Minister for Lands and Water Kevin Anderson has congratulated the winners of the prestigious NSW Government Community Achievement Awards for their outstanding work maintaining and improving Crown reserves.
“These awards recognise the volunteers and organisations whose wonderful work ensures that local residents and visitors can enjoy top-quality facilities for recreation and community activities,” Mr Anderson said.
“The winners are among thousands of Crown land managers, mostly locals who donate their own time and do an amazing job improving and maintaining some of the 34,000 Crown reserves across NSW.”
The Department of Planning and Environment – Crown Lands sponsored three categories of the Community Achievement Awards for Regional NSW and the ACT.
Jone Pavelic won the Individual Excellence in Crown Land Management Award as chair of the Temora Showground Land Manager, overseeing a multi-use facility that is central to community life. Jone leads by example as the front-line point of contact taking all bookings for the showground and its caravan park.
The volunteer board members who manage Oberon Showground won the Crown Land Management Excellence Award for improving facilities. They installed sensor security lights throughout the grounds, new water taps in the camping area and set up a Facebook page to keep the community up to date on activities.
Ku-ring-gai Council won the Council Crown Land Management Excellence Award for transforming the St Ives Showground site with upgrades supported by the NSW Government worth millions of dollars. The council opened St Ives Showground Regional Playground in 2020 and Treetops Adventure Park in 2021.
Crown reserves are critical for supporting recreation, culture and the economies of local communities across the state and provide land for everything from showgrounds, racecourses and surf lifesaving clubs to parks, sporting venues and public halls.
