Hawkesbury City Council has been named the Keep Australia Beautiful NSW 2026 Sustainable Cities Winner, recognised for its community engagement, environmental initiatives and collaborative approach to sustainability.
The announcement was made today at the Keep Australia Beautiful NSW Sustainable Cities Awards at Hornsby RSL, hosted by 2025 Winner Hornsby Shire Council. The awards celebrate the contributions of councils, community groups, schools, businesses and individuals to more sustainable and liveable communities.
“Sustainability is clearly a high priority at Hawkesbury, supported by strong collaboration and a shared commitment to the area’s future,” said Tasneem Rangwala, Overall Assessor for the 2026 Sustainable Cities Awards.
“The assessment highlighted enthusiastic community engagement and education, alongside work with First Nations peoples and neighbouring councils to address local environmental challenges.”
Hawkesbury’s Litter Prevention Program was named joint winner of the Litter Prevention category. Council also received Highly Commended recognition for Hawkesbury Litter Education & Engagement in Communication and Engagement and Leading the Way with Sustainable Events in Plastic Free Communities.
These projects complement broader work in climate adaptation, recycling and waste management across Hawkesbury’s urban, rural and natural areas.
Sutherland Shire Council was named overall runner-up and won the Liveable Cities category for Trees as Assets: Transforming Urban Canopy. The assessor praised its urban greening work, supported by native seed propagation, volunteers and education partnerships.
Val Southam, Chief Executive Officer of Keep Australia Beautiful NSW, congratulated this year’s recipients.
“These awards celebrate people giving their time, sharing their knowledge and working together to care for their local environment,” Ms Southam said.
“Congratulations to Hawkesbury, runner-up Sutherland and all our entrants for their commitment to more sustainable and resilient communities.”
The awards program and event were held with the support of Hornsby Shire Council, the NSW Environment Protection Authority, and Snowy Hydro.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE KAB NSW 2026 SUSTAINABLE CITIES WINNERS AND HIGHLY COMMENDED TABLE
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE 2026 SUSTAINABLE CITIES AWARDS WINNERS’ BOOK
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Contact Details
Val Southam, Chief Executive Officer KABNSW at ceo@kabnsw.org.au, t: 0419016401
Alternate email contact: events@kabnsw.org.au
EDITOR’S NOTE:
About the KABNSW Sustainable Cities Awards
Keep Australia Beautiful NSW Sustainable Cities Awards Program is a community and environmental awards program for metropolitan communities in NSW.
Since 1994, projects that not only enhance the environment but also improve the standard of living and well-being of urban communities have been a hallmark of the activities recognised by these awards.
The Sustainable Cities Awards inspire communities to make a genuine and lasting contribution to their area, with partnerships between local authorities, businesses, community groups, schools, and individuals.
About KAB NSW
Keep Australia Beautiful NSW (KABNSW) is the state’s premier organisation for litter reduction and environmental sustainability. Independent and not-for-profit, our focus is to engage councils and communities to make NSW the least littered state in Australia, transforming littering behaviour to create a beautiful and more sustainable environment.
Over a 40-year history we have built a state-wide network of dedicated individuals, businesses, schools, community groups and government bodies striving to deliver a cleaner environment.
Through five core programs we work with communities across regional and metropolitan NSW to educate and motivate environmental initiatives