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Tidy Town Win For Shearwater FestivalThe Shearwater Festival was awarded winner of the Keep Australia Beautiful Tidy Towns Sustainable Communities Awards in the Community Action Leadership (population above 3,000) category recently. By Bass Coast - 23rd October 2013 - Back to News Nominated by Bass Coast Shire Council, the Festival was one of 13 winners selected from over 150 entries in this year’s awards.
Held in November 2012, the inaugural Shearwater Festival was a tribute to community action and energy. The Festival was the vision of Cape Woolamai resident, Dr Laura Brearley.
The Festival was based around the migration pattern of the short tailed shearwater and their long association Phillip Island.
Council’s Acting Community and Economic Development Director, Antoinette Mitchell, said the Festival linked the Phillip Island Nature Park, Victorian Aboriginal Corporation of Languages, various community groups and Council in a celebration that encompassed visitors from Canada and Alaska and of course, local residents.
"This partnership epitomised the criteria for the Community Action Leadership and Cultural Heritage categories of the Tidy Towns Awards and Council was pleased to nominate this group in both categories," Ms Mitchell said.
"A finalist in both categories, the Festival took out the Award for Community Action Leadership at the award ceremony held on 12 October in Wycheproof, central Victoria.
"Not happy to rest on their laurels, the Shearwater Festival Organising Committee are again partnering with Phillip Island Nature Park, Council, and the Boonwurrung representatives, along with many other local groups to develop this year’s festival, which will be held on 23 November."
The Festival is now a regular part of the Bass Coast calendar.
The Keep Australia Beautiful Victoria (KABV) Tidy Towns - Sustainable Communities Awards recognise and celebrate positive actions taken by communities in regional Victoria to protect and enhance their environment.
The awards have grown from being an anti-litter campaign to encompass initiatives as diverse as preserving heritage, saving water and energy and community action and leadership.
Source: www.gippsland.com Published by: news@gippsland.com
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