our next Chamber breakfast will be next week (Nov 12) featuring our Highly Commended winners from the Rhino Awards. Our final breakfast for the year in December will feature the Gold Rhino winner, EMS Group. Bookings for both are now available.

The Dubbo Chamber AGM is coming up soon on December 9th. In the next few weeks you will be able to nominate to election to the Board for 2015. As a first year Board member I have found it very interesting and worthwhile doing - all going well I should be back for another year. If your interested - seek out and talk to one of the current Board members about what’s involved and nominate yourself. It’s your Chamber and the decisions are made by those that turn up.

Follow the Dubbo Chamber Facebook Page and Twitter Feed for the latest news about the Chamber and business in Dubbo.


Chamber Breakfast - November 12 - RiverSmart & Imajenet Commercial Photography.

Sponsor: Imajenet Commercial Photography

Guest Speaker: Dr Bill Phillips - CEO RiverSmart

We will also be inviting our Highly Commended winners from the recent Orana Mutual Rhino Awards to come and receive their certificates. So take a chance to meet and network with Dubbo’s finest.

Venue for this breakfast is the Quality Inn.

Book Now: Dubbo Chamber Time To Breakfast


State of Dubbo City Report

The Annual State of the City Report is now available following the Mayoral Address in September.

The Report demonstrates progress on the Community Strategic Plan, Dubbo 2036, and highlights some of the significant achievements from the past year, including:

  • $140.6 million worth of new development approved
  • Highest number of housing development applications since 2004/2005
  • $1.56 million terminal and carpark upgrade to Dubbo City Regional Airport
  • 186,203 airport passengers in 2013/2014 (up 9.4%)
  • 406,000 annual overnight visitors (up 3%)
  • 0.8% population growth to 40,975.

Community Clean Energy Forum:

Come along to this free event to hear from experts about some of these topics.

  • Understanding your electricity bill.
  • Battery storage for renewables.
  • Saving money through energy efficiency.
  • What is geo-exchange and how it can benefit your home.
  • On farm solar pumping.
  • Community owned renewables.

Dubbo forum also includes a speaker on Financing Renewables & Energy Efficiency for Business.

Nov 13, Western Plains Cultural Centre, 6–8pm.

RSVP: Karin Stark or call 6883 5321

More Information on our Dubbo Business Events page.


Your Dubbo program brings a new lease on life

Your Dubbo business development grant winner, Adventure Watersports, has utilised their $10,000 grant to expand their offerings, purchasing new equipment to provide services for residents and visitors to maximise use of the Macquarie River throughout spring and summer.

Adventure Watersports was one of three successful grant applicants of the Your Dubbo program, which ran earlier this year and was a unique initiative of Dubbo City Council, partnered by Orana Mutual Dubbo and supported by the Dubbo Chamber of Commerce.

Adventure Watersports, Owner and Operator, Karla Stait said by using the $10,000 grant Adventure Watersports has been able to invest in a new custom made kayak trailer, six new kayaks and two fishing kayaks to target different sectors of the visitor market.

“Since receiving the Your Dubbo grant and purchasing our new equipment we have been able to expand our services and provide unique visitor experiences by offering kayak hire every Saturday at Ollie Robbins Oval,” Mrs Stait said.

“We are also in the process of undergoing formal training to offer stand up paddle boarding and guided kayak tours and we now offer ‘Twilight Paddle Sessions’ on Monday nights.”

“While Adventure Watersports originally started as a water skiing and wake boarding school, through the Your Dubbo program we were able to identify a gap in the marketplace. We saw a real need to address the underutilisation of the Macquarie River.”

“By participating in the Your Dubbo program, our business has been able to capitalise on that market gap and with our new services for the Macquarie River, our business has been given a new lease on life.”

“The mentoring element coupled with the business operation review provided by Business Development partner PrincipleFocus, has given us further inspiration and development tools to continue to work on the business not just in it,” Mrs Stait said.

Dubbo City Council’s Economic Development Officer, Jacki Parish said to see the networking, sharing of ideas and business opportunities Your Dubbo delivered was a humbling experience.

“By offering Business Development Workshops and a customer feedback component, Your Dubbo is designed to equip local business owners with the tools to successfully make changes to remain competitive and meet customer needs,” Ms Parish said.

“Adventure Watersports are an inspiring example of a local business that has identified opportunities for successful growth and taken steps to capitalise on those growth opportunities,” Ms Parish said.

The Your Dubbo program was valued at $176,000 and was largely supported via industry participation and in kind support and included four business development workshops, a customer feedback component with a $5,000 customer prize and the opportunity to apply for one of three $10,000 business development grants.

The three successful $10,000 business development grants applicants were Adventure Watersports, Burgun and Brennan Optometrists and EMS Group.

Media Contact: Dubbo City Council, Economic Development Officer, Jacki Parish on 6801 4000


Recent New Chamber Members 2014

Some more new members that have joined the Chamber recently.

Welcome to them all - please support your fellow members.


Short Notes:

Funding for Council’s Event Support and Development Program now open Applications for funding for $1001 or more are now invited from event organisers seeking assistance from Dubbo City Council via its Event Support and Development Program for events to be held in 2015. Applications close November 7.

National Stronger Regions Fund The National Stronger Regions Fund is an initiative to boost social and economic development in Australia’s regions by funding priority infrastructure projects in local communities. The Australian Government has committed $1 billion to the fund over five years commencing from 2015–16. Applications close November 28.

NSW Young Achiever Awards
The NSW / ACT Young Achiever Awards highlight and reward the valuable contribution our outstanding youth make towards building stronger local communities and a vibrant state. Nominate an outstanding Young Achiever today between the ages of 12 and 28 in a variety of fields of endeavour! Nominations close December 4th, 2014.


Members Blasts


Energy Management Basics Training

Limited places – book early! This is a practical and interactive course to assist businesses to understand their energy use, use energy more efficiently and to identify funding and support opportunities. Any sized business welcome. Usual eligibility criteria to participate is being wavered for these sessions. Solar for business will also be covered.

Dubbo dates are Thursday & Friday, 13th & 14th of November.


iPad in Business

Leading Edge Computers in Dubbo have another round of training and information sessions coming up with the latest technology from Apple.

iPad in Business - Discover apps such as Vend, Dropbox, Shopify, Hootsuite and have your procedures and manuals right at your fingertips.

All sessions on November 20. Bookings essential.


Natalie Bramble - Grant Writing & Sustainable Funding Seminars

The Strategies for Sustainable Funding seminar provides an overview of the strategies every community organisation should consider putting in place to provide for a practical, workable, integrated, sustainable fundraising strategy.

The Introduction to Writing Winning Grant Applications seminar provides an introduction to the answer to all your grant seeking questions. Learn the secrets for easily winning more grants for your community organisation or school, and find our how to drastically increase the number of grants you can apply for without pushing yourself (and your group) into an early grave.

Both Seminars are on November 21.

More Information on our Dubbo Business Events page.


EMS Group - Tri for Charity Triathlon - Nov 22

The Tri for Charity is an event for teams of 3 to take part in a short triathlon to raise money for the Make a Wish Foundation!

Businesses are encouraged to enter mixed teams and bring along family & friends to support them on the day!

EMS are also looking for Dubbo Businesses to donate some prizes.

See the above link for more information or visit their Tri for Charity Facebook Page. For more information for business involvement, contact Kathryn Taylor at EMS: 02 6884 4408


Seed Business Solutions

Staff issues keeping you awake at night?

Can’t keep good staff?

Not sure if your policies provide you with adequate protection?

Human Resources and Workplace Health and Safety

We help manage your HR & WHS compliance obligations in structured and stress free way by:

  • Keeping up with changing legislation
  • Reducing your staff turnover
  • Preparing policies and procedures that protect your business (our policies have legal backing).

Not sure if you need help? Until November 30, 2014, Seed Business Solutions is offering a Human Resources audit/review valued at $999 for the special offer of $440.

Call today and book a consultation and report. 02 80061910.


Alison Manning & Mindspan - Should I Stay Or Should I Go?

New service starting November - Circuit-breaker conversations for people in unhappy relationships.

For years Alison Manning has been mediating with separating couples. Too many times, she’s heard people say, “I wish we’d had this sort of conversation years ago - we wouldn’t be here today.”

Alison has teamed up with Orange-based psychologist, Toni Smith, to offer circuit-breaker, decision-making conversations for people in unhappy relationships.

We help people make good decisions and answer the question: Should I Stay or Should I go? Contact Alison Manning 0428 835 304 alison@alisonmanning.com www.mindspan.com.au


NSW Business Chamber

Did you know all Dubbo Chamber of Commerce members also get affiliate membership with NSW BC?

Upcoming NSW BC Webinars

Date Webinar
Nov 26 WorkplaceInfo Webinar on The Human Factor
Dec 2 HRAdvance Webinar on Leaving
Dec 3 WorkplaceInfo Webinar on Leaving
Dec 10 HR - WHS issues Drugs and alcohol policy
NSW BC For more information & webinar registration

For Your Diary - Save The Dates

For more details and events, please see the Dubbo Chamber Business Events Calendar.

Date Dubbo Event
Nov 12 Chamber Breakfast - Imajenet Commercial Photography & RiverSmart
Nov 13 Community Clean Energy Forum
Nov 13–14 Energy Management Basics Training
Nov 20 iPad in Business workshops
Nov 21 Grant Writing & Fundraising Strategy Seminars
Nov 22 EMS Tri for Charity Triathlon
Dec 3 Chamber Breakfast - Gold Rhino Award Winner - EMS Group
Dec 9 Dubbo Chamber AGM

Do you have something to promote to Dubbo Chamber Members?

Did you know all Dubbo Chamber members can have up to three free mentions in our Newsletter during the year?

The Dubbo Chamber Newsletter has a subscription base of 500+ and growing

Please provide the written copy, 75–100 words max. Plus relevant details such as Date, Time, Pricing, URL etc. Please don’t send in a graphic that we need to spend time typing out. We can link to your website, Facebook event page etc, so we don’t need every single detail for the newsletter.

Preference will be giving to Members offering a special promotion via the Newsletter . Why not use this platform to promote a new service or special pricing? Be creative and encourage others to engage with you.

Please allow a minimum of 21 days for events, promotions etc.


Join the Dubbo Chamber of Commerce & Industry Inc.

Have you renewed your Dubbo Chamber Membership for 2014 - or still thinking about joining?

Click Here to renew your Membership today, or Contact our members services officer, Toni Beatty, to discuss joining the Dubbo Chamber.


#DubboChamber

The Dubbo Chamber of Commerce and Industry Newsletter is published twice a month around the 2nd and 4th Wednesday.

Please visit our Facebook Page, don’t forget to Like Us to get more of the latest news. Also visit the Dubbo Chamber Twitter Page and Follow Us for more information. We hope to be doing a lot more with Facebook, Twitter and more this year.

^MQ

2014/27 November 5. giddyup

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