WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Western Australian Community Achievement Awards
"I’m honestly still having trouble comprehending that the Bindoon Library won the 2020 Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries Making a Difference Award as we were up against some amazing competition. We’ve worked so hard here to improve services and build the library into a community hub and to have our hard work rewarded in such a way makes us so very proud.
The Awards gala was a night to be remembered, and the sense of excitement and amazement at seeing the achievements of community groups, individuals, and local governments across Regional Western Australia was simply inspiring. Thank you so much to Awards Australia and the many sponsors who made the event possible, it was a great experience to be part of from start to finish."
Annie Hudson, Bindoon Library
2020 Department of Local Government, Sports and Cultural Industries Making A Difference Award Winner
"Receiving an award for volunteering is truly a humbling experience, however it does toy with one’s inner values as volunteers do not do it for the accolades or acclaim. When people have congratulated me in person, I have had the tendency to shrug it off and downplay it for fear that if I show how happy I am, they may think me shallow and big headed. That said, recognition can serve on several fronts; to inspire self to continue, to inspire others and to give more credibility to your platform. Once you accept those thoughts, it also does give you an opportunity to reflect and look back at your achievements and be extremely proud of your hard work and service. Living in Regional Australia, volunteers are the backbone of the community, the ones that usually work quietly in the background. The Regional Achievement and Community Awards are a fantastic way of saying thank-you for the work that you do, it hasn’t gone unnoticed. Just being nominated and knowing someone has taken the time to submit that nomination does make you feel appreciated. So in reflection, I encourage everyone to take the time to consider nominating someone or some group that you feel deserves recognition and should you be one of those nominees – do not be afraid to accept it or downplay it, take it as a positive affirmation of the dedication that you have to your community."
Sharon Henderson
2020 RAC WA Volunteering Award Winner
"The event was a great experience for me to be announced a Semi Finalist, then a Finalist and then at the Gala Awards night on 18th November 2019, the winner of the Community TAB Community Service Award.
With my friends around me enjoying the celebration of the achievements of so many wonderful West Australians, I felt so proud to be among them. We clapped and cheered on the many finalists and winners. For me to be one of them was indeed a bonus
I take this opportunity to thank everyone involved with the staging of these awards – it is a huge task and done so very efficiently. The entire evening, the calibre of the finalists, the entertainment and the presentation of the awards was most enjoyable and a great experience.
My thanks to the Community TAB for their sponsorship of the Community Service Award, to The Department of Primary Industries for their overall sponsorship, to GWN 7, Triple M and Bartercard for their media sponsorship and of course, the Commonwealth Bank for their prize sponsorship. Together they contributed to making the W.A. Regional Achievement and Community Awards 2019 a tremendous success."
Nanette Williams
2019 Community TAB Community Service Award Winner
"Winning the Prime Super Employer Excellence in Aged Care Award was a proud moment for South West Community Care. I was so pleased that I was able to attend the award ceremony accompanied by my executive team. It was a great moment for our organisation to receive the recognition it deserved. One of our marketing campaigns was for South West Community Care to be recognised as an ‘Employer of Choice”. Winning this award affirmed the success of that campaign. Our Board, management team and all employees want to thank the WA Regional and Community Achievement Awards for providing the means for excellent regional organisations to be recognised."
Claire Roach, South West Community Care
2019 Prime Super Employer Excellence in Aged Care Award Winner
"We had an awesome night at the Awards Gala Dinner and we are honored and proud, also still beaming from our win, taking out the Economic Development award, congratulations to Awards Australia also you and your team for delivering a spectular evening. For our Community business to take out this Award sends a clear message to our community members and the wider community that Aboriginal people or Community can run and operate a successful business we have proved that. This also instills pride into our current workforce and the rest of our Community members to do better also to strive for excellence and perfection."
Kimberley Baird, Djarindjin Airport
2019 Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development Economic Development Award Winner
"Thank you for organising such a great awards ceremony. We had a fantastic evening and we were thrilled to win the Insurance Commission of Western Australia Regional Safety Award"
Laura Handscombe, Boab Health Services
2019 Insurance Commission of Western Australia Regional Safety Award Winner
"To win an Award such as the Curtin University Teaching Excellence Award category at the WA Regional Achievement and Community Awards is such an honour and to be involved in the process and attending the event, a highlight of my career. Events such as these are so important to people like myself in the regions to have the opportunity to be recognised for the work we do so I have nothing but gratitude for being acknowledged through this award and to be a part of this fantastic experience."
Sarah Penn
2018 Curtin University Teaching Excellence Award Winner
"Winning Ricoh Customer Service and CBH People’s Choice Awards inspired our young staff to be even more amazing with guest experience skills, realising what they do and how they behave, makes a difference. Being acknowledged State Wide was an extremely proud moment, for myself, partner, the staff who attended, those we left behind, our community, guests and followers.
It’s one of my greatest achievements. As a result - I have become more confident in my ability, knowing the things we do, are important. Life altering – I would highly recommend applying for any socially conscious business."
Juliette Davies - Gravity ETC
2018 Ricoh Australia Customer Service Award Winner
"Since winning the award last year I had so many people congratulate me on being recognised but I have always had an issue on the ability to receive a compliment. I have had the occasional person ask why I commit my time to help others so on reflection I usually answer that it’s always a reward to help others and to also spend time with other people who see the benefits of giving. Many activities in our regional communities simply would not happen if not for the time and effort people put in to these things so it is appropriate that some of these good folk get recognised for the time they give because as we know, time is a precious thing and its something some people use wisely and some people waste. I was very humbled to have been nominated last year and I will be encouraging others to look at these awards as a way of celebrating the special people we have in our regional areas of WA."
Mike Walmsley
2018 RAC Volunteering Award Winner
"Once again would like to thank Tanya Pigeon for nominating me for the Regional Achievement and community award 2018, had put me on the spot
Something I never expected to win WOW, still cannot believe it happen it was such a big and exciting night
My legs where shaking and I tried to hold back the tears, walking on that stage and standing in front of 500 people is an experience of a life time something I will never forget especially when you see your- self on the big audio screen and everyone else can as well. Since the awards I have registered with AHPRA and is now the Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health Practitioner for the Kimberley Palliative Care team and still is the only 1 here in WA."
Kimika Lee
2018 Horizon Power Leadership and Innovation Award Winner
"What an honour it was to win the Regional Safety Award by The Insurance Commission of WA for 2017. I feel humbled that people wish to nominate me as I don’t tell my story to be rewarded, I tell my story as I don’t wish for anyone else to go through what I did, or any family to go through what mine did at the time of my car accident in 2014.
I was very surprised to be the winner as there were other worthy winners in the Royal Perth Party Group (who I am now a guest speaker for as part of their new program at St John of God’s Hospital, Midland) & the Southwest Alliance Group.
Winning this award has opened up many doors for me and I now have the opportunity to continue my campaign to raise road safety awareness to our young drivers, especially those who have just starting driving. I was 17 years old, just graduated from high school and only had my driver’s license for 3 months when I had my car accident.
I began presenting my story, after an invitation from my local football club who I was going to play with, and continue to do so on a voluntary basis, and this means travelling to country towns as well as in the city. Although most organisations offer me fuel vouchers or vouchers as a reward, I now know after winning $2000 that I don’t have to worry so much about travel costs & I can keep telling my story. Although my parents were very happy to support me financially to help raise awareness.
I also had the unique opportunity to thank one of my ambulance drivers on the night for playing his part in saving my life on the day of my car accident as he was a nominee, semi-finalist, and also happen to be my next-door neighbour. This was probably the most significant highlight of the night, apart from having my family and friends with me on the night and that $2000 cheque!!
I have several invitations over the next few weeks of organisations who want to be involved in my campaign, I have a very supportive family who wish to help me also and the world, once again, is my oyster.
Thank you to the Regional & Community Achievement Awards for this opportunity."
Cory Payne
2017 Winner of the Insurance Commission of WA Regional Safety Award
"The Regional Achievement and Community Awards are a testament to the strength of our state’s rural areas. It is an honour to be recognised as a 2017 Winner. This Award means so much for me, the Hedland community and our wonderful team of Fair Game volunteers. It is said that ‘leadership is what happens when the rule book runs out’. I see countless examples of innovative practice throughout regional Western Australia spurred by strong community connections and the necessity of isolation. Our local champions are setting the course for a bright future for positive change across the state.
Being recognised as a leader in the Pilbara motivates me to continue to strive for a world where health inequality is a thing of the past. It is humbling to see the strength of the other nominees and I encourage people to nominate those who inspire them for next year’s Awards."
Dr John van Bockxmeer
2017 Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development
Overall State Winner & Winner of the Horizon Power Leadership and Innovation Award
"Linda and John Stanley purchased Chestnut Brae four years ago. At the time it was a 1,000 tree sweet chestnut farm that needed a lot of love to bring it back to be a profitable farm venture. Linda and John were also aware that Australian consumers had little knowledge of sweet chestnuts and needed to be educated about sweet chestnuts and the products they created from the nuts.
Although Linda and John both have marketing backgrounds they had little knowledge of farming and had to learn as they farmed. This was a challenge in itself.
Winning the award has provided a great boost to the business and helped increase the exposure of the farm and its produce in the marketplace.
Once you are an award-winning business the market takes notice and wants to know more about what you do, how you do it and what you are selling. Winning the award will enable Chestnut Brae to enter new marketplaces and grow as a business.
We would encourage anyone to enter the Awards as it is a cost effective marketing opportunity that can help you differentiate yourself from the competition."
Linda & John Stanley – Chestnut Brae
2017 Winner of the Harmony Agriculture & Food Co Agricultural Innovation Award
"It was an honour to just be nominated for the award and recognised amongst my peers for being worthy of such an accolade. The other nominees were just as deserving of it so I was shocked and very proud to be named as the winner of the Sports Award for the WA Regional Achievement & Community Awards.
The award itself is a reflection of years of committed, consistent, training and racing. Setting goals and slowly working towards them while balancing work and life.
We all face unique challenges trying to achieve our goals, living remotely just adds an extra level of complexity. I hope younger athletes, particularly the kids from Port Hedland take some inspiration from what myself and the other nominees are able to achieve in their sports while living in remote and regional WA. Anything is possible if you are willing to work hard for it, even awards like these."
Nathan Groch
2017 Winner of the Worldwide Sports Award
“When we were announced the winners and the word spread amongst the staff, residents and their relatives, I felt such tremendous pride and excitement.
These awards are very well recognised in the Kalgoorlie community. What is really special is that the award was very firm with regards to meeting the criteria of excellence and future planning – it is so rewarding that we have been recognised for this, alongside our passion and care for our residents.
Our team is a family and we work hard every day to make sure our residents feel like they are ‘home’. Everything we have put in place has been to support our family, so that together we can always provide great care for our residents.”
Cheryl Hahn, Facility Manager, Victoria Park Home/Hostel, Kalgoorlie
2017 Winner of the Prime Super Employer Excellence in Aged Care Award
“It gave me so much pride to accept this award on behalf of the Victoria Park team.
Southern Cross Care staff are very passionate and I believe this passion was a great contributor to winning. Every day I hear of different staff who go the extra mile to support each other and show clients how much they care about them.
What Cheryl and the team have done is exceptional. They have successfully increased their team, provided excellent care to residents and demonstrated their support for local community in a practical way. The need for aged care services is growing and Cheryl and the team focused on meeting demand.
It takes a special person to work in aged care and I am very proud to have a whole team of special people in Kalgoorlie. It has been a joy watching the team work together and ultimately achieve this award.”
Jessie Ho, Head of Residential Care, Southern Cross Care
2017 Winner of the Prime Super Employer Excellence in Aged Care Award
“Winning the Western Australian Regional Achievement and Community Award in the Landcorp Sustainability Category was a huge honour and credit to Dunsborough Primary School. The whole school works hard in all areas of sustainability on a daily basis, and is proud to impact students and the wider community. We manage waste, conserve water and energy and encourage active transport for families. We preserve the biodiversity of our local grounds and regularly contribute to improving the local environment through planting and clean-up events.
An award at such a high level, including the fantastic prize money, is a high commendation and has made our community very proud. The prize money will go towards enhancing our outdoor classroom to enable students to learn Science in the veggie garden in any weather.
Being part of the Awards Ceremony and witnessing the incredible contributions made by other individuals and organisations across the state was both exhilarating and humbling. Ensuring Western Australia’s regional areas are recognised and acknowledged, is essential to maintaining the fabric of our society. Understanding the need to maintain a balance between regional development and environmental preservation is what ‘sustainability’ is all about and the visual amenity of our beautiful state needs to be preserved by the students of today to ensure the best future for generations to come.
As I lead Dunsborough Primary School forward sustainably, I wish other individuals and groups the best success in whatever positive way they impact Western Australia.”
Helena Nicholson – Sustainability Leader Dunsborough Primary School
2017 Winner of the LandCorp Sustainability Award
“We were so excited to win the Prime Super Business Achievement Award in 2017! It was a great way to celebrate all our hard work and what we have accomplished as a business over the past few years. Entering in these awards provides a fantastic opportunity to reflect on and analyse your business operations and also assists with strategic planning for the future. I think it is well worth the time and effort invested.”
Prue Plowright, Director, Wattnow Electrical
2017 Prime Super Business Achievement Award Winner
"We as volunteers do not want, need or require anything in return for what we do. We do it because we love doing it, because we are passionate about a cause, and because we want to make a difference in our part of the world. Every now and again, some recognition of what we do, a thank you or a smile come our way … and it does feel good. That proud feeling of having achieved something great, is the fire within, that inspire us to keep going onwards and upwards. We love our small, thriving rural communities and all it has to offer, it is an honour and a joy to serve and contribute to the wellbeing and prosperity of rural and regional Western Australia. Being a finalist and winner of the Community TAB Community Service Award for 2017 at the prestigious Regional Achievement and Community Awards, has been a wonderfully inspiring, uplifting and worthwhile experience. The opportunity to give thanks to and showcase the children with special needs, whose courage is beyond words and the amazing volunteers who give their time and talents so generously to make the Wongan Hills Therapy Group the success it is, was by far the highlight of it all . We thank the all the sponsors, funders and organisers … you do indeed inspire, acknowledge, recognise and pay tribute in a way, that makes us want to give even more of ourselves, our time, our talents and our commitment to make regional Western Australia a better community!"
Heydi de Waal, Wongan Hills Therapy Group
2017 Community TAB Community Service Award Winner
“I was absolutely privileged and humbled by the nomination and to be awarded the 2016 Worldwide Solutions Sports Award at the Western Australian Regional Achievement and Community Awards. Often living away in remote and regional areas, people are not aware of the work and achievements happening in our broader community, for these organisations and people to be recognized is very humbling and rewarding."
Chelsea Randall
2016 Worldwide Printing Solutions Sports Award Winner
“Winning the inaugural Community Service Award category at last year’s Western Australian Regional Achievement Awards means a lot to me. Not only did the award recognise my personal achievements over 22 years but it also highlighted the excellent and important work that is done by so many small, community based groups throughout WA’s regions.
I stand, as they say, on the shoulder of giants: hundreds of volunteers from our community, dozens of co-workers at the Manjimup Family Centre and hundreds of colleagues in the non-government sector. Specifically these place-based, grassroots community groups achieve so much for people in the sticks; they create a sense of ownership and belonging, they ‘hang over the fence’ understanding their communities’ needs and they foster community spirit and volunteerism. Together, they achieve so much with so little.
For these and many other reasons small NGOs need to be protected from the economic rationalism currently so entrenched in political decision making. Over the past 5 years NGOs have been burdened with immense increase in meaningless procedure and red tape. Now they face an open tender process to secure ongoing funding.
At the coal face of community work quality is not achieved by corporatisation and economies of scale but by local knowledge, flexibility and dedication. A winner representing these values proves the point.”
Andre Foulon, Coordinator, Manjimup Family Centre
2016 Community TAB Community Service Award Winner
"Last year our company was nominated for the Indago Solutions Agricultural Innovation Award.
We are very passionate about regional development, so this award program was something that felt important to us. If you are thinking about whether they should put in a nomination for these awards I would encourage you to please do so. Going through a nomination process makes you really think about your business, where it is now and where it is heading. It makes you think about your strengths and weaknesses and possibly will help you clarify your pathway ahead.
All businesses in the regional areas work hard and have some additional challenges in just getting the job done. Being a part of this program not only helps you think about these challenges but gives you the opportunity to hear other peoples stories. The other big benefit in winning one of these awards is the validation it gives to your staff and your customers. Being able to put that winner logo at the bottom of my email makes a difference to my export customers and potential customers. To get government recognition and to be judged by our peers gives recognition to your company. I never understood how important this was until I won an award.
Last year we won the Indago Solutions Agricultural Innovation Award and the all of state. Since then we have been developing export markets for our products and this award opens doors. Without the sponsorship of the companies like Indago Solutions, CBA and Department of Regional Development, these awards would not happen. I encourage you to support the awards, there are no negatives in this. Whether you win or not it is a positive experience."
Jennie Franceschi, Fresh Produce Alliance
2016 Indago Solutions Agricultural Innovation Award Winner
"We were very excited to receive the Rinehart Development of Northern Regional WA Award in 2016 at the WA Regional Achievement & Community Awards. This was a huge achievement for the Onslow Chamber of Commerce & Industry as an organisation that was generally inactive prior to 2014 and then quickly grew a membership from 24 to over 100. This awards program was a great opportunity to recognise our organisations achievements and to know these are not only recognised for the town of Onslow but also recognised throughout regional WA. Winning the award provided our organisation with the appropriate recognition for our achievements but also raised our profile as a Chamber even further and we are continuously assisting other chambers in our region and also throughout WA. We highly recommend the Regional Achievement & Community Awards for any other organisations who are thinkning of entering."
Chantelle King, Chief Executive Officer, Onslow Chamber of Commerce and Industry
2016 Rinehart Development of Northern Regional WA Award Winner
"The representatives from Wattle Hill Care had a wonderful time and enjoyed the evening immensely. We were certainly overwhelmed by winning our category and proud to be amongst so many worthy winners and finalists. We would like to thank all the sponsors for their wonderful contribution to such prestigious awards."
Hazel Gordon - Facility Manager Wattle Hill Care
"We were honoured to be the recipient of the Rinehart Development of Northern Regional WA Award in the 2015 WA Regional Achievement and Community Awards. We believe that this award not only recognises our past achievements in local and Indigenous employment but also recognises our resilience and ability to adapt and continue to be viable, especially after the cessation of the iron ore project and ship loading out of Wyndham. We are passionate about Indigenous employment and economic growth and sustainability in regional Australia and have diversified our business to ensure that we are maximising local Indigenous Employment wherever we operate.
Seeing our concepts, values and philosophies come to fruition and receiving the Rinehart Development award in recognition for past and present projects enables our company and clients to know that we are continuously positioning them for success and further imparts awareness of a successful Indigenous owned and operated business. Winning the award has not only provided the appropriate recognition for our dedicated team of staff, it has also raised the profile of our company. Receiving such an award is very much appreciated and a pleasing endorsement of Dadaru’s determination and expertise."
Dadaru Pty Ltd
2015 Rinehart Development of Northern Regional WA Award Winner
"It was an absolute honour and a privilege to be awarded the Road Safety Award. East Narrogin Primary School is a small wheat-belt school making a difference in a community which has the highest statistics per population of road trauma in Western Australia. We are so appreciative to be recognised as a leading school in health promotion and providing a quality education for our children so that they can develop the necessary lifelong skills to keep them safe as road users. Our school staff work tirelessly with parents and community services to create a road safety culture that helps reduce the risk of serious injury or death from road trauma among our children. We have a strong commitment in teaching road safety effectively and we are overwhelmingly humbled. Thank you to our category sponsor the Insurance Commission of Western Australia and the media sponsors, GWN, Radiowest and the Western Australian Newspapers for their promotion of the Awards as well as the Commonwealth Bank for prizes. We are so proud to be the recipients of this award and we thank our entire school community for their ongoing support in ensuring our young people stay safe."
East Narrogin Primary School
2015 Insurance Commission of Western Australia Regional Safety Award Winner
"The thrill and honour of winning the 2015 Curtin University Teaching Excellence Award and then being declared the overall state winner of the 2015 WA Regional Achievement & Community Awards was a proud and humbling moment that will last a life time. I feel it’s a ‘win’ for me and all educators in regional WA because the awards demonstrate that the work that we do is valued and acknowledged. There is also a deep sense of gratitude to all those people who influenced, inspired and encouraged me. Winning the Awards marks a significant milestone in my professional and personal career, but it’s not the end of the journey, rather, the beginning of a new one, a reminder of how much there is to do. The Awards have further ignited my passion to explore new partnerships and research, innovate and implement fresh and exciting teaching approaches that will provide more opportunities for people in regional areas to engage with learning that is relevant and meaningful to them. Now is the time to get involved and nominate for the Regional Achievement and Community Awards. What better way to encourage and celebrate those special people and organisations that are making a positive difference to the lives of people in your community."
Dr Sharon Ross, CY O'Connor Institute
2015 Curtin University Teaching Excellence Award Winner
2015 Department of Regional Development Overall State Winner
"This Award recognised the work that the Hospital Auxiliary was doing in providing CareAlert systems and KeySafes for all Senior and people in need throughout the communities of Boddington, Wandering, Williams and Quindanning however, following the announcement we have been approached by many other WA regions asking how they can also provide a similar program in their area which in itself is amazing. Our vision which we love to share is imagining every Senior, Elderly, or a person in need having one of these units provided for them in their homes. Could you see the support each person would have just requiring them to press their button on the unit if they were under threat from burglary, having a heart attack or medical problem or any sort of physical violence. Once the button is pressed an alarm sounds and help is on the way. When someone arrives if they cannot gain entry they go to the KeySafe remove the key and let themselves in and are then able to evaluate the assistance that is needed e.g. if ambulance or police are required. Usually resulting in a positive outcome. We get so upset when we hear of someone getting injured or having a fire in their homes and not being able to get out when the answer are these two units and faith in someone who cares.
Any community group that considers going for these Awards please do not hesitate as right from the application process to the wonderful evening where the announcements are made is so very encouraging and you get to meet inspiring people that are such great mentors."
Boddington Hospital Auxiliary
2015 Prime Super Community Group of the Year Award Winner