This year's Annual Business Awards presentation and dinner night was a sell-out success with about 520 people filling the auditorium of Wests Nelson Bay Diggers.

"The awards night was really ramped up this year in terms of the community's participation and you could just feel the anticipation in the room, which was beautifully presented by Wests," Examiner media adviser and awards co-ordinator Samantha Newman said.

The night was opened by the Examiner's digital media adviser, Kelly Thomas, who said of the 40 awards categories, health and medical, trades and services and accommodation were the most competitive.

After all 14,000 votes the Examiner received into the awards were counted, 25 individual businesses were nominated for the health and medical category, 21 in trades and services and 23 in accommodation.

From those votes, 200 finalists were announced - five in each of the 40 categories. Following a vigorous judging process, 40 winners were determined, plus the Port's overall business of the year.

Taking out the top gong in 2014 was Pacific Dunes Golf Club.

Port Stephens Mayor Bruce MacKenzie, whose speech touched on the history of the awards, congratulated all the winners.

"The Port Stephens business awards are a chance for the entire community to come together to celebrate the businesses that underpin our economy, and say 'job well done'," he said.

Ross Melville, Newcastle Newspaper's marketing and promotions manager, was emcee of the night.