‘Stellar achievement’: Crown Lands Award Winners announced
Minister for Lands and Property Steve Kamper congratulates Armidale’s June Dangar, Tweed Shire Council and Calarie Recreation Reserve Land Manager for winning Statewide awards for excellence in Crown land management at the 2024 Community Achievement Awards for NSW and the ACT.
The NSW Government, through Crown Lands, supported three categories at the awards, which recognise outstanding contributions by individuals, community boards and local councils in managing community land on Crown reserves.
NSW has more than 34,000 Crown reserves. These include showgrounds, parks, sporting venues, caravan parks, community halls and more.
More than 1200 Crown land managers partner with the NSW Government to manage Crown reserves, to ensure public lands are enjoyed by the community. Around 520 of these land managers are volunteer boards, run by people who contribute their time and effort to take care of public land. There are also about 6,000 Crown reserves managed by 128 local councils across NSW.
Together, these public lands provide shared community spaces, and support tourism, the environment and local businesses.
There were 12 finalists across the three Crown Lands awards’ categories from the state’s Far West, South West, New England, North Coast and Central NSW regions.
Minister for Lands and Property Steve Kamper said:
“I applaud the three winners of this year’s Crown land management awards as well as the finalists. All have shown they are astute managers who are passionate about caring for public land for the benefit of their communities – whether it is upgrading facilities, preserving heritage, or making reserves more inclusive and accessible for all.
“It is a stellar achievement to be nominated, let alone be crowned a winner, and I thank all the nominees for their exemplary volunteer service.”
More details about the award winners:
NSW Government Crown Land Management Excellence Award
Winner: Calarie Recreation Reserve Land Manager. This land manager board has worked tirelessly to improve facilities at the local Calarie Hall at Forbes in the Central West. The reserve is a versatile venue, hosting weddings, community meetings, and youth programs like ‘Boys to the Bush’ while also providing an evacuation space in emergencies. Under the committee’s management, solar panels and accessible bathrooms have been installed, making the venue more environmentally friendly, self-sufficient and accessible. Their commitment to improving facilities at the reserve ensures Calarie Recreation Reserve remains a central meeting place.
Individual Excellence in Crown Land Management Award
Winner: June Dangar. June is the current Treasurer of the Armidale Showground Reserve Land Manager and committed to preserving the heritage of Armidale Showground. While Board chair, June helped facilitate the restoration of two historic grandstands, preserving the site’s precious history and ensuring Armidale Showground can continue to be a premier event location. June also oversaw installation of lighting upgrades to allow the showground to be used for longer hours as a multi-purpose space. Finally, June used her impressive technology knowledge to enhance community engagement through social media channels, attracting more campers from far-and-wide to come and stay at the showground.
Council Crown Land Management Excellence Award
Winner: Tweed Shire Council. The Council has done a superb job transforming the idyllic Jack Evans Boat Harbour into a revitalised and dynamic community space. Spanning 11 hectares, the Jack Evans Boat Harbour Precinct fosters both passive and active recreation. The area includes a play space, a youth recreation area with a skatepark and basketball court, and a covered picnic precinct with accessible barbeques and seating areas. The space celebrates and honours the local Goorimahbah people through construction of Indigenous public art poles. The space is designed to connect the nearby Tweed CBD to the Tweed River, providing the community with a dynamic and diverse public space that can be enjoyed by people of all ages.