Ms Farrell's Country Food Trails was one of two Orange business recognised in the Business NSW 2021 Western NSW Business Awards, announced online on Friday evening.

Country Food Trails won the award for outstanding start-up while tuition firm Clever Cookie Academy, owned and run by Orange couple Rob and Peita Mages, earned an award double, for excellence in innovation and excellence in small business.

READ MORE: Paul Toole promises Premier Dominic Perrottet a guided tour of regional NSW

For both businesses, adapting to the changes COVID-19 forced upon them was critical with Ms Farrell admitting "You'd have to be slightly crazy or very determined to start a tourism business in the last year - or a combination of both".

But she said she did the research before starting Country Food Trails in September 2020, when she realised there was a gap in the market offering intimate tours of the Orange district.

The award double was also a huge affirmation for the Mages, who began their business in a shed two years with Peita as the sole employee.

READ MORE: Turner Crescent resident Barbara Olde after a solution for Orange street's traffic woes

It's since grown to 12 staff, who provide tuition to 369 clients, housed in the top floor of the plaza in Anson Street.

"We were able to just adapt and put everything on online so were lucky we didn't skip a beat and just kept going," Peita Mages said.

"We're also lucky our customers stuck with us through what was a tricky time, many of them are small business owners themselves."

READ MORE: Mick Sullivan has signed on to play with Berkeley Vale Panthers on Central Coast

The title of Western NSW Business of the Year went to Dubbo's Ben Furney Flour Mills.

Winners of the 2021 Western NSW Business Awards will now represent the region at the State Business Awards to be held in late November.

"Based on the calibre of this year's finalists, I expect that our regional winners will again do very well at the State Business Awards," Business NSW regional manager Western NSW Vicki Seccombe said.

The full list of 2021 Western NSW Regional Winners:

Outstanding Employee: Joanna Treasure, Thring Pastoral Company, Cowra

Outstanding Young Business Leader: Joshua Shields, Summit Cranes, Dubbo

Outstanding Business Leader: Alison Broinowski, Perfectly Sorted, Mudgee

Employer of Choice: Millthorpe Little Learning Centre, Millthorpe

Excellence in Innovation: Clever Cookie Academy, Orange

Outstanding Community Organisation: Orana Early Childhood Intervention, Dubbo

Outstanding Start Up: Country Food Trails, Orange

Excellence in Micro Business: 123Tix, Dubbo

Excellence in Small Business: Clever Cookie Academy, Orange

Excellence in Business: Ben Furney Flour Mills, Dubbo

Outstanding Local Chamber: Business Mudgee, Mudgee

Western NSW Business of the Year: Ben Furney Flour Mills, Dubbo.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:

HAVE YOUR SAY

Send a letter to the editor using the form below