Competition Offer for Eco Voice Readers
Building Sustainable Communities Starts With a ‘Tidy Town’
For over 30 years, Keep Australia Beautiful has been encouraging people all around Australia to care for their local environment.
Through its Australian Tidy Towns Awards, sponsored by HUNGRY JACK’S®, Keep Australia Beautiful is able to recognise individual and group efforts that are helping regional towns to become sustainable communities. Australia’s current 2006 Tidiest Town is Collie in Western Australia.
This year 1,079 towns and schools entered the program, with tens of thousands of volunteers donating their time and efforts. Readers of Eco Voice can now also get involved by simply telling us which of the State Finalists you believe will go on to become Australia’s Tidiest Town for 2007, and why, before May 7th. Winners will receive a weekend accommodation package in their state. (Details further below).
The following towns are representing their state and will no go on to compete for the national title.
CUE - Western Australia
CUE is situated 650kms north east of Perth in the dry, hot conditions of remote outback WA and has a population of approx 270. CUE’s Tidy Towns committee, with the ongoing support of the CUE Shire, works in partnership with a range of community groups to manage the numerous challenges before them. They are particularly strong on Water Conservation and Cultural Identity projects. A newly proclaimed historic town, the community promotes itself as Living Gold Rush History.
KINGSTON - South Australia
Situated in the south east region with a population of approx 1500, KINGSTON has been named the Best Medium-sized town in SA in 2002, 2003 and 2005, in addition to SA’s Tidiest Town for 2006. KINGSTON has shown great progress over recent years and proactively works with, and celebrates, local indigenous people and their heritage and culture. KINGSTON rated highly for its overall physical appearance, community, litter and waste management and its environmental education, action and sustainability.
SWANSEA - Tasmania
SWANSEA sits on the Great Oyster Bay, 130kms north east of Hobart, with a population of approx 400. It is an idyllic setting and boasts a substantial number of historic homes and buildings. Heritage restoration is a major priority and colourful banners and numerous well kept residential gardens complement the town’s presentation. SWANSEA’s recycling and resource recovery initiatives have been successful in diverting large volumes of waste from landfill. This includes numerous public waste and recycling bins featured throughout the town to enable visitors to separate waste and recycle at the source.
BENALLA - Victoria
BENALLA is situated on picturesque Lake Benalla, 200kms north east of Melbourne with a population of approx 9000. This is the second successive year that BENALLA has been named Victoria’s Tidiest Town, lodging an impressive and diverse 22 projects this year. Numerous community groups are involved in a broad range of historic restoration programs which effectively preserves BENALLA’s rich culture. Residents have a strong sense of community and pride, whilst BENALLA’s education system is committed to various environmental care and restoration projects.
LEETON – New South Wales
Leeton, in the heart of the beautiful Riverina region of southern NSW, has a population of approx 9000 and last won their State’s overall award in 1984. LEETON’s historic art deco style is a feature throughout the community. Numerous buildings have been restored and preserved with new buildings constructed in a similar style to complement this unique architectural design. LEETON’s waste management strategy aims at sustainable practices in waste reuse, avoidance and resource recovery, whilst approximately 95% of LEETON’s parks, reserves, median strips and cemetery are watered by raw water.
ROMA– Queensland
ROMA is a vibrant country town located 490km west of Brisbane with a population of approx 6800. Roma is a community committed to enhancing quality of life for its residents and honouring its rich cultural heritage. A range of historically preserved private and public buildings provides a welcoming feature to ROMA, whilst treated water from ROMA’s sewerage treatment plant is used for irrigation. This is just one project that is helping ROMA to ensure that they are providing a sustainable approach to saving town water and other resources.
HOW TO ENTER
Email the town name that you think will become Australia’s Tidiest Town for 2007 and why to: laras@kab.org.au before May 7th 2007. Please type ‘Eco Voice’ in the subject header and be sure to include your full name, address and contact phone numbers.
A weekend accommodation package will be donated by online travel service provider www.TakeABreak.com.au. The first correct entry (that also explains ‘why’) will be chosen as the winner of the accommodation package in their state.
Australia’s Tidiest Town will be announced at the Tidy Towns Awards presentation dinner being held in Ballarat, Victoria, on 12 May, 2007. Eco Voice competition winners will be announced in the June issue of Eco Voice.
For further information about Tidy Towns or attending the presentation weekend, being held from the 11-13 May, please visit www.kab.org.au/tidytowns.
For prize details please click here
