The Jindabyne Chamber of Commerce is heading into 2026 with strong momentum following a productive year that culminated in an Outstanding Chamber Award at the Southeast NSW Business Awards.

Chamber president Olivier Kapetanakos said 2025 was marked by community-focused events, strategic planning and ongoing advocacy for local businesses.

“Our focus has been on promoting local businesses and bringing the community together,” Mr Kapetanakos said.

Key highlights of the year included hosting the Snowball festival and Rocking on Lake in January, delivering the annual Business Awards, supporting the installation of the Big Chair Lift, which has quickly become a new drawcard for visitors and locals alike, and backing initiatives that strengthen Jindabyne’s sense of place and wellbeing.

Among these was The Reflection Project, a locally driven initiative aimed at creating spaces for pause, connection and reflection within the community. Mr Kapetanakos said the project reflected the chamber’s broader view of economic health, recognising that strong communities underpin strong local economies.

“The Reflection Project showed how business, community and wellbeing can intersect in meaningful ways,” he said.

Strategy day shapes future direction

The year concluded with a strategy day involving the chamber’s executive and members, based on members feedback and focused on clarifying priorities, setting a clear direction for the year ahead.

The strategy day was facilitated by Nicole Weber, who said the process helped articulate the chamber’s role within the community and align its leadership around shared goals.

“The strategy day gave the chamber the opportunity to step back, reflect on its impact, and clearly define what it exists to do,” Ms Weber said. “Having a shared purpose and belief framework creates alignment and confidence in decision-making.”

Following the session, the chamber formally articulated its purpose as supporting a year-round, thriving Jindabyne business community.

Mr Kapetanakos said the belief framework reflects how the chamber intends to operate and advocate on behalf of its members.

“We believe in building a vibrant, strong and supportive member network that helps people in business do better and fully enjoy the lifestyle our region offers,” he said.

The framework also emphasises the importance of strong, positive relationships that deliver tangible benefits for both members and the wider Jindabyne community, the chamber’s role as a collective voice for change, and the value of learning and innovating together through shared ideas, skills and support.

Funding challenges prompt rethink

A key challenge during 2025 was the chamber’s reliance on grant funding for major projects. The Australia Day Council’s decision not to fund Australia Day activities this year highlighted the uncertainty of that approach.

“One year Jindabyne gets funding, the next year it doesn’t,” Mr Kapetanakos said. “That unpredictability makes long-term planning difficult.”

In response, the chamber is shifting its focus toward a more sustainable, locally driven funding model that recognises the central role businesses play in a small town like Jindabyne.

Chamber treasurer Kerin Jarvis said local businesses are deeply embedded in the community and have the potential to collectively support initiatives that benefit both the local economy and social fabric.

“In a town like Jindabyne, businesses are at the heart of the community,” Ms Jarvis said. “Rather than relying on government grants that can be unpredictable, the chamber is looking to activate that connection and explore ways the business community can support local initiatives in a more sustainable and reliable way.”

As part of this shift, the chamber is exploring ways to support the creation of a community fund, either as a standalone initiative or in partnership with a broader community group, to provide a steadier funding base for local programs and events.

“We’re not going to rely on grant funding alone,” Mr Kapetanakos said.

Full calendar planned for 2026

Looking ahead, 2026 is shaping up as a busy year. The Snowball and Business Awards will return, with a new business showcase planned for the same month as the awards. The showcase will give local businesses the opportunity to promote their services directly to the community.

The chamber will also continue its regular networking program, with bi-monthly events consistently attracting 20 to 30 participants.

Membership growth has continued alongside this activity, underpinned by the chamber’s ongoing promotion and marketing of member businesses.

“Membership growth is being driven by the value we provide through business promotion and marketing that’s available to all chamber members,” chamber secretary Fiona Lathan Cannon said.

A new initiative planned for 2026 is the launch of a Quarterly Business Conditions Survey, designed to better understand local business needs and provide data to inform planning and advocacy.

“The survey will help us track trends, identify challenges and strengthen our advocacy with real data,” Mr Kapetanakos said.

Advocacy continues to be a cornerstone of the chamber’s work, particularly around workforce shortages in the Snowy Mountains.

During 2025, chamber representatives attended the Tourism Round Table held at Old Parliament House in Canberra, engaging directly with industry leaders and policymakers on issues affecting regional tourism economies.

The chamber is also pushing for visa reforms that would allow hospitality work in tourism-driven regions like the Snowy Mountains to count toward second- and third-year visa extensions.

“In regions where tourism is the primary economic driver, this could be transformative,” Mr Kapetanakos said.

The chamber has engaged with Regional Development Australia and federal authorities on the issue and has formally briefed RDA on the region’s workforce challenges.

“Advocacy takes time, but it remains critical to ensuring regional voices are heard,” he said

Membership of the Jindabyne Chamber of Commerce is open to all local businesses, with the committee encouraging members to actively contribute ideas, feedback and support. Vice president Gary Grant said the chamber is strongest when it reflects the diversity of the local business community and welcomes collaboration. Businesses interested in getting involved are encouraged to join the conversation and play a role in shaping a connected, resilient and forward-looking Jindabyne economy.