Awards Of Excellence Nominations 2026

Southern Grampians Shire Council

The provision of quality, modern infrastructure at Melville Oval supports Southern Grampians Shire Council’s vision of a “growing, inclusive and connected community that fosters diversity and innovation”, while the facility provides recreation opportunities for all.

Wyndham City Council

The Possy Newland Reserve Playspace Upgrade demonstrates excellence in the planning, design and delivery of a community playspace within a rural township context. Delivered for $1.2 million, the project exemplifies how strategic investment, place-based design and strong community engagement can deliver outstanding recreation outcomes, long-term value and meaningful social impact. Located at the civic heart of Little River, Possy Newland Reserve occupies a highly prominent site surrounded by residential neighbourhoods, early years and education facilities, heritage buildings, the regional railw

Belgravia Leisure

GOSwim Active Pathways transforms the journey into Yawa Aquatic Centre into a fun, safe and active experience for families. Using playful characters and movement-based prompts, the initiative encourages physical activity, reinforces road safety messages and boosts positive emotions before lessons begin. Backed by measurable improvements in mood and step counts, Active Pathways supports healthier, happier and more engaged GOSwim participants and their families.

Hornsby Shire Council

The Ray Whiteman Heritage Fence Project demonstrates outstanding community initiative through strong collaboration between community groups and local government. Together, they revitalised an underutilised site at the Wal Buckingham Memorial Gardens, transforming it into a safe, inclusive and meaningful civic space. Addressing public safety for memorial events, the handcrafted sandstone fence honours the late Ray Whiteman and celebrates local heritage, delivering lasting social, cultural and placemaking outcomes.

Greater Sydney Parklands

Guardians of the Park reconnects disengaged urban youth with nature through a 10-week program combining ecological restoration, cultural learning and outdoor education. Delivered in Western Sydney Parklands, the initiative improves wellbeing, builds environmental stewardship and strengthens community connection while restoring endangered Cumberland Plain Woodland. Participants work alongside environmental practitioners and First Nations educators, developing confidence, practical skills and a deeper relationship with the landscapes they help care for.

Wagga Wagga City Council

The Jim Elphick Tennis Centre redevelopment is Stage One of the Bolton Park Master Plan, transforming the precinct into a regional multi-sport hub. Featuring 17 tennis courts, multipurpose netball courts, modern amenities and event spaces, the facility supports grassroots participation through to international competition. Designed for accessibility, inclusion and year-round community use, it strengthens sport, connection and pride across Wagga Wagga and the Riverina.

Golf Australia

The “Every Girl Can” initiative responds to growing participation by women and girls in golf while addressing gaps in long-term retention, club membership and leadership. The program provides fun, safe and inclusive opportunities for girls in golf, while an all female workforce delivering the program provides mentoring and visible role models. The program improves access, participation and long-term opportunities for women and girls in golf across Queensland.

Deakin University

This research, part of a broader PhD study, evaluated how park upgrades influence park visitation and physical activity. Using direct observations and interviews with park users, the study examined the impact of new playgrounds, walking paths and outdoor fitness equipment. The findings provide practical evidence on how park design and facilities can encourage greater use of parks and support recreation, physical activity and community wellbeing across different age groups.

City Parklands

The Enchanted Garden is Brisbane’s premier immersive lighting experience. Designed for families, couples and friends, the event offers a captivating after-dark experience of light installations, dotted throughout Roma Street Parkland. The light route is also complemented by a bustling dining zone, alive with music and food. The Enchanted Garden is held annually in November and December. It is delivered by City Parklands on behalf of the Queensland Government and Brisbane City Council.

Council of the City of Ryde

The IOSS sets a clear vision for Ryde City’s open space network for the next 10 years. It is aligned with relevant strategies at all levels of government and across Council and provides a comprehensive roadmap, detailing the key actions required to achieve the City’s open space vision. The roadmap comprises an outcomes-based model which provides clear guideposts for meeting the evolving sport, recreation and healthy lifestyle needs of the City’s rapidly growing, changing and densifying population while also protecting and enhancing the City’s environmental values and benefits.

City of Joondalup

Whitfords West Park has been transformed into a vibrant youth focused recreation hub featuring upgraded play spaces, community amenities, and three purpose built bike facilities. Designed for all ages and abilities, the park promotes active lifestyles, social connection and skill development, delivering a safe, inclusive and high quality destination for the whole community.

Port Macquarie-Hastings Council

Rotary Park Play Space is a renewed, early-years focused playspace in Port Macquarie, delivered as part of the broader Rotary Park reserve upgrade and master plan implementation. Located above Town Beach and integrated with the upgraded Observatory and Planetarium, it combines age-appropriate play, inclusive access, coastal resilience and a distinctive astronomy-inspired identity to create a welcoming destination for families, carers, visitors and the wider community.

Belgravia Leisure

Pelican Park Pop Up venues reimagined how community leisure services can operate during major venue upgrades. By delivering programs across multiple pop-up locations and maintaining clear, consistent communication, the initiative preserved equitable access and community connection, ensuring community members remained active, engaged and supported throughout an extended closure period.

Blue Mountains City Council

Play is a process that is freely chosen, personally directed and intrinsically motivated. Blue Mountains City Council worked with the Mount Victoria community and is delighted to now be able to offer such a range of fun, delightful, safe (but challenging), play opportunities to a broad spectrum of abilities within the heritage setting of Mount Victoria Park.

Port Macquarie-Hastings Council

Sound Bites on Clarence is Port Macquarie-Hastings Council’s vibrant community activation initiative delivered through the NSW Government Permit Plug & Play / Open Streets Program. Bringing free live music, local artists and pop-up activity into the heart of Clarence Street, the project has created a lively and welcoming town centre experience for residents, visitors and businesses. Through a series of successful activations, it has helped showcase local talent, boost visitation and build Clarence Street’s identity as a place for creativity, connection and culture.

City of Moreton Bay

The Lagoon Road Mountain Bike Trails deliver a sustainable, nature-based riding experience for all ages. Built using a combination of onsite materials and proprietary features with minimal vegetation impact, with rapid mobilisation of Council crews, the project blends innovation, cultural respect and community connection to create an exciting new adventure destination in Burpengary.

Fitzgerald Frisby Landscape Architecture

The Kanamaluka/Tamar Infrastructure and Amenities Master Plan addresses over 5 kilometres of waterfront across two local government areas around Launceston in northern Tasmania. The project seeks to reimagine the relationship between the city and its estuary, facilitated by a range of interventions that create an expansive waterside trail network and convert underutilised spaces to recreational and cultural precincts. The project seeks to transform the estuary from a perceived problem into a valued asset, creating a more connected, inclusive, and resilient waterfront and community.

City of Belmont

Wilson Park has been transformed into a vibrant, inclusive community destination that reflects the heart and identity of Rivervale. Designed through genuine collaboration with the local community, the renewed playspace sits at the centre of the park’s ‘Heart’, bringing people together through play, movement and shared experience. The playspace offers something for everyone. Custom play equipment, nature play elements, bouldering features, a pump track and skate opportunities support children, young people and families to be active together, while generous seating, shade and picnic areas allow

City of Melbourne

The City of Melbourne’s Summer Free Swimming Lessons program removes financial, cultural and physical barriers to water‑safety education. Delivered at Melbourne City Baths and Kensington Community Recreation and Aquatic Centre, it offered a program of free five‑day intensive lessons to City of Melbourne residents. Since launch in 2025, it has delivered 5,050+ lessons to 1,000+ residents. In 2026, 616 enrolled; 51% began with minimal or no swimming experience and 97% improved their swimming ability, establishing it as a sector‑leading model of equitable, high‑impact aquatic education.

City of Parramatta Council

The new Shannons Paddock District Playground draws its inspiration from the Shannons Brick, Tile and Pottery factory, which operated just north of the site for more than 70 years. The playground reinterprets this history through the creation of a bold warehouse-like façade that forms the centrepiece of the play experience, and provides the structural support for a high ropes course. Designed for children of all ages and varying abilities, the playground was crafted following strong feedback from residents through community consultation.

Melton City Council

Xyst

Melton City Council has delivered an innovative, data driven framework for assessing and prioritising play space improvements. By integrating play value, amenity and asset condition, this approach strengthens equitable, needs based, decision making and advances the Council and Wellbeing Plan’s commitment to A Healthy and Inclusive Community. OR Melton City Council has implemented a sophisticated, data driven framework to assess and prioritise play space improvements. By integrating play value and asset condition, this innovation strengthens strategic planning and supports Council’s vision fo

Manningham Council

Playce

Proludic

The Victoria Street Playspace is a landmark regional destination in Ruffey Lake Park, revitalised to celebrate its heritage while delivering inclusive, intergenerational play. Set across a dramatic hillside, it features the custom Hummel Tower, diverse play zones, accessible pathways and retained legacy elements. Shaped through extensive community engagement, it now offers a vibrant, landscape responsive and culturally meaningful play experience for all.

Sam Eriksson is the Sport and Recreation Strategy Officer at Tamworth Regional Council and a leader in regional sport and recreation planning. Through strategic planning, major infrastructure projects and industry leadership with Parks and Leisure Australia, Sam has helped secure more than $49 million in investment for recreation infrastructure across the Tamworth region. His work focuses on creating healthy, connected communities through high-quality parks, open space and sport facilities.

Hayley has excelled in developing and delivering initiatives to support Volunteers in Golf. As the Volunteer Engagement Coordinator, she coordinates 1,000+ volunteers at national events, leads innovative projects like the Volunteer Summer of Golf promo and Volunteers of Australian Golf storybook, manages the volunteer newsletter, and drives recognition programs including National Volunteer Week and the inaugural Volunteer of the Year award. Hayley’s leadership, communication, and sector advocacy make her a pleasure to work with and advocate for sport, parks and leisure industry.

Enviro Culture Services Pty Ltd

Albury City Council

The revitalisation of the Second World War Memorial Bowl on Monument Hill has transformed a historically significant but underused site into a vibrant community space where remembrance and everyday life coexist. Delivered in partnership with the Albury RSL Sub-Branch, the project balances heritage conservation with new recreation opportunities including a playspace, improved accessibility and community lawn, creating a welcoming place for reflection, recreation and community connection.

Port Phillip City Council

The Port Melbourne Skatepark turned an underused underpass into a vibrant, inclusive community hub shaped through collaboration with local young people. Its progression focused elements, safer circulation and comfortable places to gather, support learning, confidence and connection. The renewed space now encourages active recreation for all ages and abilities, strengthens everyday social activity and fosters a strong sense of community pride in Port Melbourne. The project is Proudly Port Phillip.

City of Greater Geelong

The Ocean Grove Sporting Infrastructure Plan 2025 provides a coordinated roadmap for the future of sport and recreation in one of the fastest growing communities in the City of Greater Geelong. Integrating six reserve master plans into a single framework, the plan aligns community priorities, industry expertise and strategic planning to guide investment in inclusive, high quality sporting infrastructure. The result is a clear and evidence-based pathway for delivering facilities that support participation, health and community wellbeing.

Port Phillip City Council

Gasworks Arts Park upgrade strengthens its role as a vibrant community hub, enhancing a much‑loved inner‑urban park with inclusive play spaces, accessible paths and welcoming lighting that supports safer and more inclusive use. A diverse planting palette, featuring over 300 new trees and more than 3,500 shrubs and groundcovers, enriches habitat, increases shade and improves microclimate comfort, all while preserving the park’s distinctive bushland character.

City of Greater Dandenong Council

Keysborough’s Big Picnic is a vibrant, inclusive and fast growing community celebration that brings more than 7,500 people together each year at Wachter Reserve. As the only major Council event in Keysborough, it creates a safe, accessible and multicultural space where families, seniors, young people, pet owners and new migrants can connect. With free activities, diverse performances and strong community partnerships, the event strengthens social bonds, celebrates culture and builds local pride.

Monash City Council

ACLA Consultants Pty Ltd

Mulgrave Reserve’s new district playspace offers an inclusive, nature‑connected and intergenerational environment that supports active lifestyles, community connection and outdoor wellbeing. Thoughtfully designed to enhance the reserve’s landscape and serve the needs of diverse users, it provides a welcoming public space that enriches everyday community life.