BAYSIDE City Council cleaned up two awards at Keep Australia Beautiful Victoria’s Sustainable Cities and Clean Beach Challenge Awards, presented on 30 May 2008.

Bayside Environmental Advisory Group member and Abbott Ward Councillor Michael Norris said the awards recognised the hard work and innovation of Council and its staff in creating a more sustainable City.

“Council won the Environmental Innovation Award for its seaweed recycling pilot program at Brighton Beach. This project involved the removal of a sample of seaweed that was successfully processed with other green waste into compost for commercial landscaping.  Council is now awaiting a report on how seaweed recycling stacks up financially.

“Bayside also won the Friendly Beach Award for the playground and terrace works completed at Sandringham Foreshore Gardens. This section of Sandringham foreshore is now more usable and visibly more attractive. The upgrade has greatly improved the environment and amenities of the area,” Cr Norris said.

Bayside was a finalist for two other awards: Zero Waste Award for Sandringham Foreshore Gardens and the Young Leaders Award for Council’s foreshore habitat restoration program in Beaumaris, in partnership with St Leonard’s College.

Councillor Norris thanked the year nine students, at St Leonard’s College, for their work in helping to restore the Beaumaris foreshore.

“Students are taught, through planting and weed control, the importance of habitat restoration in coastal ecology and the issues affecting its sustainability. Thank you to all the students who participated in the program; your hands-on work helps keep our environment clean and sustainable for future years to come,” Cr Norris said.

For more information on the Keep Australia Beautiful Awards go to www.kabv.org.au