Northern Stevedoring Services (NSS) held its annual Employee Excellence Awards Night on Friday, 16 October 2026, bringing together employees, management, clients and community partners at The Ville Resort-Casino in Townsville for an evening dedicated to recognising the people behind our operations.
The event celebrated the achievements of our Employee of the Month winners over the past 12 months, culminating in the announcement of the 2026 NSS Employee of the Year and the presentation of the $5,000 grand prize.
It was a fantastic turnout, with employees from across the business coming together, including several who travelled from Mackay and Cloncurry to attend. For many, it was a rare opportunity to catch up with colleagues from other locations, enjoy a night away from the usual work environment and celebrate the achievements of their fellow team members.
We were also pleased to welcome representatives from several of our valued clients and industry partners. Their attendance was greatly appreciated and provided another opportunity to strengthen the relationships NSS has built across the region.
With plenty of laughs, a few entertaining stories and some well-deserved recognition throughout the evening, it was a great night shared by everyone involved.
Recognising Our Employee of the Month Winners
At the heart of the evening were our 12 Employee of the Month awards, recognising 13 employees in total, including one joint award.
Throughout the year, these employees have been nominated for going above and beyond in their roles, whether through outstanding performance, helping their colleagues, taking on additional responsibilities or simply showing the kind of attitude and work ethic that makes a difference to those around them.
The awards recognise employees from across NSS’s stevedoring, logistics, transport and support operations, acknowledging the many different roles that contribute to keeping the business running.
While the awards themselves are an important part of our employee recognition program, the evening also gave our winners the opportunity to celebrate alongside their colleagues, friends and family.
Each recipient had their moment of recognition, with a few personal stories and plenty of good-natured humour shared along the way. Congratulations again to all of our monthly award winners. Your efforts throughout the year have certainly not gone unnoticed.
Jamie Windust Named 2026 NSS Employee of the Year
The biggest announcement of the evening was the presentation of the 2026 NSS Employee of the Year award to Jamie Windust, who received the $5,000 grand prize in recognition of an extraordinary act of bravery.
While working a night shift at the Port of Mackay, Jamie helped save the life of a woman who had fallen into the water. Without hesitation, Jamie entered the water to assist her, remaining alongside her for more than three hours in cold, crocodile-inhabited waters while waiting for help to arrive.
His actions that night went well beyond anything that could reasonably be expected of someone in his position and demonstrated an incredible level of courage, compassion and selflessness.
While every Employee of the Month winner had made an outstanding contribution throughout the year, Jamie’s actions were particularly remarkable, and we were proud to recognise him with this year’s highest honour.
On behalf of everyone at NSS, congratulations Jamie, and thank you for your incredible actions.
Supporting The Cure Starts Now Australia
The evening also gave us the opportunity to recognise the important work being done by The Cure Starts Now Australia, a charity founded in Townsville in 2010 that is dedicated to funding research and clinical trials into childhood brain cancer.
As part of NSS’s ongoing involvement with the organisation, guests were introduced to Aaron Ohl’s Breaking Point Challenge, an extraordinary fundraising effort involving a 30-hour physical and mental endurance challenge.
NSS was proud to support Aaron and the wider fundraising efforts, and we were pleased to be able to share the story behind the challenge with those attending.
Donation QR codes were made available throughout the evening, giving guests the opportunity to contribute directly to the cause and support the vital research being funded by The Cure Starts Now.
It was a fitting opportunity to recognise not only the achievements of our own people, but also the important work being done within the wider Townsville community.
A Great Night for the NSS Team
Overall, the evening was a great success, with plenty of positive feedback from those who attended.
One of the best parts of the night was simply seeing people from across NSS come together. With our teams working across different locations, departments and shifts, opportunities to get everyone together outside of work don’t come around all that often.
It was also a chance to acknowledge the families, colleagues and wider support networks who play an important part in the success of our people.
The Employee Excellence Awards have become an important part of how we recognise the hard work happening across NSS throughout the year, and we hope the evening encourages even more employees to get involved in the nomination process.
With October 2026 nominations already underway, we’re looking forward to another year of recognising the efforts and achievements of our people as we work towards the 2027 awards.
Thank you to everyone who attended, congratulations once again to all our award winners, and we look forward to doing it all again next year!
2026 Employee Excellence Awards – Photo Gallery
Take a look back at some of the highlights from the evening, including our award presentations, Employee of the Year announcement and a few moments captured throughout the night.
