Rutherglen has been named one of Victoria’s most sustainable communities, Member for Northern Victoria Region, Candy Broad said today.
Rutherglen won the Small Town Achiever 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 township of Rutherglen has managed to retain much of its heritage style and is known as the centre of one of Australia’s premium wine growing regions. The township has capitalised on this opportunity to develop the Rutherglen Wine Experience.
Commitment from the local community to make Rutherglen more sustainable is evident with examples set by the Wine Village Motor inn and Valhalla Wines. The local Rutherglen Primary School has not only set a remarkably high standard within the school but also the activities around the town with their Water Saving and celebrating it’s 100 years and preparing for Rutherglen’s 150.
“Rutherglen 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:
- · Lake Boga (Community Pride Award)
- · 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)
- · 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)
- · Beechworth (Overall Sustainable Communities – Tidy Towns Award).
For more information visit www.kabv.vic.gov.au