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A Great Night for Hume – Celebrating Local Business and Tourism Excellence
What a fantastic evening it was at the 2025 Hume Business Awards — full of energy, connection and the celebration of what makes Hume City such a powerful region for business and tourism. Although our own team at Animal Land Children’s Farm didn’t take home the top prize this year, we’re proud of the journey we’ve made and excited for the path ahead.
A big congratulations to URBNSURF Melbourne for their well-earned win. Their achievement highlights what Hume is capable of: innovation, destination appeal and drawing visitors in from near and far.
But the night was bigger than just one award—there were many winners, many stories, and a region coming together to shine.
Why Hume Matters – Visitor Economy, Growth and Community
Location & Accessibility
Hume City is situated just a short drive from Melbourne’s CBD, with excellent access via major roads and near Melbourne Airport. This makes the region an ideal destination for residents and visitors alike.
The visitor economy in Hume is one of the region’s largest economic drivers — generating thousands of jobs and significant output.
Diverse Attractions & Experiences
From action-packed surf parks to relaxed family-friendly farm experiences, Hume offers something for everyone:
- Hume hosts a wide range of attractions including children’s activities, heritage sites, food and wine, outdoor experiences.
- URBNSURF and other standout operators are helping put Hume on the map as a destination rather than just a passage.
- The strength of the visitor economy underscores Hume’s capacity to deliver for families, schools, tourists and locals alike.
A Growing Business Community
The 2025 Hume Business Awards were all about recognising local innovators, entrepreneurs and visionaries.
Finalists and winners came from across sectors — manufacturing, start-ups, visitor economy, inclusive workforce, innovation, circular economy — all contributing to Hume’s growth story.
Highlights from the Night
- The atmosphere was celebratory: business leaders, community members and economic development stakeholders coming together to honour achievement across Hume.
- Winners across key categories showed the breadth of the region: from tourism to manufacturing, from start-ups to inclusive workforce champions.
- The success of one business (e.g., URBNSURF) lifts the entire region — raising the bar for visitor experience, marketing, and regional reputation.
- Though we didn’t win this time, being a finalist reaffirms our place in the ecosystem and gives us the impetus to continue growing and refining.
What This Means for Us & Our Community
For Animal Land and for Hume more broadly, this night is a prompt to lean in:
- Improve & Innovate: We’ll keep refining our offering — enhanced events, stronger experiences, deeper engagement for families and schools.
- Collaborate Locally: Strength lies in networks—partnerships with other Hume businesses amplify impact.
- Tell Hume’s Story: We’ll continue to showcase the region’s strengths: accessible, family-friendly, innovative, visitor-driven.
- Celebrate Locals & Visitors: Whether you live here or are visiting, Hume’s attractions, services and community spirit make it worth the trip.
A Note to Our Visitors & Supporters
To our loyal families, local schools, event organisers and community partners: thank you. Your visits, your stories and your feedback make what we do possible and meaningful.
Awards are wonderful — but what truly matters is you: the children laughing as they engage with animals, the parents feeling relaxed and connected, and the school groups discovering something new about farm life and farm-based experiences.
Looking Ahead
We’ll keep our hand up for next year’s awards, sure. But more importantly, we’ll keep showing up: with genuine experiences that reflect why Hume City matters. Congratulations again to URBNSURF for their achievement. Here’s to Hume, and to all the local businesses raising the bar every day.
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