Our Tidy Town nominees travel to awards ceremony

20 October 2015

Workers representing six MacDonnell Regional Council communities are travelling to Katherine to attend the 2015 Northern Territory Tidy Towns award ceremony this Friday evening. For the Civil Works team from Docker River this will mean a four day round trip that is testament to the enthusiasm and respect the MacDonnell Regional Council staff have for these awards.

Awards recognising the efforts of council staff and residents from communities across the Northern Territory will be presented by the Deputy Chief Minister Willem Van Westra Holthe and Minister for Local Government and Community Services Bess Price in a gala ceremony at the Godinymayin Yijard Rivers Arts and Culture Centre in Katherine.

Nominations for MacDonnell Regional Council communities will be represented by the Civil Works teams from Areyonga, Docker River, Finke, Mount Liebig, Wallace Rockhole and the 2 times Territory Tidy Town winner, Titjikala.

“Who will be named the Territory Tidy Town for 2015?” will be on the minds of all attending the annual event as well as those at home in their communities. Will Titjikala receive the highest recognition for a third year running? Or having shared their secrets, experiences and success-stories with other MacDonnell Regional Council staff, will they be upstaged by a neighbouring community?

In announcing the final nominees for categories in the Tidy Town Awards, the Keep Australia Beautiful (NT) CEO Heimo Schober acknowledged:

“It is becoming extremely difficult to select final nominees from within the MacDonnell Regional Council communities, especially as the other Regional Councils across the Northern Territory are also taking up the Tidy Towns challenge.”

Communities are nominated for various categories such as Community Participation, Waste Management and Best Regional Council – among others. Communities are also nominated for the Best Small Community, Best Medium Community and Best Large Community categories.

Additional recognition is given by Keep Australia Beautiful (NT) for greater achievements through their specialised awards honouring past national and territory champions of Tidy Towns such as the Dame Phyllis Frost Litter Control and Prevention Award and the Geoff Finch Memorial Cup (for the Territory’s Tidy Town leaders). The overall winner and national finalist earns the mantle – 2015 Territory Tidy Town.

MacDonnell Regional Council communities nominated for awards include:

Areyonga (Utju) is nominated for the first time in the Best Medium Community category; Docker River (Kaltukatjara) nominated for the first time in the Best Medium Community category – thanks to their great work and the council’s management refurbishing houses in the community the territory government awarded a larger contract for 153 houses across four communities; Finke (Aputula) has for two consecutive years run a close second, and is this year again nominated in the Best Small Community category; Mount Liebig (Watiyawanu) has shown great improvement and is nominated this year in the Best Medium Community category; Titjikala nominated again in the Best Medium Community category after having twice won that title, as well as being named Territory Tidy Town for two consecutive years; Wallace Rockhole continues as the perennial Territory Tidy Town, having led the way through the awards since the 1980s, they were last year awarded the inaugural Tidy Towns 4 Gold Star Tourism Award – this year they are again nominated in the Best Small Community category; and Warren Creek Outstation west of Papunya is for the first time nominated for Best Outstation.

Councillors and management of the MacDonnell Regional Council proudly acknowledge the achievements of all staff and residents for their efforts to keep their communities tidy and healthy by making them a better place to live.

Download media release as a PDF