Media Release
November 6, 2010
Embargoed until 11pm
Greater Taree Towns Take Out Top Tidy Towns Sustainable Communities Awards!
The towns of Hallidays Point, Wingham and Taree received awards at the 2011 Keep Australia Beautiful NSW Tidy Towns Sustainable Communities Celebration Weekend held in Lockhart, November 5-7 and attended by special guest the Governor of New South Wales, Professor Marie Bashir AC CVO.
The Tidy Towns Sustainable Communities Awards program celebrates 30 years in NSW this year. It is the largest practical environmental program for regional NSW. More than a beauty contest, the program celebrates the real, innovative and sustainable efforts of participating rural NSW communities.
Hallidays Point, in population category C (1201-4000), won a Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water NSW Wildlife Corridors and Habitats Conservation Award with the restoration of three areas of coastal corridor.
Tidy Towns assessor Shaun Hunt said the results to date indicated a significant improvement to the local environment.
“The level of volunteer commitment in the town is excellent,” Mr Hunt said. “The new infrastructure really enhances the amenity of the sites while also being sensitive to the surrounding environment.”
A Department spokesperson said: “Hallidays Point Landcare and Manning Coastcare have worked tirelessly over many years to produce a wonderful community asset. Congratulations on a great environmental result!”
Taree was highly commended for a Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water NSW Wildlife Corridors and Habitats Conservation Award in population category E (10,001-25,000) for the Cattai Wetlands Project.
Wingham and District Preschool, in school category 6, was highly commended for the Schools Environment Award for “Little People Treading Little Footprints”. The program takes a practical, hands-on approach to introducing environmental education to preschoolers including compost bins, worm farms and garden beds.
Peter McLean said the 2011 Tidy Towns Sustainable Communities Awards program was a huge success, with more than 300 people from right across NSW attending over the weekend.
“The awards weekend is a fantastic opportunity to recognise those communities achieving positive results for their built and natural environments, often in the face of a tough economic or geographic climate,” Peter McLean said.
“The big winner of the weekend was Lithgow, who took the prestigious 2011 Overall State Tidy Towns Award. This is the second win for Lithgow, which also took the State title in 1997. Tidy Towns assessor Luciano Mesiti was particularly impressed by Lithgow’s community spirit and the way in which a great number of groups worked together for the common goal of a more sustainable community.
“Lithgow will go up against the Overall State Winners in each State and Territory across Australia for the National judging of the 2011 Australian Tidy Town Award, to be announced in April next year in Canberra by Her Excellency the Governor-General of Australia, Quentin Bryce AC.”
Keep Australia Beautiful NSW thanks the 2011 Tidy Towns Sustainable Communities Awards program sponsors Grundfos, Department of Planning Heritage Branch, Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water, Country Energy and the Packaging Stewardship Forum.
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Editor’s notes: A table of Overall Award recipients and category winners is attached. Please contact Keep Australia Beautiful NSW Communications Manager Ilona Marchetta for further judges comments on specific towns and submissions on 9633 3380 or
imarchetta@kabnsw.org.au. Peter McLean, CEO, is available for further comment on 0416 227 158.