Finalists announced for Victorian Premier’s Sustainability Awards

Clean and renewable technologies, waste management innovation, and nature conservation are only some of the inspiring projects highlighted amongst this year’s Premier’s Sustainability Award finalists, announced today.

Now in their 19th year, the awards recognise Victorians right across the state who are demonstrating sustainable leadership and innovation.

This year, the award categories were redesigned to align with the globally accepted United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

The impressive list of finalists includes schools taking action on climate change, community groups advocating for renters’ rights, companies dedicated to providing affordable clean energy to apartment dwellers, and local councils cleaning up our landscape and creating a healthier environment.

Rail Projects Victoria is a finalist for an Industry Leader award for the sustainable approach taken to complete the Ballarat Line Upgrade, reducing greenhouse gas emissions during construction while creating resilient and liveable infrastructure.

Cardinia Shire Council is another runner up for the category. Tgether with the Cardinia Environment Coalition (CEC) and Deep Creek Golf Club, the Councils have converted 48 hectares of former farmland into a community park, transforming the space into a regional environmental precinct.

The Cape housing development project in Cape Paterson is another finalist for an Industry Leader award. The Cape set out to demonstrate that sustainable, resilient housing can be beautiful, affordable, and economically viable. They applied best practice sustainable urban design to transform a previously cleared cattle farm into a thriving biodiversity site.

Sustainability Victoria Chief Executive Officer, Claire Ferres Miles congratulated the finalists on their outstanding projects and remarked on the high quality of entries received this year.

“Sustainability Victoria is proud to celebrate the trailblazers who are contributing to our state’s circular economy transformation and leading the way to net-zero emissions,” Ms Miles said.

“The quality of applications this year was excellent, and it is clear there are so many individuals, communities and organisations across Victoria that are committed to encouraging long-term sustainability.”

The judging panel, comprised of a broad range of independent environmental experts selected for their sustainability and industry expertise have selected two award winners for each of the six new categories, which were refreshed this year to align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

The Community Champion Award will recognise individuals and small organisations, and the Industry Leader Award will celebrate medium and large organisations driving a sustainable future.

Meet the finalists

Clean, affordable and secure energy – Community Champion

Sunpower Renewables – Cleo, a Portable Lithium Solar Generator
Black Stump Technologies – Renewable Energy UPS (uninterruptible power supply)
– Major Projects Victoria
BOOMPower – Make Clean Energy Easy

Clean, affordable and secure energy – Industry Leader

Latrobe City Council – ‘Moving towards an environmentally sustainable future’
Allume Energy – SolShare: Unlocking Solar for Apartments

Climate action – Community Champion

Heytesbury District Landcare Network– Addressing climate change through regenerative agriculture
Brentwood Secondary College – Towards Zer0 Bremissions
Friends of the Earth Melbourne’s Act on Climate collective – The People’s Climate Strategy for Victoria

Climate action – Industry Leader

Ironbark Sustainability and Beyond Zero Emissions – Snapshot Climate Tool
The Cape – Climate Action
Australian Engineering Solutions – Creating a Bridge to Greener Building

Healthy environment – Community Champion

Monica’s College – Wetlands Revegetation
Macedon Ranges Shire Council – Healthy Landscapes for Healthy Livestock
First Friends of Dandenong Creek – Short film – The Eels of Dandenong Creek

Healthy environment – Industry Leader

Blue Carbon Lab Deakin University – Victorian Coastal Wetland Restoration Program
The Nature Conservancy Australia – Bringing Back Victoria’s Lost Oyster Reefs
CDC Victoria – CDC Oakleigh introduction of Volvo Zone Management technology

Social and economic justice – Community Champion

Yarra Valley ECOSS
Anika Legal – COVID-19 Renters’ Rights
Albury Wodonga Multicultural Community Events – – Emergency Relief food packages distribution project 2020

Social and economic justice – Industry Leader

RMIT University Language Loop – Mentoring interpreters of new and emerging languages
Jesuit Social Services Ecological Justice Hub – COVID19 Community Ecological Resilience and Meal Drop Program
Melbourne Water, Aqua Metro Services & Wara Paring Civil Construction – Wara Parring

Sustainable places – Community Champion

ONE20 Group Architects Epoch Institute Gypco – Epoch Institute
Yarra Valley ECOSS
Our Future Cities – Reimagining Box Hill

Sustainable places – Industry Leader

Cardinia Shire Council, Cardinia Environment Coalition Deep Creek Golf Club – Deep Creek Reserve
Rail Projects Victoria – The Ballarat Line Upgrade
The Cape – The Cape Ecovillage

Waste reduction and the circular economy – Community Champion

Mount Hotham Alpine Resort Management Board – Recycling Glass into a Useable Resource at Mount Hotham Alpine Resort
Ambulance Victoria – Uniform Recycling Program
Wild Adventures Melbourne – Tourism Operators innovative approach to achieve sub-zero waste

Waste reduction and the circular economy – Industry Leader