Tweed Sustainability Awards
Calling nominees for the 2023 awards
Nominations open 5 June 2023.
Nominations close 31 July 2023.
People's choice awards voting 1 September - 1 October 2023.
Winners announced 12 October 2023.
Enter online now
Recognising 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.'
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
We invite nominations in the following categories:
- Regenerative Agriculture: Recognising outstanding contributions to the restoration of soils, waterways and biodiversity in agriculture.
- Wildlife and Habitat: Recognising outstanding contributions to the protection and conservation or active management of wildlife and native habitat.
- Tourism and Hospitality: Recognising outstanding contributions by tourism and hospitality operators to the environment and community.
- Sustainability: Recognising outstanding contributions to improved sustainability across the following sub-categories:
- young people (under 18)
- schools/education sector
- Not-for-profit/community groups
- businesses
- adults
Resources for entrants
Before submitting your entry, we encourage you to refer to the following resources to help with your submission.
2023 nomination guide and tips(PDF, 207KB)
Previous winners
2021 winners
Congratulations to the following winners for their outstanding contribution to environmental sustainability in the Tweed:
- Regenerative Agriculture: Woodland Valley Farm
- Wildlife and Habitat Conservation: (2 trophy winners) Tweed Landcare Inc and Green Heroes
- Tourism and Hospitality: Mavis’ Kitchen
- Education: Lindisfarne Anglican Grammar School
- Community Group: Agape Outreach Inc
- Business: Southern Cross Credit Union
- Adult: Ari Ehrlich, Caldera Environment Centre
- People’s Choice: Lindisfarne Anglican Grammar School
2019 winners
The nominees at the first Tweed Sustainability Awards on 15 November 2019
Our first Tweed Sustainability Awards took place in Murwillumbah in November 2019.
They highlighted a range of environmental champions and activities in the Tweed.
The awards were also created with sustainability in mind, with trophies crafted from reclaimed timber, a 'recycled or local' dress code and food from locally sourced and native ingredients.
Congratulations to all the award winners.
Regenerative Agriculture Category
- Trophy winner
All Natural Meat Co - Judges praised the nominees for incorporating native biodiversity, using chemical-free soil, pasture and animal health techniques and for sharing their progressive farming practices with both locals and people abroad.
- Special Recognition Certificate
Rob and Sue Harnett, Tweed Valley Whey Farmhouse Cheeses
- Special Recognition Certificate
Robert Quirk
Wildlife and Habitat Conservation Category
- Trophy winner
Green Heroes - for their innovative partnerships and environmental education programs for young people, parents and educators to encourage environmental stewardship and wildlife protection.
- Special Recognition Certificate
Team Koala
- Special Recognition Certificate
Bilambil Landcare
Tweed Sustainability Category
- Youth Trophy winner
Josh Carpenter, Tackle Bin Project - for his initiative to trial bait bins at three locations, for gaining funding to install bins at 10 other locations, for partnering with Tweed Valley Wildlife Carers to empty the bins, record data about fishing debris collected and track the number of reduced marine wildlife entanglements.
- School Trophy winner
St Ambrose Student Green Team, for exemplifying student environmental leadership through presentations to assemblies, feature articles in school newsletters and students environmental initiatives throughout the school calendar year and across the campus, gardens and canteen.
- Community Group Trophy winner
Pottsville Beach Neighbourhood Centre - the judges were impressed with the extent that sustainability is embedded into all facets of PBNC’s operations from the induction of volunteers and workers the detailed sustainable design considerations in the development of their new facility, through to their waste reduction and resource recovery programs, renewable energy investments and grounds management to support and enhance local biodiversity and be water efficient.
- Business Trophy winner
Summerland Credit Union: excelled due to the programs in place to reduce environmental impacts across Summerland’s day to day operations, how it builds sustainability into policy positions for its investments, featuring its sustainability commitments in new staff recruitment, eco loans for its customers and grants for the community.
- Adult Trophy winner
Claire Masters - Claire was acknowledged for her immense contribution to her own and her community’s environmental outcomes, her capacity to influence and inspire others, bringing passion and feeling to what she did, building on her own lived experience of strengthening the human connection with nature and supporting others and organisations to do the same.
People's Choice
Over 1800 votes were received from the community in support of their favourite nominations.
- Regenerative Agriculture
Matthew and Henry Prichard, Cudgen Road Farms Pty Ltd
- Wildlife & Habitat Conservation
Team Koala
- Sustainability – Youth
Alyce Togo
- Sustainability – Schools
Sathya Sai College
- Sustainability – Community Groups
Nature Explorers
- Sustainability – Adult
Claire Masters
- Sustainability – Business
Gary Bagnall, New Leaf Café
Posthumous certificates were presented to the family of Claire Masters in appreciation for Claire’s contribution to the Tweed environment and community.
Lee Smith received a certificate from the Mayor of Tweed in recognition of the late Peter Smith’s commitment to best-practice farming in the Tweed.
Video showcase of previous winners
Sustainability tips from previous winners
Find out more from our sustainability champions about what you can do to contribute to their work and take positive steps to protect and enhance Tweed’s beautiful natural environment for current and future generations.