The winners of the prestigious 2025 Local Government NSW Environment Symposium and Awards have been announced at a special event in Western Sydney.
Formerly known as the Excellence in the Environment Awards, the event recognises outstanding environmental leadership, highlighting the innovation, collaboration and commitment shown by councils, county councils, regional groups of councils and other council-based organisations across the state.
Thirty projects and individuals were recognised across 13 categories spanning topics such as planning and policy, invasive species management, climate change mitigation and adaptation, and the circular economy.
Judging focused on innovation and best practice, strong rationale, ambitious objectives, demonstrable results, and the creation of new opportunities that anticipate future challenges.
LGNSW President Mayor Darcy Byrne congratulated all recipients, praising councils for their leadership in protecting and enhancing the environment.
“The need to safeguard and restore our environment is one of the defining challenges of our time, and local government continues to lead the way,” Mayor Byrne said.
“These awards recognise the ingenuity, collaboration and determination of councils and staff working every day to deliver tangible environmental outcomes,” Mayor Byrne said.
“I congratulate all the winners but also those councils who didn’t win today but continue to roll out these incredible projects that ultimately benefit all of us.”
Each category includes four divisions reflecting the size and type of participating organisations, with overall winners recognised in the following categories:
• Asbestos Management
• Climate Change Adaptation
• Towards Net Zero Emissions
• Communication, Education and Empowerment
• Innovation in Planning, Policies and Decision-Making
• Invasive Species Management
• Natural Environment Protection and Enhancement – On-Ground Works
• Transition to Circular Economy
• Behaviour Change in Waste
• Sustainable Infrastructure
• Water Management
Maitland City Council received the Local Sustainability Award, including a $10,000 prize for professional development in sustainable practice.
Meanwhile, Tim Pasley from Liverpool City Council won the Louise Petchell Memorial Award for Individual Sustainability, recognising outstanding personal leadership in advancing environmental outcomes.
LGNSW thanks the 2025 Environment Symposium and Awards partners: Vision Super; Water Directorate; NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water; NSW Environment Protection Authority; NSW Public Works; Cleanaway; Return and Earn; and SiteHive.
Asbestos Management
Division C and Overall Winner: City of Canterbury Bankstown: Managing Asbestos Contamination in Recovered Aggregates.
Behaviour Change in Waste
Division A Overall Winner: Leeton Shire Council: From the Ground Up: How Leeton Came Together for a Cleaner, Greener FOGO. Division B Winner: Ballina Shire Council: We’ve got a bloody big problem! – Promoting reuse with a resident rebate on reusable nappies, period and continence management products. Division C Winner: City of Parramatta Council: Feed it to FOGO – The City of Parramatta.
Journey Climate Change Adaptation
Division C and Overall Winner: Blacktown City Council: See the Risk, Shape the Future – Voluntary Climate Related Financial Risk Disclosure. Division D Winner: Western Sydney Regional Organisation of Councils Ltd: Greater Sydney Heat Taskforce – Heat Smart City Plan.
Communication, Education and Empowerment
Division C and Overall Winner: City of Newcastle: Empowering Newcastle; Division A Winner: Muswellbrook Shire Council: Muswellbrook Sustainable Futures Network; Division B Winner: Waverley Council: Love our Coast – Marine education program: Division D Highly Commended Sydney Coastal Councils Group: SCCG Advocacy on the NSW Beachwatch.
Program Innovation in Planning, Policies and Decision Making
Division D and Overall Winner: Central NSW Joint Organisation: Business Case on the nexus between emissions reduction and energy security in Central NSW; Division B Winner: Wingecarribee Council: Robertson Village Place Plan; Division C Winner City of Parramatta Council: Environmental Sustainability Strategy 2024-2033.
Invasive Species Management
Division B and Overall Winner: Wollondilly Shire Council: Weeds to Natives; Division B Highly Commended MidCoast Council: The Wallis Lakes feral deer partnership – an effective peri-urban deer control program.
Natural Environment Protection and Enhancement: On-Ground Works
Division C and Overall Winner: Hornsby Shire Council: New-Bub Bushcare – Broadening our Bushcare base and benefits; Division B Winner : Lane Cove Council: Wildlife Protection Areas Sustainable Infrastructure; Division C Highly Commended: Sutherland Shire Council: Kirrawee.
Library+ Towards Net Zero Emissions
Division D and Overall Winner: Mid North Coast Joint Organisation and Hunter Joint Organisation: Powering Tomorrow: Regional Power Purchase Agreement Division B Winner Maitland City Council: Towards Zero; Division C Winner City of Newcastle Council: Newcastle’s Charging Ahead: NSW’s largest publicly owned EV charging network.
Water Management
Division B and Overall Winner: Bega Valley Shire Council: Bega Water Treatment Plant.
Transition to a Circular Economy
Division C and Overall Winner Penrith City Council: Threads and Treads – Repair and Recycling; Division B Winner: Waverley Council: Driving Circularity in Bondi Junction; Division D Winner: Illawarra Shoalhaven Joint Organisation: Wraps to Roads – Illawarra circular plastics initiative.
Local Sustainability
Division B and Overall Winner: Maitland City Council: Delivering Maitland’s Environmental Sustainability Strategy; Division C Winner: Blacktown City Council: Blacktown City Council: A Sustainable, Resilient and Thriving City.
Louise Petchell Memorial Award for Individual Sustainability Winner: Tim Pasley: Liverpool City; Council Highly Commended: Deborah Taylor: Bathurst Regional Council; Highly Commended: Kate Barker: Central NSW Joint Organisation.
