Illawarra's Best
Illawarra's Best Community Awards 2026
The Illawarra's favourite local businesses, picked by the people who use them. Nominate someone who deserves a nod, then vote for the finalists.
Key dates
Thu 15 Oct to Sun 18 Oct, 11:59pm
Nominations
Anyone can nominate a local business in any of the 12 categories. Tell us why they deserve it.
Tue 20 Oct
Finalists announced
The most-nominated businesses in each category become finalists.
Until Wed 4 Nov
Voting
The community votes for its favourites.
Fri 6 Nov
Winners announced
Winners are announced here and on our Facebook page.
What the winners get
Finalists
- A “2026 Finalist” badge on your listing, your website and your Facebook page
- A free month of Featured
Category winners (12)
- A year of Featured, worth $240
- A winner's badge for your website and Facebook
- A winners post shouting you out to the Illawarra
Overall winner
- Category Partner for your category, worth $249
- A week of the homepage banner, worth $70
- Plus everything a category winner gets
Prizes are for the business and aren't exchangeable for cash. To receive the Featured prizes a business needs a claimed listing on Illawarra's Best, which is free.
What are the awards?
The Illawarra's Best Community Awards 2026 are a local, community-run way of saying thanks to the businesses that make the Illawarra a better place to live, from the cafe that remembers your order to the tradie who turned up when it mattered.
Anyone can nominate. We count the nominations in each category, the most-nominated businesses become finalists, and the community votes for the winners. The awards cover Wollongong, Shellharbour, Kiama and the villages in between.
The 12 award categories
- Cafes & Restaurants
- Trades & Home Services
- Health & Wellness
- Retail & Shopping
- Professional Services
- Beauty & Personal Care
- Automotive
- Real Estate
- Fitness & Sport
- Education & Childcare
- Entertainment & Events
- Accommodation & Tourism
Questions
- Who can nominate?
- Anyone who lives, works or shops in the Illawarra. You don't need an account.
- Can I nominate my own business?
- Yes. If you own or work for the business, tick that box on the form so we know.
- Does it cost anything?
- No. Nominating and voting are free, and so is being a finalist.
- Can I nominate more than one business?
- Yes. Nominate as many as you like, including the same business in a different category. The same business in the same category can only be nominated once per person.
- How are finalists chosen?
- From the nominations. We count them for each business and category, and the most-nominated businesses become finalists.
- What do winners and finalists get?
- Finalists get a 2026 Finalist badge and a free month of Featured. Each category winner gets a year of Featured, a winner's badge and a winners post. The overall winner also gets Category Partner for their category and a week of the homepage banner.
- Does the business need a listing on Illawarra's Best?
- No. Type any local business's name. If it's already listed, we'll find it as you type.