Tasmania’s reputation as a haven for sustainability is highlighted by the range of exporters and tourism attractions among 11 finalists in the 2015 Telstra Tasmanian Business Awards.

Telstra Business Group Managing Director and Telstra Business Awards Ambassador Will Irving said the Tasmanian finalists are a unique group making an important contribution to local communities from north of Launceston to south of Hobart, as well as the state economy.

“The Telstra Business Awards reward innovation and celebrate the unwavering passion of Australia’s small and medium businesses. They have poured their savings into a dream of independence and doing what they love in their own way – and they are doing it exceptionally well.”

The owners of tourism, food and beverage, and other businesses have embraced ‘green’ credentials in marketing their niche products and services to local, interstate and overseas clients. Those finalists include:

• Cradle Mountain Canyons, the first business to gain a licence offering guided canyoning tours in Tasmania’s Wilderness World Heritage Area. Founders Anthony O’Hern and Tim Trevaskis built and installed infrastructure that minimises the impact on the pristine environment while allowing adventurers to safely navigate the canyons.
• Cambridge-based Vestal Water whose managing director Mark Sweet hit on a sustainable alternative to the single-use bottled water market. Sourcing local water and dispensing it into reusable bottles, Mark’s environmentally-sound business provides more than three million bottles to 250 clients across Australia.
• Iconic family business Mures Fishing which prides itself on its sustainably-caught and sourced seafood. Launched by George and Jill Mure at Battery Point in 1974, today the business is growing interstate and international distribution of its gourmet seafood products through its online store.
• World class lavender oil producer Bridestowe Estate (Dematin) which also attracts 65,000 tourists a year to its lavender farm located at Nabowla near Scottsdale. Run by Robert and Jennifer Ravens since 2007, it manufactures value-added products that are exported to Japan, China and other Asian countries.

Two other finalists started their businesses with a belief they could improve nutrition – for people and horses.

• Ben Crowley runs nutritional supplements business Bioflex Nutrition which manufactures and distributes online 150 products that help with health, wellbeing and sports performance.
• Aware that many horses with hoof issues had nutritional deficiency, equine podiotherapist Zoe Fieldhouse launched eQuus Care Nutrition in Ranelagh. She offers supplements to local and national horse owners that address hoof and joint care, muscle development, post exercise recovery and immune system support.

The Telstra Business Awards were established in 1992 to celebrate brilliant Australian small and medium businesses. Winners of the 2015 Telstra Tasmanian Business Awards will be announced at Hobart’s Hotel Grand Chancellor on 24 July. Tasmanian winners proceed to the national Awards in Sydney on 20 August.

The finalists for the 2015 Telstra Tasmanian Business Awards are:

Start-Up Award
Montacute Boutique Bunkhouse, Battery Point
The Project Lab, Hobart

Micro Business Award
Cradle Mountain Canyons, Cradle Mountain
eQuus Care Nutrition, Ranelagh
Shift Property Styling, Derwent Park
Vestal Water, Cambridge

Small Business Award
Dematin Pty Ltd, Nabowla
Francesca Collections, Hobart
Swift Plumbing Solutions, Hobart

Medium Business Award
Bioflex Nutrition, Grove
Mures Fishing Pty Ltd, Glenorchy

Regional Award
Cradle Mountain Canyons, Cradle Mountain
Dematin Pty Ltd, Nabowla

Awards information and tickets to the Tasmanian Gala Dinner can be purchased by visiting telstrabusinessawards.com or by calling 1800 AWARDS between 9am and 7pm AEST Monday to Friday.