Awards and achievements
2023-2024
2023 Cities Power Partnership Climate Awards
Winner: Tweed Shire Council – Mayor Chris Cherry
Category: Climate Ambassador Award (elected representative)
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Mayor of Tweed Shire Chris Cherry was recognised for her advocacy on climate change by the Cities Power Partnership Awards, which recognise councils across Australia demonstrating climate mitigation. Cr Cherry received the award for her leadership in driving climate action and keeping climate on the national agenda in the wake of the devastating 2022 floods and the ongoing disaster recovery.
2022-2023
Institute of Public Works Engineering Australasia (IPWEA) NSW & ACT
Engineering Excellence Awards
Highly Commended: Disaster Restoration Tracking Database
Category: New and Improved Techniques
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A combined submission by Tweed Shire Council and Port Macquarie Hastings Council. The project highlighted the benefits when LGAs collaborate and share their learnings. Together the 2 councils created an innovative database to track and repair thousands of road repair jobs, totalling more than $150 million, following the flooding disasters of 2017, 2021 and 2022. The improved data management allows councils to keep a more comprehensive and organised approach to infrastructure management, allowing essential services to be repaired as quickly as possible, while balancing limited resources, meeting funding requirements and planning and procurement legislation, as well as keeping the community informed of progress.
National Trust Heritage Awards 2023
First Place: Northern Rivers Rail Trail
Category: Conservation – Landscape
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Council’s commitment to preserving and celebrating the heritage of the 24km Tweed section of the NRRT was acknowledged with first place in the Conservation – Landscape category award. Most notably, a commitment to highlighting the Aboriginal cultural heritage of the region by incorporating a range of storytelling techniques along the trail, as well as to the region’s rail history, including the restoration of 16 of the Trail’s 26 bridges and 2 tunnels along the track.
Australian Museums and Galleries Association (AMaGA) National Awards 2023
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First Place (Level 2): Tweed Regional Museum – Museum on Wheels (MoW)
Category: Community Engagement and Outreach
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The award recognises organisations that have developed unique and engaging ways to interpret and communicate their collection and stories to the wider community. The MoW transports the Museum into the public realm, showcasing curated content, enhancing locations, exhibitions, festivals, schools, events and engaging with current and new audiences. Highly Commended: Tweed Regional Museum – Museum on Wheels (MoW) Category (Level B): Exhibition Branding The MoW’s vivid design was acknowledged in the Exhibition Branding category. Its design elements and branding were created by Whale Design Co, La Fin Design and Salty Dog Media.
Parks and Leisure Australia 2023 Regional Awards of Excellence
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These annual awards recognise and celebrate the outstanding initiatives and innovative efforts of 'the people behind the places' delivering a range of social, cultural, environmental and economic benefits to regional communities.
Winner: Fingal Head Foreshore Parks and Active Communities
Category: Playspace Award (<$0.5M)
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This award is given to a playspace under the value of $500,000 that involves a range of stakeholders, contributes to the creation of a sense of 'place' for its local community and exhibits landscape and/or structural design innovation that delights and aids childhood development.
Winner: Livvi’s Place at Goorimahbah Place of Stories, Tweed Heads
Category: Playspace Award (>$0.5M)
This award is given to a playspace over the value of $500,000 that involves a range of stakeholders, contributes to the creation of a sense of place for its local community and exhibits landscape and/or structural design innovation that delights and aids childhood development.
Winner: Northern Rivers Rail Trail, Zone Landscape Architecture & Tweed Shire Council
Category: Best Regional/Rural Industry Contribution Award
Regional/Rural Australia includes all of the towns, small cities and areas that lie beyond the major capital cities (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Darwin, Hobart and Canberra), who make a significant contribution through community initiatives which contribute to the parks and leisure industry. These projects can be play spaces, events, tourism, trails, programs, re-purposing of facilities and environmental initiatives.
2023 Australasian Reporting Awards (ARA)
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Bronze Award: Tweed Shire Council Annual Report
Category: General Award
These awards focus on improving the quality of annual reporting and is open to all organisations in the Asia Pacific region and beyond. The ARA raises awareness among organisations of the need for complete, transparent and timely disclosure of information.
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2021-2022
Ministers’ Awards for Women in Local Government 2022
Elected Representative Award – Rural and Regional
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Winner: Chris Cherry, Mayor
Recognises a councillor who has advanced the position of female elected representatives in NSW. Cr Cherry was nominated for her leadership heading the bipartisan Cross Border Taskforce during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as her leadership and advocacy for the Tweed community following the February-March 2022 flood.
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Alternative Pathways Award – Rural and Regional
Winner: Dorren Harwood, Enterprise Risk and Emergency Management Officer
Recognises a female staff member who is breaking down gender stereotypes in NSW. Ms Hardwood, who is the Lead Emergency Management Officer for the Tweed/Byron local government areas, was recognised for rising to the challenges of the bushfires in 2019, COVID-19 and the floods of February and March 2022.
Climate Disclosure Platform (CDP) - Cities A List 2022
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Tweed Shire Council has been recognised by the Climate Disclosure Platform (CDP) as one of 122 cities across the globe for taking bold leadership on environmental action and transparency, and placed on the platform’s A List for 2022. Only 12% of the 1,000+ cities scored in 2022 received an A score. A List cities demonstrate their climate leadership through concerted and effective action. They are taking twice as many mitigation and adaptation measures as non-A List cities.
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2022 NSW Planning Excellence Awards – President’s Award and Commendation
Award and commendation: Tweed Shire Council’s planning team
Category: Country
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The awards were received in recognition of Council’s inaugural Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Town Planner Development Program launched in early 2022, with the support of Griffith University’s GUMURRII Student Success Unit and the Tweed Byron Local Aboriginal Land Council.
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NSW Team of the Year – EHA Excellence Awards
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Winner: Council’s Environmental Health Unit
For their work canvassing everything from post flood clean-up and mould removal to tackling the reduction of mosquito-borne diseases and COVID-19. This award recognises a team identified as having excelled in their daily roles and significant projects in all facets of environment health.
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LGEA Employer of Choice 2021
Presented by Professionals Australia (Local Government Engineers’ Association). The award highlights good employment practices within NSW local government, particularly those that help build engineering capacity within the industry by attracting and retaining engineers and other technical professionals within councils.
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Water Industry Operators Association awards Team of the Year
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Winner: Council’s Water & Wastewater Reticulation Supervisor Team
The team included Chris O’Dwyer, John Anderson, Anthony Pearce, Jeff Holt, Dale Hickey, Gary Cain and Peter Bruggy.
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2020-2021
21st Thiess International Riverprize
Finalist: Tweed River Management Project
Tweed Shire Council was one of 3 finalists in the prestigious Thiess International Riverprize, which recognises excellence in river management, restoration and building river resilience.
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NSW Awards for Planning Excellence (2 awards)
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Winner: Kingscliff Locality Plan and Rural land strategy
Categories: Public Engagement and Community Planning and Hard Won Victory
Tweed Shire Council won 2 categories at the NSW Awards for Planning Excellence, which recognise innovation and excellence in planning.
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Local Government Excellence Awards
Winner: Tweed Emergency Dashboard
Category: Special Project Initiative
This award recognises our Emergency Dashboard and Council’s commitment to keeping the community informed at critical times.
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2019-2020
Local Government NSW, Excellence in the Environment Award
Winner: Biodiversity and Habitat Management Development Control Plan
The Awards recognise outstanding achievements by local government in managing and protecting the environment.
Local Government NSW, Excellence in the Environment Award
Winner: Tackling Mosquitoes Together - Overall category winner
The Awards recognise outstanding achievements by local government in managing and protecting the environment.
2019 Green Globe Awards
Winner: Inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award for Organisations
The awards recognise and celebrate sustainability leadership and environmental protection in NSW.
NSW Resilient Australia Awards - Local Government Category
Winner: Industry Central Land Swap project
Industry Central Land Swap project for strengthening community disaster resilience.
Local Government NSW Excellence in the Environment Award in the Natural Environment Protection and Enhancement
Winner: Oxley River ground stabilisation project
On-Ground Works category for the erosion stabilisation project in the Oxley River.
RH Dougherty Award Reporting to your Community
Winner: Tweed Emergency Dashboard
Emergency Dashboard won Category C (for Councils with a population of more than 70,000).
Aquatic Recreation Institute's Environmental Sustainability Award
Winner: Tweed Regional Aquatic Centre (TRAC)
For generating renewable energy to reduce electricity use.
2018-2019
2018 PIA NSW Awards for Planning Excellence, Improving Planning Processes and Practices
Winner: Tweed Shire Council Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Management Plan
Tweed Shire Council and Tweed Byron Local Aboriginal Land Council on behalf of the Aboriginal Advisory Committee.
Caravan & Camping Industry Association NSW Awards of Excellence
Winner: Kingscliff Beach Holiday Park
Best Holiday Park North Coast (100 sites or less) and Winner Best of the Best NSW Holiday Park.
2019 National Trust Heritage Awards - Winner of category Conservation: Built Heritage
Winner: Kingscliff community buildings upgrade
Tweed Shire Council in partnership with Cosmos Archaeology, Aspect Architectire, JM Pearce Architects, Sedgman, Earthsolve, SEE Civil Pty Ltd and Galaxy Projects.
2017-2018
RH Dougherty Award Innovation in Special Events
Winner: Food for Thought Forum
Council's inaugural Food for Thought Forum won Category C (for councils with populations over 70,000).
2018 Local Government Excellence Awards
Winner: LG Professionals NSW Highly Commended award in the ‘Special Project’ category (population 60,000 and above)
Council’s Critical Incident Response Group was recognised for its leadership in responding to the 2017 March flood event at the 2018 Local Government Excellence Awards in Sydney.
2016-2017
NSW Local Government Professionals Awards
Winner: Community Engagement Network
Excellence in Innovative Leadership and Management.
Planning Institute of Australia’s (PIA) NSW Awards for Planning Excellence
Winner: Rural Villages Strategy
Council’s Rural Villages Strategy won the ‘Best Planning Ideas – Small Project’ category.
Trip Advisor Travelers’ Choice Award
Winner: Tweed Regional Gallery & Margaret Olley Art Centre
Tweed Regional Gallery & Margaret Olley Art Centre ranked fourth best museum in ‘Top Museums – Australia’. It was ranked ninth in the ‘Top 25 Museum – South Pacific’ list.
RH Dougherty Award Excellence in Communication
Winner: Community Engagement Network
Council’s Community Engagement Network was awarded Highly Commended (Division B, for councils with populations between 30,000 to 100,000).
2015-2016
Parks & Leisure Awards for Excellence
Winner: Knox Park playground in Murwillumbah
The Knox Park playground in Murwillumbah took out a Regional Award for Excellence in the ‘Playspace: Minor (less than $500,000)’ category at the Parks & Leisure Australia Awards for Excellence, competing against other projects from across NSW and the ACT.
2016 Australian Coastal Awards
Winner: The Kingscliff Matters Shopfront
Australian Coastal Awards for Community Engagement for engagement on the Kingscliff Foreshore Revitalisation, the draft Kingscliff Locality Plan and the Kingscliff-Dreamtine Beach Coastal Zone Management Plan.
2016 Gold Coast/Northern Rivers Regional Architecture Awards
Bud Brannigan Architects received a regional commendation for the Margaret Olley Art Centre at the Tweed Regional Gallery in Murwillumbah.
NSW Local Government Excellence Awards
Winner: Murwillumbah CBD Drainage Project
The Murwillumbah CBD Drainage Project was Highly Commended in the Special Projects category to recognise contributions, achievements and implementations being carried out to improve NSW local government.
Northern Rivers 2015 Regional Business Awards
Tweed Shire Council won the Excellence in Sustainability Award in September 2015 for its successful efforts to make business operations more sustainable.
Local Government NSW Excellence in the Environment Awards
Council was announced the 2014/2015 divisional and overall winner of the Natural Environment Policies, Planning and Decision Making Award at the Local Government NSW (LGNSW) Excellence in the Environment Awards.
NSW Business Chamber Awards 2015
Council won the NSW Business Chamber’s 2015 Excellence in Sustainability Award in November 2015 for its successful efforts in saving energy.
2015 Banksia Sustainability Awards
Winner: Tweed Byron Koala Connections project
Tweed Shire Council was named a finalist for its Tweed Byron Koala Connections project, recognised for leadership, innovation and environmental outcomes in the awards’ ‘Natural Capital’ category.
Murwillumbah and District Garden Club 38th Annual Garden Competition
Winner: Tweed Valley Cemetery (1st prize) and Murwillumbah Lawn Cemetery (second prize)
Large Commercial category.
2014-2015
Local Government Excellence in the Environment Awards
A High Commendation was awarded by Local Government NSW in December 2014 for Council's efforts in sustainable procurement.
Green Globe Awards - Natural Environment Sustainability
Winner: Koala Connections program
Presented jointly to Tweed Shire Council and Byron Shire Council for Koala Connections program in November 2014.
RH Dougherty Awards for Communication - Reporting to Your Community
Presented by Local Government NSW in August 2014 for online communications, community engagement tools and development of an innovative internal Corporate Knowledge Base.
IMAGinE Award for excellence and innovation
Winner: Margaret Olley Art Centre
Presented by Museums & Galleries of NSW in November 2014 for Margaret Olley Art Centre.
Young Achiever of the Year - Local Government Aboriginal Network Conference
Winner: Trainee Case Manager Paris Robinson
Presented to Tweed Shire Council Trainee Case Manager Paris Robinson in September 2014.
Murwillumbah and District Garden Competition
Winner: Murwillumbah Lawn Cemetery and Tweed Heads Lawn Cemetery
Large commercial gardens category' - First prize presented to Murwillumbah Lawn Cemetery and second prize presented to Tweed Heads Lawn Cemetery in October 2014.
Museum & Galleries National Award (MAGNA)
Winner: Tweed Regional Gallery & Margaret Olley Art Centre
In May 2015 Tweed Regional Gallery & Margaret Olley Art Centre was presented with an award in the Permanent Exhibition or Gallery Fitout category for the development of the Margaret Olley Art Centre (MOAC).
NSW Local Government Excellence Awards
Winner: River Health Grant, Biodiversity Grant and Land for Wildlife Programs
In April 2015 Council received a ‘Highly Commended’ in the category of Excellence in Environmental Leadership and Sustainability for delivering the River Health Grant, Biodiversity Grant and Land for Wildlife Programs.
United Nations Association of Australia 2015 World Environment Day Awards
Council was announced a finalist in the ‘Best Specific Environmental Initiative’ category for Tweed Byron Koala Connections.
2013-2014
Local Government Arts and Culture Awards - Places for Arts and Culture: Improved cultural facilities
Presented by Local Government NSW in May 2014 for Tweed Regional Museum's success in bringing together three historical societies to form Tweed Regional Museum, the creation and upgrading of facilities to house the collection and new processes to improve the care and display of collection items.
IMAGinE Award - Collection Management Award
Presented by Museums & Galleries of NSW in November 2013 for a Tweed Regional Museum - Murwillumbah project to catalogue its entire collection, before putting the items in storage in preparation for an extension to the historic Murwillumbah museum.
Public Domain Awards - Precincts Award and Best Overall Project
Winner: Jack Evans Boat Harbour
Presented jointly to Tweed Shire Council and ASPECT Studios for Jack Evans Boat Harbour at Tweed Heads by Cement Concrete & Aggregates Australia in September 2013.
NSW Business Chamber Awards - Excellence in Workplace Health & Safety regional award
Presented by NSW Business Chamber in June 2014 for a restructure of Council's workplace safety strategy and procedures which has achieved a 40 per cent reduction in compensable injuries since 2009, and a 45 per cent reduction in the amount of worker time lost to injuries.
NSW Local Government Arts and Culture Awards - Leading Arts and Culture: Enduring Staff Contribution to Arts and Culture
Winner: Tweed Regional Gallery Director Susi Muddiman
Presented to Tweed Regional Gallery Director Susi Muddiman in May for establishing the Gallery as a regional destination.
2012-2013
Local Government Excellence in the Environment Award - Sustainable Procurement in Practice - Best Project 2012
Presented by the Local Government and Shires Association in December 2012.
Australian Institute of Landscape Architects (AILA) National Landscape Architecture Award for Design
Winner: Jack Evans Boat Harbour
Presented to Jack Evans Boat Harbour at Tweed Heads in September 2012. AILA is the peak national organisation for Australia's landscape architects.
Local Government Landcare Partnership Award
Winner: Tweed Byron Bush Futures Project
Presented by Landcare in September 2012. The Tweed Byron Bush Futures Project undertook bushland restoration works on more than 225 hectares of urban bushland at more than 50 sites, to address threats to bushland integrity in the Tweed and Byron shires.
2011-2012
A.R. Bluett Award (Shires Association)
Presented to Tweed Shire Council in October 2011 by the Trustees of the A.R. Bluett Memorial Trust, through the Local Government and Shires Association. This is the most prestigious local government award in NSW. Tweed Shire Council also received this award in 1975 and 1971.
Australian Institute of Landscape Architects (AILA) NSW Medal for Landscape Architecture
Winner: Jack Evans Boat Harbour
Presented for Jack Evans Boat Harbour at Tweed Heads in December 2011.
Ruth Readford Award for Lifetime Achievement
Winner: Clive Easton
Presented to Council's long-serving Entomologist, Clive Easton, at the NSW Coastal Management Awards in November 2011.
Local Government Community Partnership Award
Winner: Tweed-Byron Bush Futures project
This NSW award was presented by Landcare in September 2011 for the Tweed-Byron Bush Futures project.
R.H. Dougherty Award for Excellence in Communication
Winner: Tweed Community Strategic Plan 2011/2016
This award was received for the community engagement campaign for the Tweed Community Strategic Plan 2011/2016 from the Local Government and Shires Association NSW in August 2011.
R.H. Dougherty Award - Outstanding Individual Contribution
Winner: Communications and Marketing Coordinator, Tiffany Stodart
Awarded to Council's Communications and Marketing Coordinator, Tiffany Stodart by the Local Government and Shires Association NSW in August 2011.
2010-2011
Good Communicators Awards - Best Publication
Winner: Tweed Link
Council's weekly newspaper, the Tweed Link, received this national award from Government Communications Australia in April 2011.
Northern Rivers Landcare Award - Local Government Landcare Partnership
Winner: Tweed-Byron Bush Futures project
This regional award was presented for the Tweed-Byron Bush Futures project by Northern Rivers Landcare and the Northern Rivers Catchment Management Authority in April 2011.
Local Government Excellence in the Environment Awards (Highly Commended)
Winner: On-Ground Works for O'Brien's Bridge Replacement - Threatened Species Habitat Restoration
Division C Natural Environment Protection and Enhancement: On-Ground Works for O'Brien's Bridge Replacement - Threatened Species Habitat Restoration. This was awarded by the Local Government and Shires Association NSW in December 2010.
Food Surveillance Champion Award
Winner: Environmental Health Officer, Mark Longbottom
Presented to Environmental Health Officer, Mark Longbottom, by the NSW Food Authority in December 2010.
Urban Planning Achievement Commendation
Winner: Pottsville Locality Based Development Control Plan
Presented for the Pottsville Locality Based Development Control Plan by the Planning Institute of Australia in November 2011.
Engineering Excellence Awards
Winner: Bray Park Water Treatment Plant
The Bray Park Water Treatment Plant won an Excellence Award and the GHD Award for Innovation in Sustainable Engineering Excellence in September 2010, presented by the Newcastle Division of Engineers Australia.
R.H. Dougherty Award - Reporting to the Community
Winner: Tweed Link
Council's weekly newspaper, the Tweed Link, was presented this award by the Local Government and Shires Association NSW in August 2010.
2009-2010
National Trust Heritage Award - Cultural Heritage Corporate/Government (Highly Commended)
Winner: Families of Fortune: Chinese People in the Tweed
Presented in April 2010 for the project Families of Fortune: Chinese People in the Tweed.
Master Builders Gold Coast Region Housing and Construction Awards - Sporting and Community Service Facilities
Winner: Tweed Regional Aquatic Centre (TRAC)
Awarded for the Tweed Regional Aquatic Centre (TRAC) in Murwillumbah in August 2009.
2008-2009
Museums and Galleries NSW Imagine Award
Winner: The Other Side of the World: Migration to the Tweed
Presented in November 2008 for the project The Other Side of the World: Migration to the Tweed.
Engineering Excellence Awards
Winner: Kingscliff Wastewater Treatment Plant
The Kingscliff Wastewater Treatment Plant was honoured with an Engineering Excellence Award and the RTA Award - Infrastructure Excellence in Regional Communities award by the Engineers Australia Newcastle Division in May 2009.
Energy Australia National Trust Heritage Award
Winner: The Other Side of the World - Migration to the Tweed
Presented for the project The Other Side of the world - Migration to the Tweed 1940s to 1960s by the National Trust in April 2009.
2007-2008
2007 Siemens Corporate Responsibility Award
Winner: The Tweed Kenya Mentoring Program
The Tweed Kenya Mentoring Program was part of a team which won an international award for a project which delivered clean, safe drinking water to a remote Kenyan community. The award was announced in December 2007.