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Coffs Coast Business News - May 2026
Each month, the City of Coffs Harbour's Economic Development & Tourism Team collates information for all businesses, large and small, across the Coffs Coast - helping you stay informed, keep connected, and feel supported.
We hope you find our monthly newsletter valuable. Please feel free to forward it to colleagues and your team. They can also subscribe to receive a copy directly. Previous editions of Coffs Coast Business News are available to view here.
IN THIS ISSUE:
Business events and training
- WNBCC Nibbles & Networking - Thursday 14 May
- Business@Dusk - RELICS - Wednesday 20 May
- Neurodiversity Inclusion Masterclass - Thursday 21 May
- BWN Coffs Coast Breakfast Panel - Wednesday 27 May
- Coffs Coast Career Connections - Thursday 28 May
- Australian-Grown Innovation (AGI) Engage Session - Thursday 28 May
Local news and opportunities
- In case you missed it around the region
- Vote for Coffs Harbour - NSW Top Tourism Town Awards
- Have Your Say: City of Coffs Harbour draft Delivery Program & 2026/27 Operational Plan
- Have Your Say: NSW Government draft North Coast Strategic Regional Integrated Transport Plan
- Rick Stein's Australia featuring the Coffs Coast
Grant funding and business support
- Coffs Harbour Grant Finder
- Destination NSW Digital Skills Training
- Food and Beverage Manufacturers webinar
- National Reconstruction Fund
What's On Coffs Coast and major event calendar
LOCAL BUSINESS EVENTS
Join the Woolgoolga & Northern Beaches Chamber of Commerce for the next Nibbles & Networking. It’s the perfect way to start your morning with good food, great coffee, and even better connections with fellow local business owners.
Special guests to this event include Mayor Nikki Williams and General Manager Murray Wood from the City of Coffs Harbour.
The DPOP is now open for comment, and Nikki & Murray will be attending to brief members on the relevance and importance to business owners in the Northern Beaches.
Thursday 13 May, 7.30am - 9.00am, Rattle Bar & Restaurant, 104 Fiddaman Road, Emerald Beach
The Coffs Harbour Chamber of Commerce presents Business@Dusk. Join the Chamber and other members of the business community for a few drinks, informal networking, and the chance to experience the exhibition RELICS - A New World Rises at Yarrila Arts and Museum (YAM).
The exhibition highlights include 12 immersive displays combining vintage objects with intricate worlds built from LEGO bricks.
Expect plenty of fun and lots of laughs throughout the evening. Your ticket includes a selection of wine, beer, soft drinks, nibbles, and exhibition admission.
Wednesday 20 May, 5.30pm - 7.30pm, Yarrila Arts and Museum, 27 Gordon Street
This masterclass gives leaders, managers, and teams the practical tools to create workplaces where neurodivergent employees can thrive.
Participants explore the workplace impact of neurodiversity, the risks of exclusion, and how inclusive leadership strengthens innovation, retention, and overall performance.
Through real-world case studies and guided reflection, the session positions neuro‑inclusion as a shared responsibility across the organisation, embedding psychological safety and accessibility into everyday culture and systems.
Regular price for this event is valued at over $450pp. With the support of event partners: Business NSW Mid North Coast, Australian Government Department of Employment and Workplace Relations, ETC, C.ex Group, Port Macquarie Hastings Council, MidCoast Council, and the City of Coffs Harbour, tickets are only $20pp, representing great value for local businesses and their staff.
Thursday 21 May, 9am - 12pm, C.ex Coffs, Vernon Street
BWN Coffs Coast presents Future Proof your Finances - Essentials for all Women - Breakfast Panel.
You’ve worked hard to get where you are, now it’s time to focus on your financial wellbeing with the same care you give to your health, family, and career. Join us for a delicious breakfast at Key Community Cafe and an uplifting, interactive morning designed to support women in building confidence about money and the future.
Our expert panel of local women brings together deep professional knowledge with lived experience. They’ll be there to answer your questions and share practical, supportive insights:
- Gretel Chiswell – Financial Adviser, Gretel Financial
- Catherine Stojcevska – Partner, HQB Accountants & Advisors
- Kerstin Thode – Principal Solicitor, Smart Choice Law
Wednesday 27 May, 6.45am - 9.15am, Key Community Group HQ Cafe, 61 W High St
The annual careers event for the Coffs-Clarence region is being organised by Mid Coast Connect, with the support of event partners Southern Cross University, ETC, BCU, TAFE NSW, and The City of Coffs Harbour.
This initiative raises the awareness and aspirations of young people about careers. Some 1200 senior students from twenty high schools in the region (Macksville to Dorrigo to Grafton) will attend.
A strong local economy is underpinned by an appropriately qualified, and motivated, workforce. This workforce development initiative contributes to encouraging young people to build a career in the region by informing them about vocational opportunities and the pathways to employment.
Exhibitor registrations are open and filling fast, secure your spot today! Indoor and Outdoor sites available for all types of businesses and industries.
Thursday 28 May, 9am - 2pm, Coffs Harbour Racing Club, 62 Howard Street
Calling all growers in Coffs Harbour 🌱
Looking to innovate within your business, improve your operations, or explore new revenue streams?
The Australian-Grown Innovation Program Engage Workshop is a dynamic in-person workshop designed for growers and supply chain participants to explore innovation in horticulture, share insights, and build stronger teams while gaining hands-on tools from real industry leaders with practical experience.
Thursday 28 May, 10am - 4pm, North Coast Regional Botanic Garden
LOCAL NEWS & OPPORTUNITIES
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Check out this monthly snapshot of articles, marketing activities, and campaigns making news across our region and beyond. Here's what's happening:
- Touch Football Australia: Touch Football Australia Locks in Coffs Harbour for Third Consecutive National Youth Championships
- Coffs Coast Blog: Affordable day trips from Coffs Harbour
- Coffs Coast Blog: Family-friendly day trips on the Coffs Coast
- Coffs Coast Blog: Foodie day trips on the Coffs Coast
- Coffs Coast Blog: Day trip to Bellingen
ALL COFFS COAST BUSINESSES are invited to share these news stories in their business marketing. This is a great way to bring people from out of the area to your business - and the content is already created for you.
If your business benefits from people choosing the Coffs Coast - we need your vote!
Earlier this month, locals came together at Jetty Beach to form a giant banana. It was a bit of fun, made national TV coverage, and showed real pride in our destination.
Now Coffs Harbour is up for the NSW Top Tourism Town Awards, and every vote helps. It only takes a minute:
- Vote for Coffs Harbour in Top Tourism Town
- Choose a town in the other two categories
- Enter your email and postcode
Local businesses are encouraged to speak up on the City of Coffs Harbour's plans for the years ahead. The Draft Delivery Program 2025–2029, Operational Plan 2026/27 and Draft Fees and Charges outline investment in infrastructure, services and public spaces, and how costs are set for user‑paid services. Your feedback helps ensure these plans reflect real‑world business needs and support a strong, sustainable local economy.
Community pop-up information sessions will also be available:
- Thursday 7 May. 10am - 12pm. Coffs Growers Markets
- Sunday 10 May. 8am - 12pm. Harbourside Markets
- Tuesday 12 May. 10am - 12pm. Toormina Library
- Tuesday 19 May. 12pm - 2pm. Wiigulga Sports Complex
- Thursday 21 May. 10am - 12pm. Gowings Coffs Central
Submissions close 5pm on Tuesday 26 May 2026.
Transport for NSW is planning for the next 20 years of transport on the North Coast. The Draft Plan sets out a long‑term vision for the movement of people and goods across the region, and how our transport network and services can better support communities and their economies.
The Draft Plan outlines priorities for improving transport across the North Coast, including:
- Better public transport connections between towns and key services
- Safer, more reliable roads and transport corridors
- Planning for future growth
- Improved walking, cycling, and micromobility options
- Stronger resilience to floods, storms, and other natural disasters
- Efficient and reliable freight connections to support local jobs and industry
- Improving access and safety for everyone
Submissions close Sunday 14 June 2026.
Rick Stein's Australia - watch live or on demand through SBS
At the end of last year, celebrity chef Rick Stein dropped into the Coffs Coast as part of his latest series. Episode 3 airs Thursday 14 May and features familiar sites and faces from Coffs, Sawtell, Woolgoolga, Glenreagh, and the Growers Markets.
GRANT FUNDING & BUSINESS SUPPORT
COFFS HARBOUR GRANT FINDER
The City of Coffs Harbour provides a free service for locals to find grants and grant writing tips. Register to be notified of specific grants for your business or organisation.
Destination NSW Digital Skills Training
Did you know tourism operators have access to eight on-demand webinars? Businesses outside the tourism industry may also benefit from the content covered.
- Travel trends
- Marketing gains & AI
- Smarter backoffice
- Content exposure
- Social media in the age of AI
- Video marketing
- Search visibility in the AI era
- Email marketing for repeat bookings
Watch the webinars and access the associated workbooks here: Webinar series: Digital Skills Future Ready - On Demand | Destination NSW
North Coast food and beverage manufacturing businesses are invited to attend an online information session with Australia’s Food and Beverage Accelerator (FaBA).
FaBA is a federally backed program supporting innovation, productivity and sustainability across Australia’s food and beverage manufacturing sector. This session will provide North Coast manufacturers with a clear overview of funding, co‑investment, partnership and learning opportunities, and explain how local businesses can access and benefit from FaBA’s programs, including:
R&D investment opportunities
- Kickstarter Vouchers – up to $40,000
- Co‑Investment Partnerships – $100k to $5m
Technical and business learning programs
- Food safety and allergen labelling (plain English)
- Product development and innovation
- Leadership in the food and beverage sector
- Market analytics, cost reduction strategies and trend insights
Thursday 7 May. 10am - 11am. Online Webinar
The National Reconstruction Fund has three sub-funds available, in addition to its General Fund.
- Economic Resilience Program: $1 billion in zero interest loans for companies impacted by market disruptions such as rising fuel prices.
- Net Zero Fund: $5 billion in concessional finance to support large industrial facilities to transition to net zero and support manufacturing of low emissions technologies.
- Forestry Growth Fund: $150 million in concessional financing to support wood product manufacturing, including in relation to products used for housing construction.
WHAT'S ON @ COFFS COAST
Bald Archy Prize
Until 24 May
Coffs Harbour Agricultural Show
1-2 May
Coastal Grown Music Fest: Vol. 3
9 May
River Sounds
16 May
Please reach out to our team at City of Coffs Harbour if you have any questions.
Check out our 6 degrees business support website for business events and resources.
For tourism industry and visitor economy business support and information, go to our Coffs Coast tourism industry hub.
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