Sweet success for Bendigo Brittle boundary breaker

DYNAMO Bendigo Brittle founder and CEO Greta Donaldson has been awarded the prestigious Kathryn Mackenzie Award for her outstanding contribution to tourism.

Named after former City of Greater Bendigo tourism manager Kathryn Mackenzie OAM, the accolade honours individuals who go above and beyond to promote the region and further enhance visitor experiences.

Destination Greater Bendigo Loddon executive officer James Myatt said Ms Donaldson stood out for her leadership, regional pride and commitment to innovation and collaboration.

“Over nine years, Greta has grown Bendigo Brittle from a local product into a nationally recognised artisan brand,” he said.

“In 2025 alone, she volunteered over 200 hours to deliver The Bloomin’ Good Market, engaging 240 local businesses.

“Greta champions the region’s fantastic offerings, sourcing local ingredients from Wedderburn pistachios to Loddon Shire chillies, and fosters inclusive employment opportunities for women, migrant communities and NDIS participants.”

The award was presented at Destination Greater Bendigo Loddon’s recent inaugural annual general meeting.

Destination Greater Bendigo Loddon became the region’s official tourism entity in July after Bendigo Regional Tourism was wound up.

The new model combines a larger catchment area which now represents members across both the City of Greater Bendigo and Loddon Shire council regions.

At the AGM, four industry director board appointments for Destination Greater Bendigo Loddon were also made.

The appointments were Tynille Thurlow (from Bendigo Heritage, one-year term), Rhianwen Seiter (from MacKenzie Quarters, one-year term), Alissa Van Soest (from Discovery Science and Technology Centre, two-year term) and Ann-Maree Davis (from Little Sangria, two-year term).