Wheatbelt community claims top title as State's tidiest town

6/12/02
The small Wheatbelt town of Wyalkatchem was announced overall winner of the Western Australian Tidy Towns 2002 competition by Environment and Heritage Minister Dr Judy Edwards today.
Wyalkatchem was also winner of the Tidiest Town category C - population up to and including 900 and was runner-up for the Resource Conservation and Waste Management and Environmental Innovation Awards.
The South-West coastal town of Denmark was announced as runner-up for the overall State award and was also winner of the Tidiest Town category E - population up to and including 6,500 award, the Community Action, Young Legends and Natural Heritage Awards.
Dr Edwards commended the 100 communities that participated in the Keep Australia Beautiful Council's annual competition this year.
"Western Australia's country towns continue to be a great source of inspiration, demonstrating how communities can pull together in times of environmental and economic hardship," she said.
"Every year, thousands of rural Western Australians band together to keep our towns and vistas free of litter, set up new and innovative recycling programs, protect local bush land and water ways and appreciate and protect our cultural heritage.
"Many individuals volunteer countless hours of their own time towards ensuring the sustainability of WA's rural towns.
"That dedication to maintaining their own towns makes a significant contribution to the quality of our State."
Dr Edwards made the announcements at a gala awards event at Belvoir Homestead in the Swan Valley, where she named the winners and runners-up of the six Tidy Towns categories and 10 new initiative awards.
The Keep Australia Beautiful Council's Tidy Towns program has been operating in WA for more than 33 years, with the aim of encouraging the development of sustainable communities and the protection of our environment and heritage throughout WA.
"This is without doubt one of the most successful community programs ever developed, and goes a long to keeping WA litter-free, environmentally healthy and beautiful," the Minister said.
Minister's office: 9220 5050

Tidy Towns Competition Winner

Town	Place	Category
Wyalkatchem	Winner	Overall State Winner
Denmark	Runner-up	Overall State Runner-up
Bindoon Yealering Quinninup	Winner Runner-up Third	Tidiest Town Category A - population up to and including 250
Greenbushes Woodanilling Westonia	Winner Runner-up Third	Tidiest Town Category B - population up to and including 550
Wyalkatchem Mingenew Three Springs	Winner Runner-up Third	Tidiest Town Category C - population up to and including 900
Wagin Mt Barker Quairading Corrigin	Winner Runner-up Runner-up Third	Tidiest Town Category D - population up to and including 2000
Denmark Bridgetown York Toodyay	Winner Runner-up Third Third	Tidiest Town Category E - population up to and including 6500
Geraldton Albany Esperance	Winner Runner-up Third	Tidiest Town Category F- population greater than 6500
New Initiative Awards
Toodyay Geraldton Wyalkatchem	Winner Runner-up Runner-up	Resource Conservation and Waste Management
Wagin Murchison Settlement Geraldton	Winner Runner-up Runner-up	Friendly Tourism and Townscape
Bridgetown Dongara Mingenew	Winner Runner-up Runner-up	Local Government Leadership
Cue Wyalkatchem	Winner Runner-up	Environmental Innovation
Wagin Toodyay Wubin Geraldton	Winner Runner-up Runner-up Runner-up	Cultural Heritage
Denmark Mullewa Bridgetown	Winner Runner-up Runner-up	Natural Heritage
Nyabing Ongerup	Winner Runner-up	Bush Spirit
Denmark Exmouth Bridgetown	Winner Runner-up Runner-up	Young Legends
Denmark Augusta	Winner Runner-up	Community Action
Exmouth Bridgetown Geraldton	Winner Runner-up Runner-up	Litter Prevention