FINGAL HEAD COASTCARE
Awards
Fingal Head Coastcare has won over 80 local, state and national awards since 1990, including:
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2020 KAB Sustainable Communities Tidy Town Awards – NSW – Habitat and Wildlife Conservation Award
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2017 NSW Landcare Awards – Coastcare Award – State Landcare Champion
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2015 NSW Blue Star Sustainability Awards – Overall Coastal Sustainability Award – Highly Commended
NSW Regional Community Award – Peabody Energy Environment and Landcare Award Finalists -
2014 Keep Australia Beautiful (KAB) Clean Beaches National Finalists
Overall Coastal Sustainability Award - Highly Commended
Winner: KAB National Young Legends Award -
2014 KAB – NSW – Community Action and Partnerships Award - Winner
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2013 KAB – Connecting Our Coast Awards – NSW – Winner, Overall Winner; Young Legends.
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2011 NSW Coastal Conference / First In State: Community Action Award
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2009 KAB Clean Beach Challenge Award - NSW First in State-Community Partnership and Action Award
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2007 Gold Gecko Award for “Conservation efforts of Fingal Head’s unique coastal environment through the maintenance of the genetic integrity of the local flora with plants propagated in their own nursery.”
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1997 Highly Commended in NSW Landcare Community Groups Award
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1995 Highly Commended in NSW Landcare Community Groups Award
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1993 Runner up to the NSW Landcare Community Group Award
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1991 Runner up to the NSW Landcare Community Group Award
One of the 2024 Tweed Australia Day Award recipients is our very own Kate McKenzie ...
The 2023 Volunteer of the Year – Individual went to Kate McKenzie. She was co-founder of Fingal Head Coastcare in 1986 and has been a volunteer with the group for 38 years. In this time, Kate has helped re-establish 32 hectares of native vegetation at Fingal Head – including coastal woodland, littoral rainforest, dunal and headland vegetation, which provides habitat for native flora and fauna, including many endangered species. She is an environmental educator and activist, imparting her extensive botanical, ornithological and bush regeneration knowledge to group members, educational institutions, and the broader community. CONGRATULATIONS, KATE! View Tweed Shire Council video of Kate
Kate relaxing after receiving her 2024 Tweed Australia Day Award
A plaque from Rotary (Currumbin Coolangatta Tweed) mounted in the nursery - for 1,642 planted during 2022-23 - to commemorate the Platinum Jubilee of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II.
Kate McKenzie, Richard Roberts & Sam Meredith
2023 Tweed Sustainability Award from Tweed Shire Council for “going above and beyond for sustainability"
Lucia Perry
Nola Firth, Kate McKenzie, Lucia Perry, Kay Bolton & Jeanette Meredith
Olga Vidler OAM
Olga was the first member of our group to receive an OAM in 2001, for service to the community.
Ian ‘Bunny’ Rabbitts OAM
Bunny received an OAM in 2013 for service to the environment through coast care and environmental conservation.
Kay Bolton OAM
Kay was recognised on the NSW Hidden Treasures Honour Roll for 2015, and she received an OAM in 2022 for her role in coastal land management.
Elizabeth Allen receiving a Landcare award
on behalf of FHC
Alex Dale
Alex won the Tweed Shire Council Volunteer of the Year in the 2022 Australia Day Awards. Alex has worked tirelessly for decades for environmental causes, with groups such as FHC, Friends of Cudgen Nature Reserve and Team Koala. Alex’s skills in botanical knowledge and plant propagating are remarkable.
Brenda Blunden
Brenda joined Fingal Head Coastcare in 1988, soon after its formation in 1986. She received a Local Achievement Award at the NSW Seniors Festival 2023 for her tireless work undertaking essential tasks such as propagating, potting, planting and weeding. She is one of our many quiet achievers.
