Matthias Collins
Posted on 04 May, 2024
Site Awards Agfest 2024
Have a look through this year's recipients of the 'Best Site Awards'.
Each year the team at Agfest and Rural Youth sends out an undercover team to scout out the myriad of participating businesses and organisations who put in a massive effort in setting up their respective sites. The most impressive of these are presented with one of eight prestigious 'best site' awards across eight unique categories.
Announced on Thursday evening, the Agfest 2024 'best site' winners can be seen sporting their official framed certificate and hard-to-miss teardrop banner out the front of their site.
All site award winners are also offered a guaranteed site spot for Agfest 2025.
Best Large Site
Winner - Alpha Electrics
"It was a bit of a shock actually," says Alpha Electrics sales manager Geoffrey Jackson.
"We saw the Agfest committee team coming down the avenue with the awards and banners and started to realise they were heading to us, which was quite exciting."
Following a massive effort by the Alpha Electrics team, which involved staff from the company's three state branches, as well as several supplier representatives, and months of pre-planning, they've delivered an accessible site that captures the attention of patrons.
"It's really a testament to the whole team. Obviously, our staff have gone above and beyond and engaged with the public across our site set-up as they've come in. In that sense I supposed we filled the judging criteria."
Alpha Electrics deals with all things power transmission, offering products and services across a range of industries including civil infrastructure, mining, quarrying and household irrigation.
"If you put power to it and it rotates, that's us."
Best Agricultural Machinery Display
Winner - Delmade
"It's great, it's very encouraging to win this award and I'm glad we put in the effort to set it up the way we did," says Rohan Cunningham of Delmade Farm Equipment and Machinery after receiving the award for Best Agricultural Machinery Display.
"Quite a bit of planning went into it. The site's on a bit of a slope so we had to plan for how we could best account for that. We created a shape for each machine and inputted them on to an excel document which enabled us to identify the best way to arrange and display the site."
Following a bit of manoeuvring and angling to tackle the slope, Rohan and the team at Delmade created an exhibit that showcased their products in the most appealing way.
Tasmanian owned and manufactured, Delmade is one of Australia's most trusted and respected farm equipment distributors. Their products include various implements and attachments for farming machinery, with a heavy focus placed on their quality tillage goods.
Best Quercus Taste Exhibit
Winner - Angus Gourmet Steak Sandwiches
"We sell amazing 'award-winning', multi-award winning now in fact, Angus Gourmet steak sandwiches," joked Angus Gourmet chef and grill master Vaughan Taplin.
"We take a beautiful 150-gram scotch fillet that's been well-aged, then we barbecue it to perfection medium-rare, then we serve it up with a light rye bread, fresh Houston rocket, fresh tomato, and a tomato and red pepper chutney and mild horseradish cream - and there it is."
Enough to make your mouth water, the Angus Gourmet van at the Quercus Taste site has been very busy serving up their epicurean delight to the endless line of Agfest patrons.
"We're festival-based and these days we mainly do Agfest. We absolutely love it and this year is my fourteenth in a row at Quercus park."
"We only do one thing, our Angus Gourmet steak sandwich, but I like to think we do it very well. There's such a great variety of food and beverage here this year, so to be judged the best of those is a real honour."
Best Craft Stall Exhibit
Winner - Hilltop Handmade
"We were actually a late entry, so when we originally applied there was huge response and no spots available," says Hilltop Handmade owner Georgia Wearne, winner of Agfest 2024's Best Craft Stall Exhibit.
I thought I'd just apply next year, but then we got a call that they (Agfest) had decided to open another craft avenue, so we absolutely jumped at the opportunity. Then to receive this award, it's been a real thrill."
A family-owned business split between Georgia and her husband Chris Pullen, the Hilltop Handmade stall has beautifully showcased the range of intricately crafted jewellery and hand-forged designs.
“Setting up this stall has definitely been a challenge, because our usual marquee would’ve been too small, and we weren’t aware of the condensation in the mornings. So when we first got here it started raining from the roof,” says Georgia.
“But I’m glad we persevered and we’re able to set up a nice-looking stall for the patrons.”
“My husband Chris makes all the beautiful hand-crafted knives in his own kiln and forge, and I’ve been making jewellery for over 30 years. It’s been great to see a positive response to our stall and chat with all the patrons passing by.”
Most Accessible Site
Winner - St John's Ambulance Tasmania
“We tried to simplify it as much as possible and make sure our site was a place that everyone could access,” says Penny Holmes, retail operations manager for St. John’s Ambulance, the winner of Agfest 2024’s Most Accessible Site.
A self-funded non-for-profit organisation, St. John’s Tasmania is all about making the Tasmanian community safer through first aid.
“St. John’s Ambulance is about providing options for the members of the public, and reinvesting in the community and providing support when we can. So to receive the most accessible site is a really encouraging outcome.”
Along with their convenient site, the team at St. John’s is offering free delivery on all their products at Agfest 2024.
“We’re providing our Agfest patrons with a free delivery option, so they don’t have to worry about lugging them around all day and then they can arrive home to some nice goodies after their visit,” adds Penny.
Best Small Site
Winner - Bass View Timber Creations
“We make everything in our little workshop at home, so to receive this award is a really positive and unbelievable experience” says Lyle Davis, one half of the couple behind Bass View Timber Creations.
Their first year as an exhibitor at Agfest, the couple can’t wait to get back to Quercus Park next year.
‘We’ve had super feedback about the site from the people coming through. They tend to take a minute or two to stop and take a look which is really the great. The weather has been excellent, the public have been friendly, so an all-round knockout to be honest,” says Wendy Davis.
Whilst keen to keep the secret to their award-winning site, Lyle and Wendy thanked the assistance of the team at Seedlabs for their site set-up inspiration.
“The team at Seedlabs has been really helpful in developing our small business, and for this event have been instrumental in the creation of our site.”
Seedlabs is a business incubator and accelerator that helps entrepreneurs to succeed on their business projects and models.
Best Equine & Livestock Exhibit
Winner - Agspand Feedchar
“We’re one of the original Agfest equine exhibit supporters, so it’s exciting to have won a site award this year,” says Mel Reid from Agspand’s Feedchar, the winner of Agfest 2024’s Best Equine and Livestock Exhibit.
"We put in a lot of effort to ensure we had enough of our products on show, and displayed in an appealing and informative way," says Mel.
An innovative brand that mixes organic charcoal and natural mineral clay to help with equine and livestock digestion, Feedchar offers a range of products that cover your agricultural and animal health needs.
Best Business & Lifestyle Exhibit
Winner - Sensory Hub
A big family effort, the team at Sensory Hub have put all hands-on-deck to develop a booth that brings awareness to disabilities and mental health issues and sparks a conversation about mind and body balance.
“The whole family’s here to help set-up and man the site. Last year we had a great crowd, so this time we wanted do something that invited people in,” says Emma Thompson.
Offering a range of interactive and practical tools and objects to help regulate emotions and stress, the team at Sensory Hub we’re thrilled to be recognised as the ‘Best Business & Lifestyle Site’.
“We didn’t know about the process, but we were so excited to receive the award and we are already looking forward to planning for next year’s event.
Congratulations to all winners.