| |
Kununurra has won two out of five awards at the Regional Achievement and Community Awards for WA.
Kimberley Toad Busters won the Kleenheat Gas Community of the Year Award and the Argle Diamonds Ord Valley Muster won the Racing and Wagering WA Events and Tourism Award.
The awards were announced on Friday evening during a Ritzy dinner at the Parmelia Hilton in Perth.
As well as the trophy, both groups won a $2000 Commonwealth Bank account and a two-week awareness campaign on WIN Television.
The Kimberley Toad Busters were also semi finalists in the CSBP Environment and Landcare Award.
Environmental lawyer Sandy Boulter said the toad busters were an East Kimberley community volunteer organisation of both indigenous and non-indigenous Western Australians and represented the first campaign in the State where the two groups had worked together.
Volunteer Sharon McLachlan and her toad busting 13-year-old daughter Ellie accepted the award on behalf of the group.
Sharon quoted anthropologist Margaret Mead in her acceptance speech saying: "A small group of thoughtful people could change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."
Although there was a large contingent of prominent toad busters at the awards, on the ground operations continued with 1700 toads cleaned out of Rubber Tree Dam on Victoria River Downs Station.
As a first time entrant to the awards, the Muster management committee were thrilled to have won.
Event manager Bree Muir said: "This award win is testimony to the enthusiasm and support offered by the Kununurra community for the Ord Valley Muster.
"With hundreds of locals being involved through sponsorship, staging events, performing, volunteering and attending events throughout the festival, it really is a community achievement and something that we should all be very proud of."
|
|
