Lake Boga has been named one of Victoria’s most sustainable communities, Member for Northern Victoria Region, Candy Broad said today.
Lake Boga won the Community Pride Award as part of this year’s Sustainable Communities – Tidy Town Awards ceremony held in Horsham on Saturday night. The awards recognise local efforts to develop sustainable communities, increase tourism and civic pride as well as improve residents’ community participation, social cooperation, public awareness and conservation of their environment.
The Community Pride Award was won by the Lake Boga Landcare group for their work in organizing The Greatest Dry Lake Bed Walk & Dinner.
To celebrate the lake and its place in the community, the Lake Boga Landcare group organised a walk and BYO dinner party. The 13 km foreshore was the venue and preparations included mowing, designated walking tracks and strategically place bins. Organisers hoped to attract 300-500 people and were delighted that some 2,500 participated. There was a fireworks display, prizes and certificates. Overall this community event was a huge success.
“Lake Boga residents have once again proved their commitment to making our community a great place to live and work. I congratulate all the winners for the fantastic work being done to foster community pride, preserve heritage and protect the environment for future generations,” Ms Broad said.
These are the first Sustainable Communities - Tidy Towns Awards since Keep Australia Beautiful Victoria (KABV) became a part of Sustainability Victoria. The two organisations joined forces in July 2009 and are united in their goal to encourage and reward sustainability across the state.
This year’s other winners are:
- · Yackandandah (Heritage and Culture Award)
- · Ballarat (Pam Keating Environmental Innovation Award)
- · Greater Shepparton City Council (Zero Waste Award)
- · Orbost (Protection of the Environment Award)
- · Moorabool Shire Council, Victoria Police and the Department of Education and Early
Childhood Development (Community Government Partnership Award)
- · Mt Buller and Mt Stirling Alpine Resort Management Board (Water Conservation Award)
- · Dhurringile & District Landcare Group (Energy Conservation Award)
- · Damascus College - Ballarat (Young Leaders Award)
- · Hastings Primary School - Hastings (Proud Schools Award)
- · Brian Stahl OAM JP (Dame Phyllis Frost Award)
- · Rutherglen (Small Town Achiever Award)
- · Beechworth (Overall Sustainable Communities – Tidy Towns Award).
For more information visit www.kabv.vic.gov.au