In a night of celebration and recognition it was the natural beauty and community pride of Whakatāne which shined bright, taking out the accolade for most beautiful large town at the annual Keep New Zealand Beautiful Awards.

The beautiful awards (which were held Thursday 9 November) are New Zealand’s longest-running sustainability awards and provide a benchmark for environmental excellence. Run annually since 1972, the awards inspire, recognise and acknowledge those individuals, schools, community groups, towns and cities working passionately to keep New Zealand beautiful.

Those judging the award paid homage to the ‘dedication and passion’ of the Whakatāne people, and the districts committed focus to Iwi engagement and community led projects.

The Keep New Zealand Beautiful Awards judges were undoubtedly impressed with the sheer amount of work going on in the environment space. Including, a new tree strategy aiming to increase canopy cover by 20 percent over the next 20 years, a new wetland ‘sponge park’ to help local streams recover from weed infestations, and a plan to rejuvenate nearby wetlands and restore the health of the Awatapu lagoon.

Whakatāne Mayor Dr Victor Luca said the award is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our communities and what we can achieve when we come together to protect and enhance our surroundings.

“Not only are we blessed to have a head start when it comes to our little slice of paradise and the natural environment, but the award reflects the commitment to sustainability and preserving the district’s taonga and biodiversity which makes Whakatāne one of the most beautiful towns in the mōtū.

“It really is a team effort to keep the Whakatāne District beautiful and we’re actively reducing our waste, caring for our waterways, getting out and about on our bikes, and into our gardens.

“Whakatāne is now a shining example of how commitment to preserving natural beauty can create a lasting impact and we’re proud to be beautiful, inside and out,” he said.