MEDIA RELEASE
3pm Friday 28th November 2008
2008 Tidy Towns Winners
Community commitment to environment applauded
The Minister for the Environment and Conservation, the Hon. Jay Weatherill MP, has announced award winners for the 2008 KESAB Tidy Towns program, presented today at the Goyder Pavilion, Adelaide Showgrounds.
The overall winning town is Stansbury, located on the Yorke Peninsula.
Other major winners were Naracoorte (large town) and Blyth (small town).
Awards recognising environmental effort were also presented to local government, regional categories, recycling depots, schools, business and individuals. Click here for the complete list of winners.
In presenting the awards the Minister applauded the significant effort across a range of environmental actions and initiatives engaging thousands of spirited community members, contributing hundreds of thousands of volunteer hours.
Tidy Towns recognised new categories this year (the 31st year of awards) with a stronger focus on environmental sustainability embracing energy, water, waste management and bio-diversity.
"Award winners demonstrated unheralded community willingness to improve the environment through implementing innovative and sustainable practices at a local level at a time when drought, ongoing development of sustainable practices and improved natural resource management have never been more important", said Minister Weatherill.
"Tidy Towns demonstrates how communities respond to environmental improvement through action embracing water conservation, energy efficiency, recycling and resource recovery, revegetation and habitat protection and heritage and culture, just to name a few key areas", the Minister said.
Tidy Towns Director, Luke Callaghan was impressed with the broad scope of community engagement and education facilitated through integrated community environmental initiatives.
"Assessing the 688 category entries was a challenge as communities from all corners of the state are involved. School based environmental programs and achievements embrace a significant number of students and teacher hours all focusing on sustainable practices and improving the environment.
"The winners showcase the best examples but take nothing away from other participants. The state of South Australia and the environment are in good hands through Tidy Towns but this does not diminish the need to maintain this high level of community engagement", he said.