At Sutherland Shire Council we're passionate about initiatives that make a difference to our local community, and celebrate their recognition.

2024 awards

NSW Local Government Excellence Awards - Local Government Professionals NSW

Winner for “Do your part and fires won’t start” program in the Risk Management Awards.

Fires in waste trucks continue to be a serious safety risk across the waste industry, with the increased use of lithium batteries and inappropriate disposal of all battery types.

We are the first Council to successfully change community behaviour by developing and delivering a multi-year community education campaign (2022-2023); “Do your part and fires won’t start”, with the aim of diverting hazardous materials from the domestic waste collection service.

We engaged the Waste and Recyclers Association (WCRA), with the purpose of gaining additional support to advocate for a local government and private industry wide campaign to tackle waste industry fires.

In recognition of the effective campaign, we were contacted by the NSW EPA to participate in an education video to generate awareness of this growing safety risk.

Image of firefighters trying to put out a fire in a large Council garbage truck fire in Sutherland Shire
2023 NSW EPA video featuring SSC waste staff member Steven

Highly Commended for The Pavilion Performing Arts Centre in the Asset and Infrastructure Projects over $1.5 million Awards.

The state-of-the-art Pavilion Performing Arts Centre is one of the most ambitious projects ever undertaken by Council. It has created a landmark community hub, a place of artistic excellence, an invaluable platform for our emerging artists and a much needed and timely injection into the performing arts industry post-pandemic.

The highest industry benchmark in facility has been attained at The Pavilion enabling world-standard productions, attracting leading and diverse artists for the first time in 40 years. Key features include seating for 680 patrons with optimal sight lines, a full fly-tower, state of the art staging features, teaching and rehearsal spaces, expansive hospitality areas, an integrated outdoor event space, and enhanced accessibility.

The Pavilion Performing Arts Centre Sutherland reimagines the previous Sutherland Entertainment Centre, preserving aspects of the former building while creating a contemporary new public venue with ameliorated functions to cater for a diversity of cultural and technical needs.

2023_ThePavilionInterior_Img26_suppliedPS
2023_ThePavilionExterior_Img32_suppliedPS

National Banksia Sustainability Awards - Good Environmental Choice Australia

Winner of Healthy Planet, Healthy People Award for OPENAIR program. 

OPENAIR was developed by researchers, tech experts and local Councils to address air pollution impacts through the use of low-cost smart sensors and free to download Best Practise Guides. Grant funding associated with the OPENAIR program enabled Sutherland Shire Council to purchase and install 3 low-cost smart sensors that are currently measuring air quality in the Sutherland Shire.

Engineering Excellence Awards - Institute of Public Works Engineering Australasia

Winner of Environmental Enhancement Award for Street Lighting Improvement Program (in collaboration with SSROC Councils)

2023 awards

NSW Local Government Excellence Awards - Local Government Professionals NSW

Highly Commended for ShireABILITY Art Awards in the Organisational Diversity and Inclusion Awards.

The inaugural ShireABILITY Art Award was an initiative developed to give people living with a disability an outlet for creative expression and recognition.

Timed to coincide with International Day of People with Disability (IDPWD), the initiative encompassed the submission of artworks from over 50 submissions from people with varying disabilities and from a wide range of age groups, a three-week exhibition at Hazelhurst Arts Centre of all submitted entries, and a presentation event which was attended by over 200 of the artists’ friends and family.

2023 ShireABILITY Art Award winners and councillors
2023 ShireABILITY Art Award particiapnts and mayor

NSW Local Government Excellence Awards - Local Government Professionals NSW

Highly Commended for Connection Café (Dementia Program at Sutherland Shire Libraries) in the Community Partnership Awards.

Sutherland Shire Libraries provide a range of services, events and programs for people living with dementia and their carers. This has included informative workshops and seminars, and ‘Healthy Brain Ageing’ events. These events have consistently booked out, indicating the prevalence of lived experience in the community of dementia.

2023 Connection Cafe dementia and carers group session
2023 Connection Cafe group dementia and carer session man playing jenga

Engineering Excellence Awards - Institute of Public Works Engineering Australasia

Winner of New or Improved Techniques for Bate Bay Beaches Protection project.

The project was awarded for emergency works at North Cronulla, with the supply and placement of over 7,000 tonne of sandstone boulders to protect critical public assets, including the Lifeguard Tower, The Esplanade and North Cronulla Carpark that were left suspended by unsupported sand dunes and exposed to the ocean elements.

Snapper's Choice - Snap Send Solve Awards

Winner of Snapper's Choice Award for Local Government in NSW/ACT.