After months of hard work, communities in the running for the Tidy Towns Sustainable Communities awards now have a chance to show the judges what they have achieved.
From 17 June until 8 August, a team of nine judges will criss-cross the State from Kalumburu to Esperance visiting the 63 communities and towns taking part in the annual regional awards program.
According to the submissions received this year, more than 13,883 volunteers have been involved in the Tidy Towns program.
Keep Australia Beautiful (KAB) WA Chair Mel Hay said the volunteers collectively contributed about 184,930 hours working on projects to sustain the environmental, economic and social structure of their communities.
“The strength of the Tidy Towns Sustainable Communities program is the way it encourages people to take action to make a difference in their own communities and the pride they get from those achievements,” Mr Hay said.
“The program is about people doing things that benefit their community, culturally or environmentally.
“It’s also about bringing people together to tackle projects, big or small, that make a difference.”
Tidy Towns Sustainable Communities is an annual KAB program for regional centres that promotes community involvement and recognises projects that foster sustainable behaviour and a litter-free environment.
The award categories are: Community Action and Partnerships, Waste Management and Litter Prevention, General Appearance, Water Conservation, Natural Environment Conservation, Heritage and Culture, Energy Innovation and Young Legends.
Regional winners will be announced in October and will be in the running for the State awards being held in Perth on 22 November.
Hedland (Port and South) won Western Australia’s overall Tidy Towns Sustainable Communities title in 2012 and the 2013 Australian Tidy Towns award for Environmental Innovation and Protection.
The Department of Environment and Conservation provides administrative, logistical and policy support to the Keep Australia Beautiful Council WA. This program is supported by the Western Australian Waste Authority through the Landfill Levy fund.
Tidy Towns Sustainable Communities is sponsored by the Department of Regional Development and Lands, GWN7, West Australian Regional Newspapers, Cliffs Natural Resources Inc. and the Packaging Stewardship Forum of the Australian Food and Grocery Council.
For more information about the Tidy Towns Sustainable Communities program visit www.kabc.wa.gov.au or contact Gail Dodd on 6467 5131.
Media contact: DEC Media 6467 5555.
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Twitter: @DECWesternAus
Tidy Towns Sustainable Communities regional judging schedule
South Coast and Great Southern (starting 17 June):
Albany, Bremer Bay, Denmark, Esperance, Mount Barker, Nyabing, Ongerup, Wellstead and West Arthur.
Pilbara (starting 24 June):
Bellary Springs, Dampier, Exmouth, Hedland (Port and South), Karratha, Marble Bar, Pannawonica, Paraburdoo, Point Samson, Roebourne, Tom Price, Wakathuni and Wickham.
Central Wheatbelt, Goldfields, (starting 22 July):
Calingiri, Chittering, Kalgoorlie – Boulder, Leonora, Merredin, Nungarin, Quairading, Toodyay, Westonia, Wongan Hills and York.
Midwest-Gascoyne (starting 22 July)
Guilderton, Kalbarri, Meekatharra, Mingenew, Murchison Settlement and Three Springs.
South West (starting 22 July)
Boddington, Brunswick Junction, Collie, Greenbushes, Harvey, Northcliffe, Roelands, Walpole, Waroona and Yarloop.
Kimberley (starting 30 July):
Bayulu, Bungardi, Djugerari, Eight Mile/Joy Springs, Jimbalakudunj, Junjuwa, Kalumburu, Kurnangki, Mindi Rardi, Muludja, Ngalapita, Ngalingkadji, Yakanarra and Yiyili.
The judges will be available for photographs and interviews during their visits. Contact Gail Dodd on 6467 5131 for contact details.
