MEDIA ALERT
Nov 4, 2011
LITHGOW WILL PLAY HOST TO MORE THAN 300 VISITORS FROM AROUND THE STATE THIS WEEKEND FOR THE ANNUAL KEEP AUSTRALIA BEAUTIFUL NSW TIDY TOWNS, SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES AWARDS.
LITHGOW WILL PLAY HOST TO MORE THAN 300 VISITORS FROM AROUND THE STATE THIS WEEKEND FOR THE ANNUAL KEEP AUSTRALIA BEAUTIFUL NSW TIDY TOWNS, SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES AWARDS.
SPECIAL GUESTS FOR THE WEEKEND INCLUDE HER EXCELLENCY, PROF. MARIE BASHIR AC, CVO, GOVERNOR OF NSW AND THE HON. ROBYN PARKER MP, MINISTER FOR ENVIRONMENT & MINISTER FOR HERITAGE, MEMBER FOR MAITLAND.
A full weekend of activities has been arranged, with awards registration on Friday, November 4 from 12.00pm to 4.00pm at Hoskins Uniting Church Centre, Bridge Street, Lithgow.
A Welcome Dinner for delegates will be held at the Civic Ballroom, George Coates Ave, Lithgow that evening.
AWARDS PRESENTATIONS
From 9.30am On Saturday morning, Nov 5th the Category awards will be held at the Union Theatre, Bridge Street, Lithgow. This event is open to all. PROF. MARIE BASHIR AC, CVO, GOVERNOR OF NSW will be in attendance, and will present the Schools Environment Awards.
Bus tours of Lithgow’s many historical and environmental attractions follow in the afternoon with a gala awards dinner that night, to be held at the Civic Ballroom George Coates Ave, Lithgow. The Hon. Robyn Parker MP, Minister for Environment & Minister for Heritage will speak at the dinner and also announce the Overall State Winner for 2011.
More than 300 people from some 60 different towns and local Tidy Towns Committees, sponsors, political and business leaders will be in Lithgow for the weekend. Regional community volunteers and Council personnel will also join the awards activities.
As current State winner of the Overall Award in 2010 (and National winner), Lithgow hosts the event this weekend providing a valuable opportunity for the community to showcase its winning ways to other community representatives.
“The Tidy Towns Sustainable Communities Awards Weekend represents the best of the best. It is a fantastic opportunity for delegates to learn from other participants and build important networks around rural NSW,” Said Peter McLean, CEO of Keep Australia Beautiful NSW.
Launched in 1981, Tidy Towns continues to be the largest practical environmental program serving regional New South Wales. Almost 100 regional towns, villages and schools through the State participated this year, submitting around 200 projects that were comprehensively assessed for this year’s awards. This was followed by a secondary judging panel and statistical analysis to achieve the awards results.
The Awards categories are:
- Essential Energy, Bush Spirit Award
- Keep Australia Beautiful NSW, Water Conservation Award
- NSW State Gov and Heritage Council of NSW, Cultural Heritage Award
- Packaging Stewardship Forum, Waste Management and Litter Reduction Award
- NSW Office of Environment and Heritage, Wildlife Corridors and Habitats Conservation Award
- Keep Australia Beautiful NSW, Schools Environment Award
- Overall State Winner, Tidy Towns, Sustainable Communities Award 2011
WINNERS ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Media releases including all award recipients will be issued on Saturday, November 5 at 11pm and will also be available at www.kabnsw.org.au
Contact: Carolyn Oakley, Media & Communications Manager, Keep Australia Beautiful NSW - (02) 9633 3380 OR coakley@kabnsw.org.au .
Peter McLean, Keep Australia Beautiful NSW CEO is available for comment, pre- and post-event interviews on - 0416 227 158.