18 October 2016

Workers representing four MacDonnell Regional Council communities are travelling to Darwin to attend the 2016 Northern Territory Tidy Towns awards ceremony this Friday evening. Civil Works team members will be shaking the desert off their hi-vis workwear and dressing sharp for the gala awards ceremony at the Darwin Hilton.

Awards recognising the efforts of staff and residents from councils and communities across the Northern Territory will be presented by the Minister for Housing and Community Development Gerry McCarthy and Minister for Environment and Natural Resources Lauren Moss.

Once again, MacDonnell Regional Council will be well represented at the awards. Civil Works team members and Services Coordinators from nominated communities of Santa Teresa, Finke, Imanpa and Areyonga will optimistically attend.

Of the MacDonnell Regional Council nominees, none have previously won the major award, so those attending will be wondering “will our community be named the Territory Tidy Town for 2016?” 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 take up the Tidy Towns challenge.”

Communities are nominated for various categories such as Community Participation, Litter 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 – 2016 Territory Tidy Town.

This year Keep Australia Beautiful (NT) is celebrating 40 years of being incorporated and promoting best practice litter management in towns and communities across the Northern Territory. The sustainability and litter-fighting organisation set out to recognise the hard work undertaken by individuals and groups in rural communities and share these best practices and ideas to continue to improve our vibrant regional and remote towns.

Last year’s Territory Tidy Town winner, Mount Liebig went on to become the inaugural winner of the Special Commendation for finishing a close second to the overall Australian Tidy Towns winner.

The Territory Tidy Town winner qualifies for the national Tidy Towns finals which will be hosted next year by the reigning titleholders Triabunna in Tasmania.

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, healthy and sustainable.

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