King Island wins

It is phenomenal to achieve such accolades awarding our entire community and I am bursting with pride.  

I feel very fortunate and humbled about this entire Keep Australia Beautiful journey, and so happy King Island wins numerous awards at both State and National levels. Truly beyond my wildest dreams. 

As a child travelling across the country, with Mum and Dad, we loved discovering nice places, with matching personalities, we made lots of friends.

As we drove into a tidy town I could see, from the back seat, a welcoming sign proudly announcing, 'winner of the Keep Australia beautiful'.  From that day, I have dreamt of our lovely island, one day being a tidy town winner.

The milestone of the 50th Keep Australia Beautiful, KAB, 2021 was good reason as the year for me to put my dream into reality.  I poured my passion for the island down onto paper, proudly entering the KAB.

My actions were not to cause work, as I think that is done already consistently over the years, but as a way of giving back to the supportive community, I so dearly love.

For me, I have found no other place quite as special as our island home.  I am so proud to call myself a native 'made on King Island' and I truly love the spirit of King Island . Always, I consciously appreciate how lucky I am to be able to call King Island my home. 

All my life, almost every day, I witness good deeds that make me smile with gratitude, further connecting me to the people and place where I belong; be it our residents chasing after a windswept piece of paper to pick it up and discard it, or a genuine "g'day, how ya going?"

I am aware how many generous volunteers work tirelessly behind the scenes, giving their unconditional care and kindness.  

Business operations small and large sponsorship and donations and community organisations that keep on giving. 

The work of the local council representing our community, government funding and support is also part of the contributing factors, to the island being tidy and sustainable.. 

I'm very grateful for all the people that make it the place that is in a natural everyday way, that shows our overall island wide efforts are consistent year round and always have been. This is all thanks to generation after generation of people who chose King Island as home, and some that come and go who all care and contribute creating our kind and strong community.  I feel you. I see you.

I am aware that my application, putting King Island forward to be considered as a tidy town, without any consultation, has been somewhat misunderstood. For me, it has been years in the making and not light heartedly.  I will never regret taking decisive action for this opportunity, just scraping in, to enter before nominations closed. There was no time to spare to wait for meetings and purposeful preparation, otherwise this chance would have been missed.

I will always treasure this special day.  Especially being my late Mum's birthday, I know she would be so proud too. ♡ hh♡