The National Finalists showcase the excellent work of parks and leisure professionals who deliver enormous benefit to our communities.
Finalists have been announced at events held across the country and national winners will be announced at the prestigious Awards of Excellence Gala dinner on Tuesday, 24 October 2023 in the magnificent William Magarey Room of Adelaide Oval.
Tickets for the Gala dinner are available here.
2023 Best Regional/Rural Industry Contribution Award Finalists
Softfall Testing Pty Ltd
Lajamanu Water Park, built in the desert for all to come and enjoy, play in the splash pad after working up a sweet playing on the playground or sport on
Town of Port Hedland, Royal Automobile Club & Town Team Movement
The South Hedland Youth Placemaking Program represents an authentic collaboration between young people in South Hedland, the Town of Port Hedland, RAC and Town Team Movement. Young people were the key
Zone Landscape Architecture & Tweed Shire Council
The Northern Rivers Rail Trail has transformed the former Casino to Murwillumbah rail line into a multi-use recreational trail. The trail offers areas for picnicking, play, education, exercise, relaxation, and celebrates seven
2023 Best Use of Technology Award Finalists
City of Marion
Data does Grow on Trees (Urban Tree Management). City of Marion’s integration and use of spatial technology (Forestree) to effectively manage the urban forest. Ensuring trees are protected and enhanced
City of Melbourne
Data in the Park – Using sensors in green spaces. Data in the park is an ongoing City of Melbourne program using sensors and other smart devices to test how
City of Melville & AborCarbon
Utilising Artificial Intelligence to accurate compare changes in tree canopy health to enable accurate specific specimen physical analysis in reaction to health and other concerns.
2023 Community Based Initiative of the Year Award Finalists
City of Swan
Maali Borduck-Yen (Swan Active) Indigenous uniform. Our team recognised an opportunity to represent what it stands for, the diversity of cultures in our community and to celebrate Indigenous culture with
Collective Leisure
Collective Leisure – a business for good. Collective Leisure is Australia’s first social enterprise leisure management company. Pioneering as a certified social enterprise ‘business for good’ in the sport and
Maribyrnong City Council & Victoria University
Innovation in Engaging with CALD. Council has collaborated with WBCF to deliver 10 week health and wellbeing programs comprising health education and physical activity 2 hours per week for Vitenamese
2023 Community Facility of the Year Finalists
Aligned Leisure
Bay Pavilions Arts and Aquatic Centre. Eurobodalla Shire Council (ESC) is a regional council on the New South Wales coastline, attracting more than 1.4 million tourists annually. In 2021, the
Brimbank City Council
The Brimbank Aquatic and Wellness Centre is a brave new and exemplar regional facility approach that challenges the status quo of building and operating leisure centres and provides an exciting
City of Gold Coast
Pimpama Sports Hub is a leading integrated sporting and community precinct. Featuring a world class aquatic centre, fitness centre, community centre, tennis and netball courts, event space and walking trail,
City of Melville
The City of Melville’s $9.6m Shirley Strickland Reserve Redevelopment, located in Ardross, completed and open to the community from June 2022, is home to an association of 5 sporting clubs
DesignInc
Wulanda Recreation + Convention Centre is a gathering place for all. Wulanda means ‘enjoy or cherish’ in Bunganditj language. The centre provides a large indoor aquatic space, community meeting and
2023 David Aldous Young Professional of the Year Award Finalists
Ebonee Armistead
Ebonee Armistead, a proud Wadawurrung woman and Community Engagement Ranger with Parks Victoria, is passionate about sharing her experience and knowledge about Wadawurrung culture and the importance of caring for
Emily Moskwa
Emily Moskwa is a great role model, she is inspirational with her work ethic, team work and dedication to the projects she is involved in. Growing her career from a
Jessie Carter
Jessie Carter started with the City on 11 January 2021 as Community Development Officer (Recreation & Health) at just 24 years old, and has quickly established herself as a leader
Katie Wearne
Katie Wearne is a Senior Consultant at Cred Consulting who leads public open space and recreation plans, strategies and community engagement.
2023 Environmental Stewardship Award Finalists
Brimbank City Council
The Brimbank Aquatic and Wellness Centre has become Australia’s first 6 Star Green Star, 100% renewable energy powered, zero greenhouse gas emissions aquatic centre and home to one of the
SA Water
Ecosystem reconstruction at Millbrook Reservoir SA. SA Water reconstructed a threatened grassy open woodland in the Mount Lofty Ranges. At a clear-felled pine plantation, the project saw the novel and
Town of Victoria Park
Community collaboration to a greener town. The Town of Victoria Park’s Urban Forest Program draws together a diverse range of desired outcomes into a cohesive program, incrementally increasing the Town’s
2023 Park of the Year Award Finalists
City of Bunbury & Playce P/L
Koolambidi Woola is an iconic youth precinct that serves as a gateway to the City of Bunbury and provides a space that privileges the needs of young people, while also
Macedon Ranges Shire Council
Romsey Ecotherapy Park – A Community Vision Realised. The Romsey Ecotherapy Park is the culmination of 14-year community journey to develop a regionally significant all ages and abilities play and
South Australia Department for Environment and Water
Creating Nilpena Ediacara National Park in the spectacular Flinders Ranges has been a unique endeavour conserving the world’s greatest fossil site for the dawn of animal life, with new and
Wollongong City Council
Cringila Hills Recreation Park has become one of Wollongong’s premier parks, catering for a variety of age groups, abilities and interests. After extensive planning and engagement with local communities, the
2023 Playspace Award (<$0.5M) Finalists
City of Monash
Westerfield Drive Sensory Playspace, Notting Hill delivers a new sensory playspace in Notting Hill for children of all abilities (and their families/carers) to enjoy in an area of Monash that
Nature Play Solutions & Shire of Leonora
Yingkapayi Park is located in the remote town of Leonora, Western Australia. It is an inclusive play space, welcoming all members of and visitors to the Leonora community, no matter
Tweed Shire Council
Fingal Foreshore Park Upgrade, Fingal Head. Fingal Foreshore Park is the partnership and collaboration over many years with the residents of Fingal Head. Through extensive community consultation and storytelling with
2023 Playspace Award (>$0.5M) Finalists
Bass Coast Shire Council
Guide Park Regional Playspace. Guide Park is a nature based intergenerational playspace like no other. A homage to the Bass Coast landscape this intricate design sits underneath an avenue of
Campbelltown City Council
Thorndon Park Playspace.Thorndon Park Reserve in Paradise is recognized as the major regional destination for residents, ratepayers and visitors to the City of Campbelltown. As one of Council’s key regional
City of Bunbury & Playce P/L
Koolambidi Woola. The redevelopment of an underutilised CBD reserve into a well-designed youth precinct catering for a diverse range of recreation activities. The precinct includes skateboarding and parkour facilities, a
City of Gold Coast
Peninsula Playground, Broadwater Parklands. The vision for the Peninsula Playground is centred on the unique setting, delivering a multi-faceted, deeply layered design outcome which is drawn from the unique Broadwater
Tweed Shire Council
Livvi’s Place at Goorimahbah – Place of Stories. Tweed’s new regional inclusive playspace is for children of all ages, abilities and cultures. The playspace puts inclusion and cultural connection at
2023 Research Award Finalists
Queensland University of Technology, Moreton Bay Regional Council & 7 Senses Foundation
The Intergenerational Parks for Active Communities: Design Guide includes evidence-based recommendations and design ideas to provide designers and community decision-makers with creative and meaningful ways to entice people to parks,
Swinburne University & Royal Life Saving Association of Australia
Social Impacts of the Australian Aquatic Industry. This research project involved a collaboration between Swinburne University and Royal Life Saving Association of Australia. The research explored and reported on the
2023 Strategic & Master Planning Award Finalists
@leisure Planners & Mornington Peninsula Shire Council
Recreational Facilities for BMX and MTB Strategy. A Shire-wide MTB and BMX Strategy that established a balanced, strategic approach to the provision, resourcing, development and management of facilities, with support
City of Canning
The Hillview Hub Master Plan is a comprehensive plan that outlined the redevelopment of a neighbourhood hub in the suburb of Bentley.
City of Marion
City of Marion Open Space Framework. The City of Marion’s Open Space Framework sets a long term plan to develop, renew and improve open space. This innovative Framework has been
City of Newcastle Community & Recreation
Newcastle Harbour Foreshore Masterplan. The Newcastle Harbour Foreshore Masterplan provides an overall vision for the Harbour foreshore that includes key moves and design strategies for the precinct to inform the
South Burnett Regional Council, Otium Planning Group & Greenedge Design
The Kingaroy Memorial Park and WJ Lang Memorial Pool Master Plan, endorsed by Council in February 2023 provides a blueprint for the future development and redevelopment of the South Burnett’s