Tweed Sustainability Awards

People's Choice AwardRecognising winners and nominees Award categories Resources for entrants

The Tweed Sustainability Awards celebrate champions in our community who are going above and beyond for sustainability in the Tweed.

Our goal is to:

  • recognise champions who are going above and beyond for sustainability
  • support the growing community of people, projects and businesses focused on protecting the Tweed's unique and internationally significant environment
  • inspire others to lead the way in sustainable practices.

Sustainability means:

'Balancing environmental, economic and social impacts to satisfy the needs of the present, without affecting future generations’ ability to meet their needs.'

Nominations for the 2023 awards are now closed.

Vote for your favourite nominee

Twenty four inspiring initiatives have been nominated for the 2023 Sustainability Awards.

View the summaries of each nomination below and the vote for your favourite to help decide this year’s 2023 People's Choice winner.

Vote now

Only one vote per person is allowed. Voting closes at midnight on Sunday 1 October 2023.

The award winners will be announced at a showcase event on Thursday 12 October 2023. 

Regenerative agriculture

Woodland Valley Farms

Regenerative farming for soil carbon sequestration and sustainable food production

Woodland Valley Farms achieved 350.6 tonnes of soil organic carbon sequestration, zero organic waste, regenerated 50 hectares of land, operated fully off-grid, and saved 86% in egg packaging waste.


Poop for the planet, eggs for the people.

Wildlife and habitat conservation

Fingal Head Coastcare

Creating and maintaining habitat to keep Fingal special

Fingal Head Coastcare engaged with kindergartens to university students and contributed over 4,000 hours, planted over 2,000 plants, maintained 32 hectares of land and improved public safety and access.


Fingal Headland before restoration.

Fingal Headland restoration one year on.

Tweed Valley Wildlife Carers

Rescue, rehabilitation and release of orphaned, sick and injured wildlife

Tweed Valley Wildlife Carers received over 5,000 calls per year to their24-hr hotline and mobilised volunteers to the aid of wildlife, achieving over 3,500 native wildlife rescues in 2022-23.

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Tweed Valley Wildlife Carers members at the World Environment Day festival.


This platypus was rescued and treated at Currumbin Wildlife Hospital and David Fleay Wildlife Park before release back to Upper Burringbar.

Mariefields Farmstay

Koala forests, platypus, fenced wildlife corridors and riparian zones

Mariefields Farmstay planted 4,400 koala food trees, developed wildlife corridors and riparian zones, regenerated native tree habitats, and protected native pastures with 50% of land dedicated to environmental protection and regenerative agriculture.


John Quayle at the front entry of Mariefields Farmstay.

Mariefields original 1920 homestead beneath the Pinnacle.

Green Heroes

Conservation of Tweed coastal waters

Green Heroes launched an in-water code of conduct for human/sea turtle interactions, along with an OceanID which unites leading AI technology with wildlife conservation.

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Green Heroes volunteer captures a turtle photo for OceanID.

Tourism and hospitality

Tweed Eco Cruises

Caring for the environment and culture beyond the river bend

Tweed Eco Cruises removed over 2 tonnes of debris from the river in the past 2 years while promoting environmental and cultural awareness.

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Bringing cultural and environmental education with Arabella Douglas of Currie Country.


Hauling goods up the river to flood affected communities during the 2022 floods.

Tweed Valley Whey

Made the Tweed Valley Whey

Tweed Valley Whey diversified from milk production into cheese manufacture, on-farm retail outlet and cafe. They share their farming history to help enable others to experience their way of life.


Tweed Valley Whey farm shop for local produce and food.


Tweed Valley Whey servicing the Rail Trail with farm fresh gelato.

Mt Warning Estate

Tweed’s most inclusive sustainable accommodation

Mt Warning Estate made 100 small steps of inclusive sustainability, including solar and battery power, collecting rainwater, and offering back to nature bush walks and tree planting for guests.


Mountain view from Mt Warning Estate.

Kirra Dive on the Tweed

Connection to Sea Country and threatened species conservation in Tweed Coastal Waters

Kirra Dive on the Tweed preserve and protect Tweed coastal waters in consultation and collaboration with local Traditional Descendants, NSW government departments and local conservation groups for sustainable tourism.


Kirra Dive on the Tweed is working to ensure sustainable tourism for Cook Island Aquatic Reserve.

Pipit Restaurant

Innovation cooking to maximise local produce and reduce food waste

Pipit Restaurant promote creativity with local produce and reducing food waste, 100% sustainable seafood sourcing, and take a holistic business view on waste and supporting young chefs for economic and social outcomes.

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Local ingredients and a sense of landscape in modern dining.

Potager

Delivering a more sustainable dining experience

Potager's 20kw Solar System equals 555 trees planted and a reduction of 9215 litres of petrol/10472kg of coal burnt each year.


Potager solar panels installed.

Certificate of appreciation for HSC student work placement.

Sustainability – Education

Murwillumbah Learning Community High School

Slam Dunk Your Junk

Murwillumbah Learning Community High Schools Green Guardians' Slam Dunk Your Junk system lets students shoot recyclables through hoops into bins, benefiting the School's Support Unit via Return and Earn.

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Metal tech Green Guardians students designed and built the optimal structure for their recycling.


Making recycling fun.

Stokers Siding Public School

Little people looking after little life

Stokers Siding Public School’s Nature Explorers program assists children to identify and nurture little environmental friends like insects, bees and water bugs, and help them understand how we can improve native flora and fauna health.


A frog hotel made by students.

School captain opening a new native beehive.

Sustainability – Not for profit

Agape Outreach Inc

Rescued food to feed homeless and disadvantaged

Each year Agape Outreach Inc transform tonnes of rescued food into meals for the disadvantaged, repurpose tonnes of second-hand clothing, reduce waste sent to landfill and reduce their environmental footprint.


Rescued food distribution at Agape.

Murwillumbah Farmers Market

Fostering local food security, sustainable agriculture, waste reduction and community

Murwillumbah Farmers Markets support local farmers and artisans with a sustainable route to market, reducing food miles and food waste, and promote a circular economy, and limit emissions.

Murwillumbah Enjoying the local entertainment after shopping for delicious local seasonal produce
Enjoying the local entertainment after shopping for delicious local seasonal produce.


Breakfast prepared and enjoyed at the market, from local growers.

Murwillumbah Community Garden

Reinventing and reimagining land use

Murwillumbah Community Garden is a connected, collaborative and creative ensemble who aspire to inspire through initiatives such as their earth bag walls, repopulation of native bees, sustainable water usage, compost station and workshops.


Earth bag workshop.

Native bee workshop
Native bee workshop.

Sustainability – Business

SoiLife

Rebuild soil, reduce transport kilometres, and reuse plastic materials

SoiLife’s key to success is the ability to rebuild agricultural soils, reduce reliance on synthetic inputs and increase carbon storage within the soil.


SoiLife works with farmers to treat paddocks.

La Rocher Eco Retreat

Sustainable Luxury: An Eco-Conscious Retreat's Journey Towards a Greener Future

La Rocher Eco Retreats new solar investment makes the retreat 80% renewable energy powered, saving 18.8 tons CO2 annually, the equivalent to 282 trees planted, resulting in $3,120 in energy savings. 5.9 tons waste diverted from landfill.

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The new solar panels aim to minimise environmental impacts on the Tweed Valley.

Summerland Credit Union

Australia’s only regionally-based banking institution to be a B-Corporation

Summerland Credit Union achieved a 21% reduction (39% with Green offset) in CO2 emissions (petrol, diesel, electricity, paper and flights) over the past 2 years despite growing the business by 24%.

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Eco janitorial, kitchen and bathroom supplies.


Tweed Hospital staff award presentation.

Southern Cross Credit Union

Community programs and business initiatives for a more sustainable future

Southern Cross Credit Union with their community partners have collected 4,881 pieces of debris, removing over 245kgs of waste from the environment in the last 12 months.

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Southern Cross Credit Union and partners hosting a Clean Up Australia Day event.

Pasta’bah

Independently climate positive food production for a healthier future

Pasta’bah aligned with the 2025 National Packaging Targets and have transitioned to bamboo or BYO packaging for their pasta. All organic waste from their business is returned to their farm. Pasta’bah ensures a sustainable use for B grade eggs, allowing more hens and regenerative capacity on their farm.

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Products from the farm.


Closed loop food production.

Husk Farm Distillery

Farm to bottle, a new philosophy in sustainability

Husk Farm Distillery’s zero waste ‘full circle distillation’ process has improved further with a new mill achieving 30% better yield and a 21% decrease in electricity usage.

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In-house bottle refilling station.


Bulk products for bars and cardboard shredding for packaging.

Sustainability – Individual

Beverley Fairley

Converting sugar cane land to rainforest at Kynnumboon

Beverley Fairley planted 12,000 native plants to create over 3 hectares of rainforest and wetland habitat at Kynnumboon, expanding on 20 years of restoration work by the landowner.

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Beverley with seedlings ready to plant.


The restored rainforest.

Ken Rippin

Preservation of Wildlife Corridor

Ken Rippin conserved and regenerated 30 hectares of rain forest within an important wildlife corridor between Mt Jerusalem National Park and Mt Warning National Park.


Bird survey by Birdlife Northern Rivers.

Mounting of a nest box.

Vote now

Recognising winners and nominees

As a nominee, you will: 

  • Be featured in the People’s Choice voting hosted on Tweed Shire Council’s website, promoted via media release, Facebook, in the Tweed Valley Weekly, Tweed Link and via Council’s e-newsletters. 
  • Share your proud moments and future plans with fellow nominees at the awards showcase event.

As a winner, you will receive:

  • Promo logo to use on social media channels - “I was a winner in the 2023 Tweed Sustainability Awards”
  • Professional photoshoot
  • Social media post
  • Tweed Link winners’ article
  • Environment and Sustainability e-Newsletter feature stories

Award categories

Nominations were invited in the following categories:

  1. Regenerative Agriculture: Recognising outstanding contributions to the restoration of soils, waterways and biodiversity in agriculture.
  2. Wildlife and Habitat: Recognising outstanding contributions to the protection and conservation or active management of wildlife and native habitat.
  3. Tourism and Hospitality: Recognising outstanding contributions by tourism and hospitality operators to the environment and community.
  4. Sustainability: Recognising outstanding contributions to improved sustainability across the following sub-categories:
    1. young people (under 18)
    2. schools/education sector
    3. Not-for-profit/community groups
    4. businesses
    5. adults

Resources for entrants

We encourage nominees to refer to the following resources: