WA Coastal Awards for Excellence 2011
WA Coastal Awards for Excellence 10 November 2011
Robyn was delighted to accept an Individual Contribution award at the Dept of Planning’s smart new building in William Street. The award was given for the successful weedy seadragon campaign and 15 years of Coastcaring. It was a lovely evening with finger food and drinks. Robyn enjoyed meeting many of the other winners who come from all parts of W.A. In Robyn’s acceptance comments she acknowledged that she was just one member of the Cottesloe Coastcare team and one cog in the the great Coastcare wheel. She thanked Kate Sputore and Craig Wilson who were both present, (the two Metropolitan Coastcare officers), for all their support for the work of volunteers in the Perth area.
The Minister for Planning John Day released the press release below:
“The WA Coastal Awards for Excellence celebrate and recognise the outstanding achievements that individuals, community groups, schools, businesses and governments do to protect and manage WA’s unique coastal and marine environments.
A Judging Panel, chaired by the State Coastwest Coordinator and consisting of representatives from Perth Region NRM, Western Australian Local Government Association, Coastal Planning and Coordination Council and Department of Planning, convened in July 2011 to select winners.
Minister for Planning John Day, presented the Western Australian Coastal Awards for Excellence 2011 at a ceremony that was held on 10 November in Perth. Minister Day said the awards demonstrate how much work is undertaken by individuals and groups to manage and enhance our coastline; and it is important that those efforts are recognised. “I congratulate all the winners for their conservation efforts and for actively working towards its preservation and rehabilitation of the WA coast.The Great Southern region figured prominently in the 2011 Awards for Excellence — winning four awards of the six categories.”
The categories and respective winners were:
Individual Contribution (2 award winners)
- Brad Kneebone from the Lowlands Coastcare Group and South Coast Management Group (based at Youngs Siding, west of Albany)
- Robyn Benken from the Cottesloe Coastcare Association
Community Group Effort (2 award winners)
- Geographe Catchment Council for the Bay OK project (Busselton)
- Parry Beach Voluntary Management Group (west-southwest of Denmark)
Coastal Partnership
- City of Albany; Elleker Progress & Sporting Association; Southern Aboriginal Corporation; South Coast NRM Noongar Works Team; South Coast Management Group for the Environmental Restoration Work Around Torbay Inlet
Indigenous Coastal Achievement
- Bardi Jawi Rangers for the Bardi Jawi Cultural Experience project (Broome)
Coastal/Marine Research or Education
- Albany Senior High School for their Marine Science program
Coastal Development/Design
- Blackwell & Associates Pty Ltd for the Leighton Foreshore project
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The WA Coastal Awards for Excellence are conducted every two years. Nominations will be open again in 2013.
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Photo:
Back row from left to right: Phillip McCarthy, Barry Oates, Peter Clarke, Adrienne Beattie, Minister John Day, Alexandra Tucker, Paul Beattie, Tony Blackwell, Brad Kneebone, Sheryn Prior.
Front row from left to right: Kevin George, Chris Sampi, Jean Brenton, Robyn Benken, Tracy Brothers.
(Photo kindly provided by Climate Change and Coastal Policy at the Department of Planning)