After a great evening at the PLA NSW/ACT Regional Awards of Excellence gala dinner at Campbelltown Catholic Club on 5 June 2024, we are so excited to announce our award winners.
We hope you enjoyed the night as much as we did, celebrating the outstanding initiatives and innovative efforts of our industry. A huge congratulations to all the exceptional nominees, and to our winners who will now proceed to the Parks and Leisure Australia National Awards of Excellence to be held in Brisbane in October. For more information on the award-winning projects visit the links in each award category set out below.
Award Winners
Best Regional/Rural Industry Contribution – Commendation
Opening Our Heart 2023 by Lismore City Council
Best Regional/Rural Industry Contribution – Winner
Uki Mountain Bike Park by Tweed Shire Council
Best Use of Technology – Commendation
SIMP@CT: Urban Cooling Research by Sydney Olympic Park Authority in association with Western Sydney University
Best Use of Technology – Winner
Cessnock West Public School by Moir Landscape Architecture
Community Based Initiative – Commendation
Liverpool Seniors Well-being and Social Group by Collective Leisure
Community Based Initiative – Winner
Daughters and Dads by Football NSW
Community Facility
Concord Oval Community and Sports Precinct by City of Canada Bay Council
Park of the Year
Wadanggari Park by Arcadia Landscape Architecture and Lane Cove Council
Playspace above $500k
Stuart Park All Ages All Abilities Playground by Wollongong City Council
Playspace below $500k
Yirran Muru Aboriginal Interpretative Playspace by Fiona Robbe Landscape Architects
Research Project
Review of Supply and Demand for Sport Facilities in the NSROC Region by Otium Planning Group
Strategic and Master Planning
MidCoast Parks and Recreation Strategic Planning Portfolio by MidCoast Council
Regional/Rural Australia includes all of the towns, small cities and areas that lie beyond the major capital cities (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Darwin, Hobart and Canberra), who make a significant contribution through community initiatives which contribute to the parks and leisure industry. These projects can be playspaces, events, tourism, trails, programs, repurposing of facilities and environmental initiatives (ie. water saving, habitat development and restoration projects).
Sponsored by Smartlux 
This award acknowledges outstanding and innovative achievement in the area of technology application and how that application has benefited the industry.
Sponsored by Bluefit
This award is designed to recognise the combined effort that is required to successfully plan, organise and manage effective initiatives, projects, programs, events and/or festivals which promote and enhance leisure time for a number of social, environmental and economic benefits to the community. Evidence of success should form a component of the submission.
Sponsored by Golf Australia
This community facility award recognises facilities that demonstrate innovative features of design, development and operation.
Sponsored by Willplay
This award recognises the development of strategies for parks, open space, sport, recreation and leisure opportunities by rewarding outstanding examples of strategic planning that have enriched and revitalised a community.
Sponsored by SportENG
This award celebrates and promotes vibrant, successful well designed and managed new or significantly revitalised parks/ open spaces by recognising and rewarding exceptional examples of best practice in terms of design and management. This includes parks and open spaces that are large, small, linear, along transport corridors, road closures, foreshore and reclaimed urban spaces.
Sponsored by GLG
This award is given to a playspace under the value of $500,000 that involves a range of stakeholders, contributes to the creation of a sense of ‘place’ for its local community and exhibits landscape and/or structural design innovation that delights and aids childhood development.
Sponsored by Ellis & Sons
This award is given to a playspace over the value of $500,000 that involves a range of stakeholders, contributes to the creation of a sense of ‘place’ for its local community and exhibits landscape and/or structural design innovation that delights and aids childhood development.
Sponsored by Andreasens Green
This award acknowledges outstanding research achievement by a group or individual, professionals, student or academics who have made a significant contribution to the parks and leisure industry through expanded knowledge enhancement promoting the benefits or importance of the parks and leisure sector in Australian society.
Sponsored by AFL NSW/ACT