Award-winning puppetry entertainment from Bribie Island recognised among the region’s leading businesses
On Tuesday 26 May 2026, Larrikin Puppets was honoured to receive the Creative Industries Award at the 2026 Pumicestone Business Excellence Awards, held at Sandstone Point Hotel.
For a business that began with a collection of puppets, a dream, and a belief that professional puppet shows deserved a place once again in the Australian children’s entertainment scene, it was an unforgettable evening.
The awards celebrate the dedication, innovation and resilience of small businesses throughout the Pumicestone region. The Creative Industries Award specifically recognises artists, designers and creative enterprises that contribute to the region’s vibrant arts and cultural landscape.
To be recognised among so many outstanding local businesses was both humbling and deeply meaningful.
The evening was organised by local Member for Pumicestone, Ariana Doolan MP, and attended by Queensland Premier David Crisafulli MP and Minister for Small and Family Business Steve Minnikin MP.
As the winners were announced, two familiar faces represented Larrikin Puppets on stage. Troggg and Marina, two of the company’s most beloved puppet characters, helped accept the award, bringing laughter and surprise to a room filled largely with business leaders, entrepreneurs and community representatives.
It was a reminder that puppetry has a unique ability to connect with people of every age. Whether performing for hundreds of children at a festival or entertaining adults at a business awards ceremony, great puppetry creates moments of shared joy.
Troggg and Marina Take Centre Stage
Watch Troggg and Marina accept the Creative Industries Award and bring a touch of puppetry magic to an evening celebrating the achievements of the Pumicestone region’s small business community.
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The award recognises far more than a single performance or project. Since its establishment in 2012, Larrikin Puppets has grown from a small one man creative business into one of Australia’s most active professional puppetry companies.
Led by husband-and-wife team Brett Hansen and Elissa Jenkins, Larrikin Puppets has entertained more than 100,000 children and families across schools, libraries, theatres, childcare centres, festivals and touring venues throughout Queensland and beyond.
In recent years, the company has expanded its creative output significantly.
In 2026 alone, Larrikin Puppets presented sixteen performances at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival while continuing to tour extensively. The company develops original songs, creates educational content, produces the Little Larrikins Podcast and is preparing to launch Little Larrikins Learning, a new digital platform developed with support through the Queensland Government’s Business Basics program.
Their creative work also extends into television and film. Brett and Elissa have performed on productions including Shake Takes, Totally Wild and The Bureau of Magical Things, while their original television project Yompers has brought together more than fifty artists and creatives with support from the Regional Arts Development Fund.
Elissa Jenkins also secured funding for Zietta and the Little Larrikins, an ambitious musical theatre production celebrating creativity, culture and community, which premiered to enthusiastic audiences at the Redcliffe Entertainment Centre in May 2026.
Behind every achievement is a commitment to continual learning. Both Brett and Elissa received professional training in the United States from puppeteers associated with The Muppets and Sesame Street, bringing world-class puppetry techniques back to Queensland audiences.
What makes this recognition especially significant is that it celebrates not only artistic excellence but also business excellence.
Creative businesses are often judged solely by their artistic output. The Pumicestone Business Excellence Awards acknowledge something broader: the ability to build sustainable enterprises that contribute economically, culturally and socially to their communities.
Larrikin Puppets has always believed that creativity and entrepreneurship belong together. Every puppet show, school workshop, television appearance, podcast episode and community event is part of a larger mission to bring imagination, laughter and storytelling into people’s lives.
This award is a celebration of that mission.
We are incredibly grateful to everyone who has supported us along the way. To the schools, libraries, festivals, councils, childcare centres, theatres, television producers, community organisations and families who have invited us into their spaces, thank you.
Thank you also to Ariana Doolan MP for creating an event that shines a spotlight on local businesses and the people behind them, and congratulations to all finalists and winners who continue to strengthen the Pumicestone region through their hard work and innovation.
Winning the Creative Industries Award is a tremendous honour, but perhaps more importantly, it is encouragement to keep creating, keep innovating and keep sharing the magic of puppetry with audiences everywhere.
After all, even at a formal business awards ceremony, a puppet can still steal the show.
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Looking for Award-Winning Puppetry Entertainment?
Larrikin Puppets provides award-winning puppetry entertainment for festivals, schools, libraries, shopping centres, theatres, television productions, film projects, corporate events and community celebrations throughout Australia.
To discuss your next event or production, contact Larrikin Puppets and discover how professional puppetry can bring unforgettable characters, laughter and storytelling to your audience.
Previously we wrote a blog post about how Larrikin Puppets was nominated in the national What’s On 4 Kids Awards in the ‘Best Party Entertainment’ category.
Troggg and Fossy (with Brett and Elissa) will be attending too, and meeting several other great entertainers and educators from around Australia.
A lot of competition here from some truly amazing and hard working entertainers. So please keep your fingers and toes crossed for little old us! 🙂
