Last Updated on July 2, 2026 by Graeme Sennett

A record number of finalists from across Gippsland will be competing for the 2026 Latrobe Health Service Gippsland Business Awards.

This year, judges have selected 52 finalists for the 12 industry and specialist categories with Chair of the Gippsland Business Awards Committee, Graeme Sennett, highlighting the “incredibly strong entries” across the board.

“The standard of entries is extraordinary, and our finalists stand out as shining examples of what can be achieved through vision, hard work and a relentless drive for improvement,” Mr Sennett said.

“The competition is incredibly strong with entries from all corners of Gippsland, demonstrating that our small to medium-sized businesses continue to establish themselves as industry leaders.”

Categories being recognised in 2026 are: Accommodation and Tourism; Retail; New Business; Business and Professional Services; Microbusiness; Food, Wine and Hospitality; Environmental, Horticulture and Agribusiness; Trade, Transport and Technical Services; Engineering, Manufacturing and Construction; Wellness and Personal Care Services; Hair, Beauty and Cosmetic Services; and Healthcare Services.

The category winners will be revealed at the grand gala presentation event on Friday, 28 August 28 at Federation University’s Gippsland campus in Churchill. The Gippsland Business of the Year, the top honour, will be selected from the category winners and announced at the ceremony.

Mr Sennett paid tribute to the many excellent entrants who did not make it to the finals. “They embody a robust and expanding business community in Gippsland, and while they may be disappointed this time, we strongly encourage them to participate again in the future,” he added.

Mr Sennett noted that this year marks the 28th year of the awards. “We take pride in having been able to acknowledge the efforts and hard work of so many, as we have celebrated business excellence in Gippsland for over a quarter of a century. We look forward to recognising and honouring all our finalists at our awards evening, Gippsland’s premier business event.”

For additional media comment please contact GBA Chair, Graeme Sennett 0417 509 149

For further details of finalists refer to the Latrobe Health Services Gippsland Business Awards website at www.gba.org.au

A full list of the 2026 finalists is available here: Media-release – 2026 GBA Awards Finalists Announced