The Illawarra and South Coast collected a hat-trick of major awards at the 2026 Business NSW State Business Awards.
Clean-tech manufacturer Hysata claimed Employer of Choice for 21 employees and over; for the second consecutive year Green Gravity collected the Excellence in Sustainability award, and nowra.org.au won the state’s Outstanding Visitor and 24-Hour Economy Collaboration honours.
The triple success was an outstanding result against a competitive field of 216 finalists across 22 categories, proud Business Illawarra director Coralie McCarthy said.
“We are a region who stand together, celebrate together, but first and foremost - have the most amazing and inspiring people who lead business with passion and drive,” McCarthy said.
Hysata’s chief people officer Leanne Isabella accepted the award at the black tie gala, commending the staff for making the company’s “ambitious mission of making green hydrogen affordable” even possible.
“To our team, this award belongs to you, thank you for the care, commitment, and kindness that you bring every day.
And these guys really show up every day, they bring it … it’s an absolute final privilege to work with them onsite.”
Earlier in the year, Hysata was named best-in-class in the Inspiring Culture and Purpose, and Inspiring Leadership section at the Top 40 Inspiring Workplace in Australasia for 2026.
Green Gravity’s founder Mark Swinnerton, fresh from being named one of UOW’s 2026 Alumni Award winners, in accepting the award said: “We’re out here to make a difference on the global stage”.
“There are two million nines locally, two million that have been closed, and they offer the opportunity to take Australian and New South Wales technology into them. For us to create export jobs right here from the Illawarra,” Swinnerton said.
McCarthy, who worked almost 10 years for the Shoalhaven City Council, offered an insight into the Shoalhaven’s success at state level.
“This one feels special,” McCarthy said. “When the 24-Hour Economy NSW first called and said they were going regional… We asked them to come to Nowra. This is a town people forgot for a long time, but this is a regional town that matters.”
Project manager Alison Henry lauded the community-driven movement.
“It’s not one business,” Henry said. “It’s a whole town deciding it deserves better. This award represents collaboration, and that’s exactly what we do - businesses, residents, council, and government, all pulling in the same direction.”
The three enterprises advanced after winning at the 2026 IMB Bank Illawarra Business Awards in September.
