Sponsored by the Office for the Arts, Australian Government Department of Regional Australia, Local Government, Arts and Sport.
- Winner: Sunshine Coast Regional Council, QLD – Sunshine Coast Council’s Green Art.
- Small Council winner (under 15,000 rateable properties): Meander Valley Council, TAS – STUDIO BE
- Commended: Cairns Regional Council, QLD – Imagine Cairns; King Island Council, TAS – Cape Wickham Lighthouse 150th Anniversary Celebrations.
Asset and Financial Management
Sponsored by the Australian Government Department of Regional Australia, Local Government, Arts and Sport.
- Winner: The Hills Shire Council, NSW – Electronic Work Order System and Portal
- Small council winner (under 15,000 rateable properties): Towong Shire Council, VIC – Insight 360 – Performance through Measurement
- Commended: Gold Coast City Council, Logan City Council and Redlands City Council, QLD – Long Term Pavement Performance Study for SEQ.
Energy Smart
Sponsored by the Australian Government Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency.
- Winner: Shire of Peppermint Grove, Town of Cottesloe and Town of Mosman, WA – The Grove
- Commended: Byron Shire Council, NSW – Sustainability Services Program; City of Melbourne, VIC – 1200 Buildings Program.
Engaging and Strengthening Indigenous Communities
Sponsored by the Australian Government Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs.
- Winner: Clarence Valley Council, NSW – Fresh Start
- Commended: Roper Gulf Shire Council, NT – Roper Gulf Shire Youth Services; Victoria Daly Shire Council, NT – RIBs and Recreation Combine.
Excellence in Alcohol Management
Sponsored by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing.
- Winner: Stonnington City Council, VIC – Reducing Alcohol Related Harm In Chapel Street
- Small council winner (under 15,000 rateable properties): Kempsey Shire Council, NSW – Integrated Alcohol Management Strategy.
Excellence in Road Safety
Sponsored by the National Road Safety Council.
- Winner: Lismore City Council, NSW – Drive To Conditions
- Commended: City of Stirling, WA – City of Stirling Child Car Restraint Program; Port Stephens Council, NSW – Port Stephens En Mass.
Improving Services to Remote Communities
Sponsored by the Australian Government Department of Regional Australia, Local Government, Arts and Sport.
- Winner: Cardinia Shire Council, VIC – Portable Playgroups the PlayStart Way
- Small council winner (under 15,000 rateable properties): Barkly Shire Council, NT – Barkly Shire Council Animal Health Program.
Innovation in Natural Resource Management
Sponsored by the Australian Government Departments of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities, and Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.
- Winner: Great Lakes Council, NSW – Great Lakes Water Quality Improvement Plan and Implementation
- Small council winner (under 15,000 rateable properties): Shire of Serpentine Jarrahdale, WA – “Healthy Habitats” biodiversity stewardship program helps integrate management of natural areas
- Commended: Brisbane City Council, QLD – Brisbane City Council’s 2 Million Trees project 2008-2012; Clarence Valley Council, NSW – Building Innovative NRM Partnerships – A Success Story on the Nth Coast of NSW.
Innovative Infrastructure Development
Sponsored by the Australian Government Department of Infrastructure and Transport.
- Winner: Frankston City Council, VIC, – FrankstonTV – Australia’s 1st community driven YouTube network.
- Small council winner (under 15,000 rateable properties): Golden Plains Shire Council, VIC – Visit Golden Plains Tourism Smartphone/Tablet App and Website Digital Infrastructure Project
- Commended: District Council of Mount Remarkable, SA – Innovation and Simplicity in Water Saving: Modular Covers for Community Wastewater Management Scheme; Wingecarribee Shire Council, NSW – Southern Regional Livestock Exchange Roof Project.
Land-Use Planning – Addressing Disaster Risk & Enhancing Resilience
Sponsored by the Australian Government Attorney-General’s Department.
- Winner: Lockyer Valley Regional Council, QLD – Lockyer Valley Regional Council: Strengthening Grantham Project
- Small council winner (under 15,000 rateable properties): Northern Grampians Shire Council, VIC – Landslide planning for Halls Gap township
- Commended: Brisbane City Council, QLD – Brisbane City Council’s land-use planning response to the January 2011 Brisbane River flood; Wyong Shire Council, NSW – Wyong Shire Coastal Zone Management Plan.
Promoting Reconciliation
Sponsored by the Australian Government Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs.
- Winner: Wellington Shire Council, VIC – Deadly in Gippsland conference 2011 – Promoting Reconciliation through Deep Listening in Action
- Small council winner (under 15,000 rateable properties): East Arnhem Shire Council, NT – Many Voices, One Journey
- Commended: City of Yarra, VIC – Stories Around the Fire.
Regional Collaborations
Sponsored by the Australian Government Department of Regional Australia, Local Government, Arts and Sport.
- Winner: Clarence Valley Council, NSW – Clarence Valley Industry Education Forum
- Small council winner (under 15,000 rateable properties): Indigo Shire Council, VIC – NERDS – North East Regional Development Scheme
- Commended: Blayney Shire Council, Cabonne Council and Orange City Council, NSW – Sustainable Collections Project; Gold Coast City Council, QLD – Gold Coast City Council Sports Fusion Project.
Rural and Remote Health
Sponsored by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing.
- Winner: Gladstone Regional Council, QLD – Gladstone Regional Council Discovery Coast Community Health Service
- Small council winner (under 15,000 rateable properties): Cooma-Monaro Shire Council, NSW – ‘Check it Out’ Program and related initiatives
- Commended: Gunnedah Shire Council, NSW – Liveable Communities Survey.
Strength in Diversity
Sponsored by the Australian Government Department of Immigration and Citizenship.
- Winner: Moreland City Council, VIC – CALDCOM Storyboards
- Commended: Cardinia Shire Council, VIC – Building Harmony in the Cardinia Growth Corridor.
Women in Local Government
Sponsored by the Australian Government Department of Regional Australia, Local Government, Arts and Sport.
- Winner: Shire of Denmark, WA – Retention & Attraction of Women in Local Government
- Commended: Tiwi Islands Shire Council, NT – Tiwi Local Government Women as Leaders.
Youth Engagement and Participation
Sponsored by the Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations.
