Regional and remote communities have cleaned up at this year’s Western Australia Tidy Towns Sustainable Communities Awards with Port Hedland and South Hedland to represent the state at the national competition in May 2025.
The awards – which have been running for 55 years – recognise sustainable, litter-free communities by celebrating initiatives such as litter prevention, environmental education, preserving heritage, community action, and youth leadership.
Port Hedland and South Hedland, which won the overall award, were also finalists in several other categories including heritage and culture, waste management, Containers for Change and young legends.
The Town of Port Hedland partnered with Care for Hedland to implement the actions outlined in the town’s Environmental Sustainability Strategy (2022–27). Among other things, the partnership has been dedicated to implementing water efficiency initiatives. During 2023-24, the Town of Port Hedland used 17,472 kilolitres of recycled water for dust suppression and combating fire emergencies at landfill sites.
Other state title finalists were the Shire of Collie, for its Collie River restoration plan, among other projects; the City of Karratha, which has initiated the Youth Shed’s Green Generation; City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder for large-scale community events and projects; Quairading for demonstrating a commitment to environmental sustainability and cultural preservation; and the remote town of Sandstone, in the Goldfields, which has a well-rounded approach to enhancing the town’s liveability and sustainability.
Climate Action Minister Reece Whitby said the awards have highlighted the valuable collaboration taking place throughout Western Australia for more than 50 years. He congratulated entrants, finalists and winners on setting an inspirational example.
“They stand as a testament to the dedication regional and remote communities show towards making Western Australia a more sustainable place to live.”
The WA Tidy Towns Sustainable Communities Awards are funded by the State Government through the Waste Authority and supported by the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation.
To read more about the awards including a full list of winners, visit: www.wa.gov.au
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