Excellence in the Environment Awards

CONTACT

Denise Anderson
Senior Policy Officer - Environment

Phone: 02 9242 4056
[email protected]

Communication, Education and Empowerment

Sponsored by Cleanaway

Winner Division C, Overall Winner

Campbelltown City Council: Platypus Pals
Through the use of a new scientific technique called environmental DNA (eDNA), Campbelltown City Council confirmed that the Upper Georges River is home to a small, isolated population of platypus and a population of endangered Macquarie perch.

Community members collected water samples across the extent of the Upper Georges River to detect Platypus DNA. Once platypus were detected, Council’s education campaign encouraged residents to avoid behaviours that are detrimental to the survival of the Platypus.

READ MORE IN THE CASE STUDY

Cambelltown Protecting our Platypus leaflet

Winner Division B

Wagga Wagga City Council: One Tree for Me
The One Tree for Me campaign is planting one seedling for every resident in Wagga Wagga by 2026.

With residential land making up 441 hectares of Wagga’s landscape, the council is supporting communities to increase native vegetation and biodiversity in their own backyards. The project is running free seedling giveaways and community tree planting activities and is supporting schools through Planet Ark's school Tree Day campaign.

Highly Commended Division B

Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council: Minecraft sustainable design competition
To celebrate World Environment Day 2022, Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council (QPRC) delivered an innovative way to engage with local youth.

QPRC hosted a Minecraft Competition for ages 5-18 with a public viewing of entries and an awards night. Entrants submitted forward-thinking, sustainable design entries aligned with the themes of climate change mitigation, biodiversity protection and pollution reduction.

Highly Commended Division C

Northern Beaches Council: Simplifying Solar
The Simplifying Solar Program has accelerated the uptake of solar through providing free advice and support to residents, resulting in more than 13,000 homes with solar energy.

Northern Beaches Council delivered webinars, the Simplifying Solar Information Hub and "Solar Conversations" with solar-trained council staff. Residents could review quotes with unbiased Australian Energy Foundation consultants.

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