Babareki Business

Babareki Business proudly supports small businesses throughout Northern NSW, Australia.

Networking Breakfasts- All welcome
Natascha Wernick from Babareki Business hosts informative and supportive networking breakfasts encouraging artists, performers and small and home based businesses people. These breakfasts attract businesspeople from the Northern Rivers region particularly Uki and district. They are regularly held on the Third Thursday of everymonth at the Uki Cafe, UKI.
If you want to know when the next breakfast will be contact me on 66795677 or nwernickatbigpond.net.au
How to host an event in a small village village" E- book has just been released. Buy your copy on line now.

Ukitopia Arts Collective
Natascha is the President of the Ukitopia Arts Collective.
Below are exerpts from the Sept 2009 Annual report.
Back ground
The community
Uki is an historical village situated in the heart of the Mt Warning caldera, Tweed Shire, Northern New South Wales. Geographically we are 2 hours from Brisbane, 1 ½ hours from the Gold Coast, 40 minutes from Byron Bay and 15 minutes from our closest shopping centre, Murwillumbah. We are surrounded by rainforest covered mountains and creeks and travel on meandering roads which separate the many small villages in the region. This geography although beautiful creates isolation.
White settlement of the area commenced in the 1840s based largely on the exploitation of the vast high grade timber resource in the local area. Dairying and banana farming followed for a period with soldier settlements clearing the land. To this day agriculture has remained an important part of the local economy. Now the district is home to an eclectic mix of the descendants of these early settlers and later arrivals.
The later arrivals, including tree changers, have been attracted to this region for its alternative lifestyles and artistic energy and many have created their own small businesses as a result.  The village of Uki boasts a café, a Pub, a takeaway and general store, a post office, a bakery, a primary school, a pharmacy, a dentist, a pottery studio and gallery, a book shop, few gift shops and a hair dresser. Most of the retail businesses are constantly struggling and many rely on the inconsistent tourist trade.
The community spirit is strong in Uki with 25 community groups and council and Department of State and Regional Development supported Community Development, Action and Sustainability plans being undertaken in the last 5 years.
The region
In this region there is disproportional number of artists and many say Uki has the highest amount of artists per capita than anywhere else in the world.
According to the 2001 and 2006 census, employment in the arts and creative industries in Northern Rivers grew 25% faster year on year than the rest of the regional economy.”(Northern Rivers Arts and Creative Industries Strategy 2008-2012). Research and studies in recent years supports the need for a program such as the one Ukitopia is providing.
• The New South Wales State Plan says E8(c): Increase visitation and participation in the arts and cultural activity by 10 per cent by 2016.
• In Northern Rivers Arts and Creative Industries Strategy 2008-2012 they aspire to the goals of Education, training and professional development; Access and lifestyle; Infrastructure and Innovation and product development.
• In the Northern Rivers Area Consultative Committee Strategic Plan ( 2005-2007), the creative industries are noted as one of the” main industries that will drive economic growth in the coming years” and they have noted it as one of their strategic priorities” to promote the arts, and achievement in the arts.
• And on a micro scale:         The Uki Strategic Plan of 2000 identified theses needs: to establish an annual Youth Music Concert/Competition; Incorporate town theme through all arts and sculpture; Develop a Uki Arts Festival;        Uki locality Plan in 2006: identified the need for management strategies for community market and/or festival events;      and in the Uki Strategic Development Plan 2007 the participants also noted arts and culture as areas to be developed.
History
In 2007 at the same time as the Uki Strategic development plan was being undertaken in Uki, the artists began gathering and put forward the iniative to begin a arts organisation to support the artists in this region. In May 2008 we held our first arts dinner to present our concept to the community an d to get their feedback.
In August 08 Ukitopia became an incorporated association and had our first general meeting electing the current members. Although the committee members have changed the elected bodies have remained essentially the same.
The committee is the driving force behind Ukitopia. It is the energy of the committee who meet weekly at the Uki Café that determines the strength of the project.
Objectives
Ukitopia Arts Collective is a membership organisation specifically targeted at building creative industries in this regional area by providing business support, employment, performance, workshop and mentoring opportunities for both youth and adults in the Tweed Shire.
Mission
·         To nurture, support, and promote arts and culture in Uki, through initiating events and programs that bring the arts to the community and the community to the arts.
·         To create opportunities for the diversity of local artists to develop, sustain and share their work with the wider community.
·         To celebrate the unique flavour and atmosphere of Uki – the place and the people - and to strengthen the community.
Objectives
1.       to establish and develop a creative industries infrastructure
2.       to provide opportunities for all sections of the Uki and district community to participate in creative programs
3.       to assist the professional development of Uki and district artists
4.       to create events that will strengthen and celebrate the uniqueness of the Uki community.
5.       to ensure that the actions of the Uki Arts Collective are transparent and open to community consultation.
     For more info go to www.myspace.com/ukitopiaartscollective.

Community Development Facilitator Stokers Siding

In November 2008 , Natascha began her role as the community development facilitor at Stokers Siding, Northern NSW.

The project's objectives are:

To work with the hall committee, the local P&C and interested parties to identify local priorities and ways of raising funds and community support to address these priorities.
Establish a community garden as a whole-of –village project to nurture collaboration in the local area.
Sustain the hall as the central facility for the community by providing funds for basic improvements and a facilitator to work with the hall committee to improve the hall’s financial viability;
Provide funds to establish a regional youth disco (Under 13 years) at the hall to provide a healthy and safe activity for young people.

Natascha is continuing with this project until the end of December 2009. for more info email communitybuildingproject@gmail.com

Small Business course for mothers with Children under 5
In 2008 Natascha conducted a small business workshop in Chillingham, particularly for mothers who have children aged under 5. This is a tailor made course suited to the clients.
If you have a group of small business women with children under the age of 5 who would be interested in particpating in a similar course please register your interest atnwernick@bigpond.net.au. (This course may be available free of charge, depending on numbers.)

Tweed Naturally Art Awards.
Babareki Business is a proud sponsor of theTweed Naturally Art Awards. “The Tweed Naturally Art Awards evolved from a need to promote awareness and understanding of biodiversity and conservation issues within our region. Through the creative process, the objective is to educate and inspire the artists and viewers alike, to further appreciate, respect and examine our ever changing natural environment.” Register your interest now.

Uki Car Pooling
Babareki Business was the co-founder of the Uki car pooling site.www.ukivillage.com.au. Put it on your homepage. Register daily.

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