Categories and criteria

Tidy Towns Sustainable Communities Awards recognise regional and remote communities that demonstrate effective litter prevention activities and positive environmental and social outcomes.
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Regional and remote communites can enter projects in one, or up to all of the nine categories detailed below. 

Valid projects are those started, maintained or completed in the previous financial year.

Litter Action Award

Recognises innovation and achievements in reducing and managing litter. Judges look for:

  • Litter clean-up activities by the community and/or local government.
  • Litter-awareness signs and/or education projects.
  • Integration of litter management into a broader waste management strategy.
  • Community/regional litter audits to assist with preventative and education measures.

General Appearance Award

Recognises improvements to a community’s general appearance including; entries/approaches, sporting areas, public parks and gardens,  streets, including footpaths and verges. Judges look for:

  • A tidy and well-maintained community, including parks  and gardens, streets, footpaths and median strips.
  • Projects that have enhanced a streetscape.
  • Restoration of prominent buildings.
  • Water wise road side planting.

Community Action and Wellbeing Award

Recognises the achievements of a community in creating a healthy, vibrant place that has actively engaged groups across sectors. Judges look for:

  • Sound working relationships between the community and local governments leading to successful outcomes. Includes town management strategies and development of facilities. 
  • Mutual support and promotion of community and government initiatives.  
  • Involvement of youth groups, schools and clubs in positive community management activities.
  • Fauna and flora protection and/or rehabilitation activities.
  • Cultural heritage celebrations/projects.
  • Provision for an accessible community, including toilets, picnic areas, playgrounds, carparks and tourist information services).

Heritage and Culture Award

Recognises a community’s outstanding commitment to the conservation and celebration of a community’s indigenous and non-indigenous heritage and culture. Judges look for:

  • Successful outcomes from community/government strategies/initiatives designed to address preservation of cultural or natural history and culturally significant buildings and sites. 
  • Development and/or implementation of innovative, community-based strategic or business plans relating to historic or cultural preservation and/or restoration.
  • Research into, the protection, and display, of culturally significant sites, records and artefacts. 
  • ​Celebration, within and by the local community, of culturally significant events/traditions.

Waste Management Award

Recognises innovation and achievements in reducing and managing waste. Judges look for:

  • Adequate, accessible, visible litter and recycling bins in high traffic areas and public parks/areas.
  • Cigarette butt disposal facilities in public parks/areas.
  • Recovery and re-use of resources such as organics, green materials, glass, paper, cardboard, aluminium and plastic.
  • Innovative use of recovered resources, (e.g. composting).
  • Integration of resource recovery, circular activities, recycling and waste management activities into a broader waste management strategy.
  • Recycling education and awareness programs, literature and/or signage by local government, schools and/or community groups.

Young Legends Award

Recognises achievement by an individual or group/s of young people (under 25) who have contributed to the sustainability of their own community across any area. Can be school or community based. Judges look for:

  • Successful outcomes for the community arising from youth-initiated/led environmental action. 
  • Demonstration of initiative, leadership and strength of character in taking action on behalf of a community.

Sponsored by Bank of I.D.E.A.S. The winner/s will receive $1000 prize for personal development, conference attendance or to run an event.

Environmental Sustainability Award

Recognises a community’s achievements in adaptation to environmental change. Often through working in partnership with local government, industry and the wider public. Entrants can enter projects across - water, energy and nature conservation.   

Water

Innovative design in water and waste water re-use and implementation of water sensitive urban design principles. Water minimisation practices (e.g. automatic shut-off taps on public toilets, evaporation protection measures). 

Energy

Sustainable energy management and education which focuses on innovative energy efficiency measures. Programs and partnerships which encourage community involvement in strategies focussing on renewable energy use, climate change issues.

Nature conservation

Community education and/or involvement in the planning or implementation of strategies  on better community understanding, and environmental protection. Involvement in programs such as Landcare, Coastcare or similar initiatives. Examples include wildlife corridors, feral animal management policies and plans, weed eradication or addressing salinity and soil erosion.

Environmental Education Award

Recognises an outstanding initiative, organisation or community for its innovative environmental advocacy and or awareness program. Judges look for;

  • Education initiatives/awareness programs on sustainability, the environment and conservation.
  • Innovative approaches to environmental education.
  • Environmental education leading to empowerment, behaviour change, community/society improvements.
  • Community/local government/industry encouragement of, and involvement in, youth activities, particularly welfare, health, environment and conservation activities.

Sponsored by WA Landcare Network. The winner/s will receive $500 to go towards a landcare project in their town (e.g. purchase of seedlings, or signage for a landcare/environmental project or an event).

Community Containers for Change Award

Judges look for an initiative that has impacted the community. Schools, local councils, business, organisations or individual can lead the initiative. It's not the amount of refunds that are assessed but the positive benefit to the community.

Sponsored by Containers for Change WA , this award enables a community to be recognised for how their 10c beverage containers refunds has positively benefited their community. Prize money of $500 is awarded to the winner.

Leadership Award

This Award is given to an individual who has demonstrated leadership skills. It is given at the State Judges' discretion.

Sponsored by The Rural Aid Community Builders Program, with $1,000 towards a professional development experience, conference including travel.