The Golden Crow Awards are back for 2025. Photo: Adam Drummond.
Nominations are open for Wagga Wagga’s most prestigious and longest running business awards, the Golden Crow Awards.
For nearly 40 years, the awards have celebrated and honoured outstanding achievements and contributions to the local business landscape. They highlight growth, entrepreneurship, and success within the Wagga Wagga community.
“We are excited to be launching the 2025 Golden Crow Awards. It’s an opportunity to celebrate businesses or individuals who contribute to our thriving local economy,” Business Manager of the Wagga Wagga Business Chamber Sally Manning said.
“This year we have introduced a new award category, Outstanding Visitor Experience, and we are looking forward to hearing from some of the amazing tourism-based businesses we have in our city.
“Applications are now open, offering 16 categories for businesses and businesspeople to showcase their excellence. Whether it’s outstanding employee performance, excellence in innovation, or our newest category Outstanding Visitor Experience, there is a category for every business in Wagga to shine.”
The categories for the 2025 awards include Outstanding Employee, Outstanding Young Business Leader, Outstanding Business Leader – Under 20 Employees, Outstanding Business Leader – Over 21 Employees, Employer of Choice – Under 20 Employees, Employer of Choice – Over 21 Employees, Excellence in Innovation, Excellence in Sustainability, Outstanding Community Organisation, Outstanding New Business, Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion, Excellence in Micro Business, Excellence in Small Business, Excellence in Large Business, Outstanding Visitor Experience, Excellence in Business Ethics, People’s Choice Award and the coveted Golden Crow Award.
“Optus continues its support as the major sponsor for the 2025 Golden Crow Awards. Their ongoing commitment to our community and the local business ecosystem is invaluable, and we are grateful for their continued partnership,” Ms Manning said.
Optus’ Southern NSW Regional Manager Matt Connell said this would be the telecommunications company’s third year sponsoring the event, something it was proud of.
“It’s a great way to celebrate the great work that local businesses have been able to do over the last 12 months,” he said.
“It’s been a really challenging time for small businesses, particularly over the last few years, and we think that awards like this is just a good way to stop and to celebrate and actually look at some of the great things that local businesses have done across the local community.
“It is a part of our commitment to support local business. I mean, it’s really important for a local community to have a really strong small business sector, and we want to make sure that we’re behind that and supporting it.”
The winner of the 2025 Golden Crow Award will be announced on 1 August. Applications for the awards close on Friday 2 May and can be submitted through the Wagga Business Chamber website.
