Gold Coast Business Excellence Awards

2022 Annual Winners

2022 Business of the Year

Medical Rescue
Medical Rescue is a specialist private, aeromedical service that provides medical teams, medical jets and search-and rescue helicopters. Providing end-to-end medical and evacuation solutions, the company has grown exponentially since its launch in 2011. Employing more than 300 people, Medical Rescue holds long-term contracts with organisations such as the Australian Defence Force, US Marine Corps and involvement in Queensland’s COVID vaccination roll-out.

Emerging & Micro Business

Gold Coast Motor Museum
Gold Coast Motor Museum is a “must-visit” destination for car lovers. Launched in 2020 by Carl Amor & Grant Amor, the business includes a museum showcasing more than 80 vehicles from 1911 through to 2003 and Stanley’s Barn Restaurant, a themed restaurant. In the past two years more than 60,000 people have visited the museum and the restaurant has served more than 78,000 diners.

Family Business

City Venue Management
City Venue Management, also known as Rackley Swimming, operates 29 leisure and sporting facilities The three core areas of the business are facilities management, swim school management and health club management. Founded in Burleigh Heads by Trevor and Lyn Rackley, the business began with a single swim school. Now employing more than 1200 employees, City Venue Management have had three generations manage the business since 1951.

Retail, Wholesale and Distribution

Wild Earth
Launched in 2005, Wild Earth is now Australia's number one independent outdoor retailer. Wild Earth has outlets on the Gold Coast and Brisbane and an online store with more than 400,000 customers on its database. The business stocks outdoor gear, clothing and footwear from more than 300 global brands including The North Face, Patagonia, Osprey and Garmin.

Construction and Trades

SEE Group
SEE Group is a family-owned group of companies comprising SEE Civil, Quarry Solutions, Civil Rent and DMC Quarries. The group specialises in integrated project delivery solutions for civil infrastructure, urban development, quarrying, material processing, and plant management. Since 2015, SEE Group has grown at an unprecedented rate and after employing another 85 people in the past year, it now employs more than 360 people.

Manufacturing

dnata catering
dnata catering specialises in inflight catering as well as retail, travel retail technology and airport lounge management. Headquartered in Broadbeach and employing more than 1700 staff across 9 cities throughout Australia, dnata catering produces more than 64 million meals each year. Its airline customers include Qantas, Jetstar, Emirates, Air New Zealand, Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific.

Professions and Services

Orbitz Elevators
Orbitz Elevators supplies, installs, maintains, repairs and modernises elevators and moving walkways throughout Australia and overseas. The company was established by Jonathan Dwayre with a credit card, a van and a dream in November 2014. The business now employs more than 90 people with their head office on the Gold Coast, and other offices throughout Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea.

Health and Wellbeing

IT and Digital Business

Powertec Telecommunications
Powertec is a national wireless technology company established in 1995. The company comprises a team of over 90 permanent staff, supported by a network of over 100 telecommunications field contractors, and 1000 local distributors and dealers spanning Australia, New Zealand, Pacific Islands, Thailand, and Bangladesh. Powertec’s extensive capabilities encompass everything a wireless project requires, including communications towers, solar systems, microwave links, long range antennas, sensors, and modems.

Tourism, Hospitality and Events

Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary
Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary is the Gold Coast’s top wildlife experience and longest running tourist attraction. The Sanctuary’s mission is to conserve and advance Australia’s natural and cultural heritage for future generations, through educating visitors. This year Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary is celebrating its 75th Anniversary.

Education, Training and Employment

GeSS Education
GeSS Education specialises in career training and university pathways. A family owned, Gold Coast based business, GeSS was established in 2012 and provides 52 educational programs to more than 250 domestic and international students. GeSS Education is a leading south-east Queensland VET qualification supplier with export educational services that include business, health and education and sport and fitness courses.

Mayor's Innovation GC

Ecosure
Ecosure is an environmental consulting and contracting company. Specialising in ecology, vegetation, wildlife, aquatic ecology and GIS, their scientists and field crew offer extensive on-ground experience across the full spectrum of environmental sciences. Ecosure, with 193 employees, has grown to be one of the largest providers of ecological services in Australia. Its clients include the Downer Defence, Lend Lease, Bechtel, Shell, Arrow and the Department of Defence.

Encouragement

Pico Play
Pico Play is a global leader in designing and creating leisure and entertainment solutions for theme parks, resorts, family entertainment centres and other tourist attractions. Pico Play has completed more than 80 contracts for organisations such as Universal Studios Singapore, Singapore Zoo, Gamuda Water Park in Malaysia, Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, Dreamworld and Gumbuya World.