The entire July 28, 2021 edition of The Weekly Advertiser is available online. READ IT HERE!

The entire July 28, 2021 edition of AgLife is available online. READ IT HERE!

Wimmera projects, organisations and leaders have won significant recognition in the 2021 Sustainable Communities – Tidy Towns Awards process, featuring among finalists in all categories.

Horsham and Dimboola are both in the running for the primary award, 2021 Tidy Town – against seven other finalists – along with a swag of category awards.

St Arnaud and District, Willaura and Barengi Gadjin Land Council projects are also in the running for category awards.

Horsham Tidy Towns Committee chairman David Eltringham said the rural city was in a strong position for success this year, with 11 finalists overall.

“As we are a finalist in nine of a possible 10 categories, we are well placed to have some recognition for both our programs and the wider Horsham community activity achievements in our city,” he said. 

“The awards will be finally announced at an October function in Hastings, where the Horsham committee will be represented, together with other overall Tidy Towns award finalists.”

The Sustainable Communities – Tidy Towns Awards recognise, celebrate and share grassroots projects and positive actions taken by community groups, educational institutions, businesses and councils in rural and regional areas in Victoria. 

Run by Keep Victoria Beautiful, the awards celebrate the critical role these projects and actions play in ‘fostering resilient, happy people and in building a strong sense of community’.

The Wimmera has four finalists in a sustainable communities category, with Dimboola Bowling Club in the running for an upgrade project including synthetic greens.

Wimmera Cancer Centre, Horsham, founded by Wimmera-southern Mallee communities with state and federal government funding, is also in the running, as is Horsham Agricultural Society for Victoria’s first virtual agricultural show.

Horsham Rural City Council’s Public Art and Horsham Heritage Trail, which involves the decoration of a Powercor Box in Pynsent Street, artwork on walls in Jos Lane and a ‘BIN Spiration’ project, is also a finalist.

Horsham Tidy Towns Committee is among finalists in an education category for its Facebook page. 

The committee started the page to provide education and bring awareness to Tidy Towns’ ideals of a sustainable life. 

Horsham Rural City Council is one of two finalists in an energy category, for its Horsham Regional Livestock Exchange roofing project. 

The project provides significant energy and environmental benefits, including solar energy panels, water conservation, animal welfare and environmental safety. 

Buloke and Northern Grampians Landcare Network, St Arnaud and District, is up for an environment gong for ‘connecting our communities with the environment’. 

The network planted more than 20,000 trees in 2020 and completed a range of projects such as surveys on biodiversity, removing litter and engaging communities.

Hindmarsh Shire Council is a finalist in the same category for its Dimboola Visitor Node, a community space that will act as a refuge during summer months and provides a green link between the town’s business district and the Wimmera River.

Land restoration at Dimboola’s Snape Reserve also caught the eye of judges, as did Horsham-based Wimmera River Improvement Committee, for completing the sealing of Langlands Track.

Wimmera projects also feature in the heritage and culture award category, with Dimboola VRI winning praise for saving the town’s VRI hall after it was set for demolition. The hall is now used for institute and community functions. Horsham Rural City Council’s ongoing maintenance and protection of an English elm plantation also received a nod in this award category.

Indigenous culture finalists include Dimboola’s Robyn Lauricella, who opened a language and cultural learning centre in the town, and Barengi Gadjin Land Council for its Dalki Garringa nursery redevelopment at Wail.

Horsham Tidy Towns Committee is among finalists in a litter category for 2021 Clean-up Australia Day efforts.

Dimboola Lions Club’s ‘recycling the Wimmera’ project and Horsham Tidy Towns Committee’s Coles car park project using recycled plastic are in the running for a waste award.

Kerry Clarke, of Dimboola, is among social wellbeing finalists for a COVID-safe Halloween activity.

Willaura Modern has won a nod in the same category for its ‘Sense of Place: a post COVID community recovery’ art project.

Horsham Agricultural Society is also a finalist in the category for its 150km Feast, showcasing regional food producers and wineries. 

Society volunteer Bart Turgoose is a finalist for this year’s ‘young legend’ award. 

The Horsham College student, 16, is involved in many community-based activities and is held in high regard in several Horsham associations.

People can visit www.kvb.org.au/tidy-towns/tidy_towns2021_finalists/ for more information about the awards and this year’s finalists.