The 2017 South Australian Landcare Awards and the Premiers NRM Excellence Award were presented at the 2017 SA Landcare Conference Dinner at the Clare Golf Club on 12 September.  A crowd of 200 people from across SA attended the event to celebrate the success and achievements of community Landcarers, groups, networks and organisations who have been working to protect and restore our environment and improve sustainable agricultural production.

The special guest at the awards presentation was His Excellency the Honourable Hieu Van Le AC, Governor of South Australia.  Other guests included Vince Copley, Ngadjuri Elder, Sandy Pitcher, Chief Executive of the Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources, Mr Brett Bartel, Director, PIRSA, the Hon John Dawkins MLC, Eric Sommerville, Presiding Member and the Northern and Yorke NRM Board, and John Coombe OAM, Acting Chief Executive, Clare and Gilbert Valley Council.  Saskia Gerhardy, SA Landcare Youth Ambassador, was our wonderful MC for the evening.

There was strong competition for each of the nine Landcare Awards categories, reflecting the high level of achievement and enthusiasm by our Landcarers.  The winners from each award category will go on to represent South Australia at the 2018 National Landcare Awards.

Congratulations to the all winners, listed below, for their outstanding achievements and commendations to all finalists and nominees for their efforts and commitment to Landcare.

The 2017 SA Landcare Award Winners are:

• Sure Gro Coastcare Award: Hindmarsh Island Landcare Group
• Fairfax Landcare Community Group Award: Birdlife Australia Gluepot Reserve
• Junior Landcare Team Award: Mount Compass Area School Swamp Ambassadors
• Rio Tinto Indigenous Land Management Award: Isobelle Campbell, Mannum Aboriginal Community Association
• Austcover Young Landcare Leader Award: Grace Bassett, Mount Compass Area School
• Australian Government Individual Landcarer Award: Peter Watton – Trees for Life
• Australian Government Partnerships for Landcare Award: Goolwa to Wellington Local Action Planning Association
• Australian Government Excellence in Sustainable Farm Practices Award: Barossa Improved Grazing Group
• Australian Government Innovation in Agriculture Land Management Award: Tom Robinson, Anashka Farms, Hoyleton
• Premier’s NRM Excellence Award: Australian Landscape Trust

The Premier’s NRM Excellence Award winner:

The Premier’s NRM Excellence Award, sponsored by the Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources (DEWNR), was awarded to the Australian Landscape Trust (ALT) for its management of Calperum and Taylorville Stations in the Riverland.  ALT is a non-profit organisation supporting improved management of Australia’s natural resources for the benefit of regional communities and the environment.

Landcare SA thanks all the sponsors of the nine Landcare Awards, as well as DEWNR and Taylors Wines for their sponsorship for the dinner.