Euroa highly commended at the Keep Australia Beautiful National Tidy Towns Sustainability Awards

23 May 2023

Euroa won four of the eight categories at this year’s Keep Australia Beautiful National Tidy Towns Sustainability Awards, held on King Island, Tasmania over the weekend.

Euroa was named as a finalist for the National Awards earlier this year, after it took out the Victorian Tidy Towns Sustainability Awards.

At the national ceremony, Euroa was awarded winner of the Resource Recovery and Waste Management, Environmental Sustainability – Energy and Environmental Sustainability – Natural Environment Management categories, and joint winner with Gascoyne Junction, WA in the Environmental Communication and Engagement category.

The Australian Tidy Towns Sustainability Awards judging panel commended Euroa on its range of sustainability initiatives and community collaboration.

“Recycling and waste avoidance education community events have built a community of confident recyclers ready to share their knowledge,” the judge’s said.

“Euroa’s microgrid initiative has succeeded because the proposal was localised to Euroa and managed for local community benefit. It demonstrates how climate action has been well embraced by the Euroa community.”

Strathbogie Shire Council Mayor Cr Laura Binks said a huge amount of work had gone into preparing Euroa’s entry to the National Awards.

“It has been a huge collaborative effort between Council and our community to present a range of case studies for each category.

“We selected local projects and initiatives such as the Greening Euroa Project, the Bowerbird Op-Shop and the Euroa Arboretum to represent each category entry.

“I would like to extend a huge thank you to all those who supported us through this process and a massive congratulations to all involved. It hasn’t been an easy process to bring all the information together and it is a true credit to this hard work that we won four of the eight categories.”

Val Southam, Chief Executive, Keep Australia Beautiful commended all the finalists in this year’s awards.

“We are fortunate to be associated with some of the most dedicated and enthusiastic people in the world through the Australian Tidy Towns Sustainability Awards competition, which is largely run by volunteers.

“It is clear from the quality of projects entered in the National Awards Program that communities are passionate, committed, driven, and dedicated to making their communities special in every way.

“This is the true Tidy Towns spirit.”

Winning Categories:
  • Resource Recovery and Waste Management: Bowerbird Op Shop, Euroa
  • Environmental Sustainability – Energy: Euroa Microgrid Demonstration Initiative, Euroa
  • Environmental Sustainability – Natural Environment Management: Euroa Arboretum, Euroa
  • Environmental Communication and Engagement: Strathbogie Ranges Conservation Fungi Festival, Euroa.
About the Australian Tidy Towns Sustainability Awards

Keep Australia Beautiful seeks to lead, challenge and inspire all Australians to strive for a sustainable and litter free environment. It does this through research, communications programs and awards programs.

Its national awards are known as the Australian Tidy Towns Sustainability Awards. The Awards program commences with state and territory awards and culminates in a national Grand Final event.

For more information about the awards, visit https://www.sustainablecommunities.com.au/2023-awards/2023-winners/