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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.
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.

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%.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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:
- 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
We encourage nominees to refer to the following resources: