Friday night meals, a new cocktail bar, and plans for live music at a Nambucca Valley buffalo farm have won young local entrepreneur Hayley Stuart top honours in a regional business pitch contest.
Stuart took out best business pitch in Round 2 of the Launch Pad Youth Entrepreneur program for Arden & Stone, the events and hospitality business she runs with her sister, Lily Crease, at the Eungai Creek Buffalo Farm.
The pitch event was held at the Country Universities Centre Macleay Valley office in Kempsey on Wednesday, 28 October.
“I congratulate Hayley on delivering a passionate and convincing pitch for her events management business, Arden & Stone,” said Nambucca Valley Mayor Gary Lee.
“Our valley has so many impressive young people in it and I am pleased our Council has again supported the Launch Pad Youth Entrepreneur program.”
Lee said supporting young people became a priority when the community worked on the Nambucca Valley Community Strategic Plan 2035.
“When our community worked together on the Nambucca Valley Community Strategic Plan 2035, the priority emerged for Council to do what it could to support young people to thrive,” he said.
“It is challenging for a young person wanting to start a business today, so our Council has supported the Launch Pad Youth Entrepreneur program over two rounds, as well as delivering other youth-focussed activities.”
Stuart took part in the 10-week program, run by Julie Humphris of Business Life Guide.
“This project is now in its second round and it all started with the idea I had to expand on other business programs, with the specific goal of providing business foundationals and empowerment to young entrepreneurs,” Ms Humphris said.
“Over the past 10 weeks, I’ve taken on 10 young people: 3 from the Nambucca Valley, 5 from Kempsey and 2 from Port Macquarie, and together we’ve achieved great things.”
“The young entrepreneurs are now confident, well-skilled and they are ready to either launch or further their businesses and help to grow over-time our local economies.”
A completion and celebration lunch for Round 2 was held on Tuesday, 3 November. Places in the program were offered through expressions of interest, with applications open and advertised during August 2026.
Round 2 was delivered with many project sponsors, including Kempsey Shire Council, Port Macquarie Hastings Council, Macleay Valley Business Chamber, Country Universities Centre Macleay Valley, Kempsey West Rotary, Regional Finance Solutions, Learning the Macleay, Local Jobs MNC, and Nambucca Valley Council.
Stuart said the program had been a great help to both her and Ms Crease, who took part in Round 1.
“Learning from Julie about budgeting, workplace health and safety, marketing and more has really helped to boost my confidence,” she said.
“We’ve started doing Friday evening meals at the Eungai Creek Buffalo Farm now and we have expanded the farm’s offering with a new bar and cocktails/mocktails menu.”
“We also hope to run regular live music and events, to attract visitors and locals to Eungai Creek.”
“Importantly the program helped us to learn what our unique offering and brand is and how to capitalise on it, so I truly thank Julie and the Launch Pad partners for supporting us as we start-up our business.”
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