MEDIA RELEASE
Finalists announced for Most Beautiful Towns and City in New Zealand
Keep New Zealand Beautiful have announced the finalists for the Most Beautiful Towns and Most Beautiful City in New
Zealand for 2019.
The Beautiful Awards, run by Keep New Zealand Beautiful, aim to celebrate environmental excellence exemplified by
communities, businesses, schools and individuals in New Zealand.
There are six finalists across three location-based categories: Most Beautiful Small Town, Most Beautiful Large Town and
Most Beautiful City.
Each finalist must demonstrate sustainable and environmentally conscious behaviours across four key areas: Litter
Prevention and Waste Minimisation, Community Beautification, Recycling Projects and Sustainable Tourism.
Keep New Zealand Beautiful CEO Heather Saunderson says the calibre of entries this year has been fantastic, and all of
the finalists have worked hard to secure a spot in the top six.
“It’s great to see such amazing environmental initiatives across some of New Zealand’s beautiful towns and cities. We
are so pleased to see the great work from these regions who are striving to create sustainable and vibrant communities.
I am looking forward to visiting all of these places with our celebrity judge Michael Van De Elzen, and it will be a
tough decision to find a winner,” says Saunderson.
The two finalists for Most Beautiful Small Town this year are Hanmer Springs and Waihi.
This is the second year for Waihi as a finalist in the awards, missing out to last year’s winner Raglan. Waihi was
selected as a finalist this year as a result of the community’s ongoing effort to keep the town clean, working with
schools to reduce waste and for implementing a waste minimisation plan aimed at reducing waste sent to landfill by 13%
by 2020.
The resort town of Hanmer Springs in the Canterbury region of the South Island, known for its beauty and thermal pools,
is committed to its sustainable tourism initiatives and environmentally conscious development.
The two agricultural towns of Cambridge and Pukekohe are finalists for Most Beautiful Large Town.
Cambridge is working to create a ‘zero waste community’ through ongoing education around waste management and community
waste and recycling initiatives, as well as beautification through extensive tree planting throughout the area.
Pukekohe is committed to sustainable growth and implementing programmes that positively enhance the local community.
Often referred to as the food basket of New Zealand, Pukekohe has a strong focus on agriculture and education.
Finalists for the award of Most Beautiful City are Hutt City and Whanganui.
Hutt City Council promotes a zero tolerance policy for graffiti and promotes local urban art initiatives. The Council
has helped to facilitate a collaboration between Chorus and local artists to paint telephone cabinets to help minimise
graffiti and bring art in to everyday places.
Whanganui is taking a proactive approach to tackling litter and waste with a community strongly engaged in an array of
litter prevention and waste minimisation initiatives. The city is also undertaking many beautification and
sustainability programmes to enhance their local environment.
The last phase of judging will involve the Beautiful Awards judging panel visiting the finalist towns and cities from
late August. The winners will be announced at the Beautiful Awards Gala Dinner in Dunedin on Thursday 24 October 2019.
About the Beautiful Awards:
The Beautiful Awards celebrate environmental excellence and recognise positive actions taken by communities, businesses,
schools, individuals and councils, in local and urban areas to protect and enhance their local environments. This
competition is open to all individuals, environmental groups, schools, businesses and councils to enter each year.
The 14 official awards are across five categories: Individuals, Communities, Businesses, Places, Small and Large Towns
and Cities.
This year’s judges include:
• Michael Van De Elzen, Celebrity Chef
• Heather Saunderson, Keep New Zealand Beautiful CEO.
Notes to Editor:
The Beautiful Awards celebrates both environmental excellence from Businesses, Towns and Cities, Individuals, Community
Groups and Schools and Beautiful Places.
Other notable awards for this year include the Best Loo Awards and Best Street.
Finalist for the Best Loo are Colac Bay Toilet (Invercargill), Port Ohope Wharf Permaloo (Eastern Bay of Plenty) and Spa
Park (Taupo).
Finalists for the Best Street include Greytown Main Street, Ridgway Street in Whanganui and Seymour Avenue in Nelson.
ENDS