Sunshine Coast’s best local businesses and employees of 2021 revealed
From getting your nails done to eating the best chicken parmigiana in town, this is the ultimate list of the best of Sunshine Coast winners for the year – voted by you.
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From the best burgers in town to finding the top place to get your hair done and someone who makes a mean cocktail, this is the ultimate list of winners from our Best of Sunshine Coast series this year – voted by you.
Best bartender
Tristan Waller from The Good Bar Mooloolaba
5/19-23 First Ave, Mooloolaba
It took less than a year for a Sunshine Coast bartender who was voted the best in the region to hone his skills and make a lasting impression on regular customers.
Mr Waller was voted by Sunshine Coast Daily readers as the best in town for making a stiff drink.
Meeting new customers and contributing in a positive way to their nights out were Mr Waller’s favourite parts of his job.
“It’s about making everybody happy in the end and that’s why I really enjoy it, to show that I’ve made someone’s night,” he said.
Best tattoo artist
Kelara Roberts from Forever Inked Tattoo
69/79 Attenuata Dr, Mountain Creek
A popular tattoo artist with more than a decade of experience in the industry has been voted as the best on the Sunshine Coast.
The industry veteran first picked up a tattoo gun more than 10 years ago and said it quickly became her favourite thing to do.
“I got into tattooing originally just for a bit of fun, I didn’t really think anything of it,” she said.
“I then realised it was something I really wanted to do professionally.”
Best teacher
Nicky Baker from Kuluin State School
41-67 Tallow Wood Dr, Kuluin
The Sunshine Coast Daily readers voted Ms Baker the best in the region in a recent poll.
Ms Baker said helping to mould the young minds for the past 28 years, and 21 of those years at Kuluin State School, has been a “fulfilling” part of her career.
“I prefer the early childhood because they’re so eager to learn and I can mould and shape them into beautiful human beings,” she said.
“I have been teaching a long time, I have strong philosophy and belief in what I do and what works, so even though things do change I still stick to what is true to myself.
Best hairdresser
Katie Martin from Big Deal Hair
35 Oakmont Dr, Buderim
The Buderim salon owner has worked the past decade to build a loyal following and she said it was “humbling” to see it all pay off.
“It’s always really nice, the little bit of recognition because I do put in a lot of hours and I love what I do,” she said.
Ms Martin took her hairdressing career into her own hands when she started Big Deal Hair in 2010, operating out of a small home garage space before moving into the Buderim salon.
Best cosmetic injector
Jacinta King from Artisan Aesthetic
51-55 The Esplanade, Maroochydore
Ms King was crowned the best in the business in the world of cosmetic injectables on the Sunshine Coast in 2021.
Ms King said she was “very grateful and humbled” to have been selected by the Sunshine Coast Daily readers as their favourite cosmetic injector.
“I would like to say a huge thank you, it truly means the world to me,” Ms King said.
“I don’t actually advertise myself very much and have managed to grow a very loyal client base who are kind enough to refer their friends to me.”
Best chicken parmigiana
Beach Bar and Grill Mooloolaba
Landmark Resort, 11 Mooloolaba Espl, Mooloolaba
It’s always hard to pass up a chicken parmigiana when you see it on the menu and now it’s even easier to make sure you pick the right choice when ordering.
Venue manager Reese Krause said he was thrilled to be chosen as the region’s best chicken parmigiana choice.
“One of the things we pride ourselves on is our chicken parmy,” Mr Krause said.
“We offer seven parmigiana choices, including the Hog Parmy which uses slow-cooked pulled pork and smokey barbecue sauce.”
Best nail technician
Tamara Townsend from Lush Nails and Lashes
1 Maleny St, Landsborough
Ms Townsend had been in the beauty industry for 14 years before she opened her first business, the Landsborough salon, 18 months ago before being voted the Sunshine Coast’s best nail technician for 2021.
The 31 year old said she wanted a friendly, welcoming salon where staff felt they had job security in an industry which typically offered casual employment.
“When I opened Lush I really wanted to have the security of knowing that I had full-time work for myself and my staff members,” the Peachester mother of two said.
Best service Gold Star provider
Kellie Debono
The manager of a Sunshine Coast childcare centre who took in the kids of a nurse during the COVID-19 pandemic was humbled by her Gold Star award win.
Supporting others has never been about the accolades for Sunshine Coast woman Kellie Debono.
When COVID-19 sent the world into forced lockdowns and the healthcare industry into overdrive, Mrs Debono did what she could to help.
While working at Bli Bli’s Little Sprouts Early Learning Centre last year, she took in nurse Kerryn Palmer’s children free of charge.
That’s why Ms Debono was claimed the title of the 2021 Gold Star award winner.
Best rugby league player
Thomas Sly from Kawana Dolphins
After a two-year hiatus from the code, Sunshine Coast talent Thomas Sly has returned with a vengeance to be crowned Queensland’s best A-grade player.
Kawana Dolphins fullback Thomas Sly took out the title by some margin, polling 16 per cent, with next best Rockhampton Brothers second-rower Lachlan Campbell picking up seven per cent of the votes.
Sly’s triumph is a remarkable feat after the 25-year-old only returned to the game following two years playing for rugby union clubs Bond Pirates and USC Barbarians in 2019 and 2020.
“I’ve been loving it (return) and playing centre/fullback has been awesome,” Sly said.
“I’m a league (player) at heart so I’ve been really loving it coming back and I’m just having a really good year.”
Best burger
Rick’s Garage
14-16 Margaret St, Palmwoods
Loyal customers have rallied behind popular venue Rick's Garage as it takes out the crown for the best burger in the region.
Owner Ben Jamieson said he was thrilled to hear the restaurant had taken first place on the leaderboard.
“We've been doing it for quite some time now, so it’s very reassuring to get rewarded like this,” he said.
“We’ve got an incredible team that worked tirelessly to provide the best burgers on the Sunshine Coast.
“It’s awesome for them to be commended in this way.”
Best sports coach
Kenny Greenway from Caloundra Sharks
After only taking on the role a few years ago, top-tier sports lover Kenny Greenway has been crowned the Sunshine Coast’s best coach.
Caloundra Sharks under 18s rugby league coach Kenny Greenway took out the title, polling 13 per cent of the votes.
Greenway’s triumph was a remarkable feat after the 40 year old only took up coaching in 2015.
“It's really quite surprising to be honest but it’s definitely nice to have been recognised,” Greenway said.
“It’s cool to have people voting for you as it means you’re doing the right things for the kids and to know I have that support of the players and parents is great.
“In my team I’ve got a really good bunch of parents who believe in the kids and believe in what us as coaches are doing.”
Best pizza
Amici Restaurant in Caloundra
16 Bulcock St, Caloundra
The popular Caloundra pizzeria earned a majority of the votes out of 15 businesses in the running to be crowned as the Coast‘s favourite venue.
Owners Jason O’Brien and partner Sarah Spotz opened the popular spot more than a decade ago.
Mr O'Brien said the pair were grateful for the win.
“We have a good amount of regular customers that support us, that have been supporting us since we've been open,” he said.
“It helps during the slower times to keep us going.”
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