Golden Gecko Award

31 March 2026
Nominations open.

12 May 2026
Nominations close at 5pm. In the interest of fairness, no nominations will be accepted after 5pm (WST).

End of May 2026
Entrants informed if their project is eligible.

June - August 2026
Site visits or presentations by the nominees of eligible projects.

October 2026
Awards ceremony.

Entries for the Golden Gecko are encouraged from individuals, companies and organisations. Entries can be for a particular stage of an activity, an environmental program or an entire resource operation (the project).

The Golden Gecko Award is assessed based on the merit of each application, not as a competition between applicants. Small projects are encouraged to apply, as the merit of the project will be assessed taking the size and resources of the individual or company into consideration.

Entries must meet the following requirements to be eligible:

• relate to a resource industry operation (mining, petroleum, geothermal or geosequestration);
• relate to environmental management or research;
• be based in Western Australia (including State waters); and
• address the assessment criteria.

Applications for a Golden Gecko Award are assessed against the following three criteria.

1. Demonstrated excellent environmental outcomes

Applications must clearly demonstrate that the project has achieved positive environmental outcomes and describes the environmental results directly achieved by the operation/project. Environmental outcomes and results should be supported by appropriate evidence (such as facts, data, photographs and/or figures).

Any specific outputs from the project, like research results, published journal articles, new techniques or equipment that has been developed and survey results should also be included in the application.

2. Commitment to environmental excellence

Applications must demonstrate a commitment to environmental excellence by describing the resources dedicated to the project, including (but not limited to) staff involvement, time, materials, and/or financial contributions.

The application should discuss the specific resources put into the project, along with any ongoing strategies implemented that will ensure continued action (such as management systems, training and induction programs).

Note: A reminder that applications are not assessed in competition to each other. Assessment of this criterion will take into consideration the size and resources of the individual or company.

3. Sets a new industry standard, demonstrates innovation or goes beyond regulatory compliance

For this criterion, applications must address one of the following options that best reflects the project.

• Project sets a new standard or benchmark - The application should provide a comparison of the old standard with the new improved standard which details why the change is beneficial. The application should consider how this is, or could be, applied across the resources industry. Detailing any efforts to communicate and share your findings with industry and the community is beneficial.

  or

• Project is innovative - Innovation is the creation of something new (ideas, forms, methods or interpretations) resulting from intuition, study and/or experimentation. The application should detail how the project was innovative and has created or modified something to gain improved environmental outcomes. The application should demonstrate how it will be able to be used in future projects and/or by others in the resources industry.

  or

• Project has gone above and beyond regulatory compliance - This criterion highlights projects which have gone above and beyond what is required of them. The application should demonstrate how or how far the project goes beyond their regulatory requirements. It may be useful to compare the current compliance standard and what the project has achieved.

To enter the Golden Geckos Awards, an application must be made to the department via email which describes the project and clearly demonstrates how it meets the criteria. Submissions are limited to 10 pages. This limit includes all pictures, diagrams, plans, graphs and tables. Videos may be included separately.

It is important that applications clearly demonstrate that the project is eligible and that each of the assessment criteria have been met. It is strongly suggested that submissions are divided into sections to address each eligibility and assessment criteria individually. 

Applications should include supporting evidence and information such as photos, graphs, tables or testimonials that demonstrate how the criteria have been met.

In addition to the formal submission, the department requires the following material that may be used in DMPE publications, promotional material and website (the following do not form part of the 10 page submission limit):

• Confirmation of project title and applicant name/s to appear on departmental material (this is particularly important where the project is a partnership between multiple entities). 
• A 200 – 300 word summary of the project
• Company Logo (a colour version and a black and white version, both provided as PNG files at a minimum size of 2MB)
• Four high resolution photographs of the project:
   

Submitting an application

Applications must be submitted by email in PDF format to the Golden Gecko Coordinator at golden.gecko@dmpe.wa.gov.au. Remember to include contact details on your application. Should a submission be too large to email, the Golden Gecko Coordinator can provide a link to the departments’ file transfer system upon request.

Upon submission, confirmation of receipt will be provided within one business day. Should a confirmation email not be received, or you experience any problems with the submission process, please contact the Golden Gecko Coordinator via email.

As the department cannot accept late submissions, applicants are strongly encouraged to submit applications in advance of the final day of nominations being open. 

• Each application is reviewed against the eligibility criteria to ensure that it is eligible to be considered for an award. The department will notify applicants of their eligibility by the end of May.
• Each eligible entry will be assessed by an Advisory Group against the assessment criteria through a review of the written submission and a presentation or inspection of each project. As part of this process, the advisory group may consult with other Government agencies to verify information contained in the submission.
• Award recipients will be chosen by a Selection Committee, to be chaired by the Deputy Director General, Resource and Environmental Regulation.

Site Visits and Presentations

• Site visits and presentations provide the opportunity to showcase the project and answer any questions.
• Most entrants host site visits as an opportunity to showcase their project. They are not mandatory but are highly recommended. 
• In 2026 it is anticipated that site visits will occur between June – August.
• If a visit is not possible, relevant or desirable, you may choose to deliver a presentation in Perth.

The following Terms and conditions of entry apply to all submissions for the 2026 Golden Gecko Awards for Environmental Excellence.

1. The department must receive submissions in accordance with the criteria by 5pm (WST) on 12 May 2026, to be eligible to participate in the 2026 Golden Gecko Awards for Environmental Excellence. Late applications will not be accepted.
2. It is the responsibility of an applicant to ensure that all information relevant to the submission is:
   1. Provided in full and meets the page or word limit requirement; and
   2. Correct – any information provided which, in the view of the advisory group or selection committee, is misleading or deceptive in any way will result in disqualification.
3. The Advisory group and Selection Committee have complete discretion, and their decision is final and binding in:
   1. Assessing a submission’s compliance with the terms and conditions of entry;
   2. Assessing that submission against the assessment criteria;
   3. Determining the recipient or making no award if the eligible submissions are not within the required standard; and
   4. Any other matters relating to the Golden Gecko Awards for Environmental Excellence.
4. The conducted assessment and results of the Golden Gecko Awards for Environmental Excellence will not create any legal obligations between applicants and the department.
5. The department will not be responsible or liable for:
   1. Any loss or damage to submissions; or
   2. Any loss, injury or negative publicity to an applicant as a direct or indirect result of the Golden Gecko Awards for Environmental Excellence.
6. The department reserves the right to verify information contained in a submission, including requiring an applicant to answer questions or provide additional information relating to the submission, or consulting with other Government agencies, at any time during the assessment process.
7. The department reserves the right to consider any relevant environmental matters when assessing submissions and determining the recipient of the Golden Gecko or certificate of merit, including current or past environmental regulatory compliance matters and enforcement actions.
8. All submissions will be treated as confidential except for purposes associated with the Golden Gecko Awards for Environmental Excellence and the matters previously established.

Recipients of the Golden Gecko Award and Certificates of Merit will be announced at an Award Ceremony in October.

As assessment is merit based and there is no competition between entries there may be more than one award presented.