Local finalists in Keep Australia Beautiful Victoria Awards

DRAG’D Out Beechworth is one of six local finalists in this year’s Tidy Towns and Cities Sustainability Awards announced last week by Keep Australia Beautiful Victoria (KABV). Other finalists with projects include Totally Renewable Beechworth with its Home Energy Efficiency Expo and Totally Renewable Yackandandah with Transitioning Yackandandah to 100% renewable energy in the Awards Energy category. Finalists in the heritage and culture category are Beechworth Lions Club with the repair of the historic Gang Plate Layers cottage while the Burke Museum has been selected for its ‘People of Beechworth' exhibition. Wooragee’s Dr Pieter Mourik is a finalist in the Indigenous Culture category with his project on Aboriginal ring trees. The towns of Beechworth and Yackandandah are two of 25 towns nominated in the Tidy Towns and Cities Award with 21 cities nominated as well, with one from the tally of 46 to be crowned as the winner at an upcoming awards ceremony. Running for 41 years, the KABV awards recognise, celebrate and share environmental achievements and strong community spirit across Victoria. The awards program showcases the tireless work of individuals, community groups, and councils leading the way in environmental stewardship stretching from remote rural areas to bustling urban centres. Chuffed Drag’d Out creative director Andrew Madden said to be a finalist in the well-being category meant a realisation of how many layers in the local community had been touched by the event. Celebrating the drag art form, the family-friendly festival unites people from diverse backgrounds while drawing people from far and wide with its inclusive and safe entertainment for all ages. “People feel much happier after the event, and stories that come out of what has been achieved with this festival filters into the community in so many ways that you don't even imagine - just by putting on entertainment and allowing people to be themselves,” Mr Madden said. Burke Museum and cultural heritage acting manager, and collections manager Ashleigh Giffney, said the ‘People of Beechworth’ exhibition showcased the town’s community history shaped by contributions by everyday people. “Whether it's through their work, hobbies, or relationships, each person adds something unique and valuable to the story of Beechworth,” she said. Ms Giffney said the exhibition aims to link each modern resident with an aspect of the town's past, highlighting how everyday life contributes to the creation of community. “While these modern stories are today’s history, in 100 years’ time, they will be part of community history,” she said. A combined 30 volunteers both in-house and online worked on the project. Local award entries for volunteer projects have been organised by long standing local town committee members Iris Mannik and Anne Wilson, supported by Indigo Shire. Excited finalists from around the state will head to an awards evening on October 23 to be held at Zinc at Federation Square in Melbourne where winners will be announced. A headline performance on the evening includes four drag queens who perform at Drag’d Out Beechworth.

Local finalists in Keep Australia Beautiful Victoria Awards

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