The King Island Golf and Bowling Club kitchen run by Tegan Harris had a big job ahead of them last Friday night when King Island hosted the National Keep Australia Beautiful – Australian Tidy Towns Sustainability Awards.
A full house had arrived on King Island from Australia’s far-flung places.
Kirsty Russell looked after the setup, bar and floor with her son Oscar Russell and Jorja Scott bartending. Tegan Harris, Codi Rooks and Amanda Hudson prepped and cooked in the kitchen, and were ably supported by Maddison Hudson out on the floor.
Councillor Anna Hely, a tourism operator and member of various committees was MC, on a night with lots of awards, names and unfamiliar faces.
As patron of KAB Governor General David Hurley presented the awards and in his address, he spoke of the value of service in a community and noted that many of the projects were initiated and developed by volunteers.
Mayor Marcus Blackie welcomed the visitors and commended all finalists for their projects and achievements.
As host, King Island also had the task of creating the overall winner’s trophy. This was made by Jim Benn.
The unique goblet is made from King Island macrocarpa and is mounted on a piece of salvaged timber from the 1867 Europa shipwreck.
The Western Australian finalist, Gascoyne Junction was the overall winner of the 2023 Australian Tidy Towns Sustainability Awards.
The finalist for Tasmania, Oatlands was awarded joint winner of the Heritage and Culture category and highly commended in the Environmental Sustainability – Natural Environment Management and Community Health, Wellbeing and Interest categories.
King Island TV live-streamed the event and the Junction Hotel in remote Gascoyne W.A joined with the finalist communities in Euroa Victoria, Scone NSW, Mt Liebig, NT, Oatlands Tasmania and other states to be part of the awards night.
King Island represented Tasmania in the National Awards and was declared the overall winner in 2022.
As Australia’s Grand Final winner, the island hosted Friday night’s event.
Keep Australia Beautiful chief executive Val Southam commended all the finalists.
“It is clear from the quality of projects entered in the National Awards Program that communities are passionate, committed, driven, and dedicated to making their communities special in every way.”