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Harman Wines uncorks top Gippsland honour as locals sweep the awards

Wattle Bank winery named Gippsland Business of the Year as Bass Coast and South Gippsland claim three category wins and a Hall of Fame induction

by Rick Koenig

Published September 01, 2026

Harman Wines uncorks top Gippsland honour as locals sweep the awards — David and Nicole Harman with the 2026 Gippsland Business of the Year award.

HARMAN Wines has been named Gippsland Business of the Year, capping a night in which Bass Coast and South Gippsland businesses claimed three category awards and a place in the Hall of Fame.

The Wattle Bank winery took the region’s top honour at the 28th annual Latrobe Health Services Gippsland Business Awards, held in the Federation University auditorium at Churchill on Friday, August 28, where more than 350 people gathered for the gala dinner.

Harman Wines first won the Food, Wine and Hospitality category before being called back for the biggest prize of the night, which is judged from among the category winners.

Awards chair Graeme Sennett said this year’s field represented the best of the region.

“This year’s winners represent the very best of our region - people who work hard, lift others up and show what’s possible when local businesses thrive together,” Mr Sennett said.

“They demonstrate excellence, innovation and resilience.

“They are all setting the benchmark for what regional business can achieve.”

Mr Sennett said the winery’s strategic foresight, focus on people and technology, and commitment to workforce development marked it as a leader in tackling industry challenges head on.

“The judges praised Harman Wines for its strong growth, measurable outcomes, and clear evidence of strategic planning and innovation, with expansion, innovation and inclusive practices making them a standout in the food, wine and hospitality category,” he said.

“A business committed to continuous improvement, inclusion, and sustainability, offering a great customer experience for tourists and locals alike.”

Each finalist was assessed and independently rated by five judges across eight criteria.

A record 52 finalists were named across the 12 industry and specialist categories this year, drawn from all six Gippsland municipalities.

Harman Wines, Wattle Bank

Nicole and David Harman with the Food, Wine and Hospitality award.

DAVID and Nicole Harman have been building the business on their Korumburra-Inverloch Road property since 2004, turning bare farmland into a vineyard, winery, cellar door and restaurant a few minutes north of Inverloch.

The cool climate maritime site now draws close to 32,000 visitors a year, with wood fired dining, live music and estate grown wines pulling crowds through the weekend.

“I was a boy in Melbourne who had a dream,” Mr Harman said.

“We decided to just go for it - to come to a place that wasn’t overly well known for making wine, make wine in a paddock and hope that people would turn up.

“The faith my family put in me to follow that dream is something I will always be grateful for.”

Ms Harman said the award took her back to where it started.

“Our story started about 22 years ago when we bought a block of land at Wattle Bank, not far from Inverloch,” she said.

“It was a completely blank canvas.”

Their children Jenna and James grew up alongside the business and are now part of its future.

“We’ve grown this beautiful journey through Harman Wines together as a family and created this special little place in Gippsland,” Ms Harman said.

“For everyone who has visited us and supported us along the way, we are incredibly grateful.

“And for those who haven’t been yet, please come - we’ve created a lovely little place here in Gippsland and we’d love to share it with you.”

Mr Harman said the category win also reflected how far the wider Gippsland food and beverage scene had come.

“In our time in Gippsland, the food and beverage scene has grown enormously, and that’s a testament to all the businesses across the region,” he said.

“Our staff have shared our dream and helped us nurture and evolve it over time, and I thank them from the bottom of my heart.”

“We are completely blown away,” Ms Harman said.

“This is a really special moment for our family, our team and Harman Wines.

“We will continue to do what we do because we love it very much.”

It is the third time the winery has won the Gippsland food and wine category, after taking it out in 2019 and again in 2023, and it also claimed back to back Bass Coast Business of the Year titles in 2018 and 2019.

More recently the business won gold at the Victorian Tourism Awards in the wineries, distilleries and breweries category in both 2024 and 2025, and went on to take silver at the Australian Tourism Awards representing Victoria.

It also took out the Food and Beverage award at the Bass Coast People’s Choice Awards a week earlier.

Phillip Island Tenpin Bowling & Entertainment Centre, Cowes

Bass Coast mayor Cr Brett Tessari with Jeremy Westaway and Craig Holmes — From left, Bass Coast Shire mayor Cr Brett Tessari with Phillip Island Tenpin Bowling & Entertainment Centre owners Jeremy Westaway and Craig Holmes.

WINNER of the Accommodation and Tourism category, the Cowes centre arrived at Churchill having already cleaned up at home.

Owners Craig Holmes and Jeremy Westaway took out the 2026 Bass Coast Business of the Year award at Silverwater Resort in San Remo on Friday, August 21, along with the Access, Equity and Inclusion award, the Environmental Sustainability award and the Marketing and Communications award.

Judges described the business as a community minded entertainment destination that combined disciplined business planning with a genuine commitment to making recreation welcoming and accessible for everyone.

They pointed to its investment in inclusive experiences, local partnerships, environmental improvements and new attractions as the reason behind sustained growth and its standing as a contributor to both the visitor economy and the wider Phillip Island community.

Yellow Brick Road, Leongatha

THE Bair Street mortgage broking office won the Business and Professional Services category, ahead of three Traralgon finalists.

Led by branch principal Martin Reidy, the team looks after clients across Leongatha, Korumburra, Inverloch and Wonthaggi.

Judges said the business had built steady growth by giving clients a seamless, responsive service tailored to local needs.

Its strong planning, driven team and genuine involvement in the community showed how professional expertise and regional commitment could combine to create an enduring and trusted business, they said.

Andy McCarthy, Mirboo North - Hall of Fame

Mirboo North businessman Andy McCarthy — Mirboo North’s Andy McCarthy has been inducted into the Gippsland Business Awards Hall of Fame.

ANDY McCarthy joined a select list of Gippsland business leaders inducted into the Gippsland Business Awards Hall of Fame.

He and his wife Kelly founded Gippsland Solar in Mirboo North in 2010, running it out of the family garage before growing it into one of the largest employers of its kind in the country and a driving force in the Latrobe Valley’s shift away from coal fired generation.

RACV acquired the business in December 2019 and Mr McCarthy stayed on as chief executive and managing director of RACV Solar until 2023.

He has since worked as a business coach and adviser on energy policy and strategy, and published a memoir of the journey, Here Comes the Sun.

Judges recognised him for his contribution to Gippsland business, renewable energy and the wider community, noting the local jobs he created and the way he championed regional opportunity.

Local finalists

BASS Coast and South Gippsland were also represented by 10 other finalists across the categories.

Ross Farm, Meeniyan - Accommodation and Tourism

Base Cabin, Korumburra - Engineering, Manufacturing and Construction

Deery Consulting Engineers, Inverloch - Engineering, Manufacturing and Construction

Trulli, Meeniyan - Food, Wine and Hospitality

Welshpool Hotel, Welshpool - Food, Wine and Hospitality

Loch & Key Restaurant & Bar, Loch - Food, Wine and Hospitality

Paws & Ponies, Leongatha - Retail

The Panton Store, Toora - Retail

All Done Plumbing and Drainage, Inverloch - Trade, Transport and Technical Services

South Gippsland Services, Port Welshpool - Wellness and Personal Care Services

South Gippsland Shire Council congratulated its nine finalists in a post on its Facebook page, singling out Yellow Brick Road and Mr McCarthy and passing on congratulations to Harman Wines.

“Our local businesses are the economic heartbeat of South Gippsland - thank you for all you contribute,” the council said.