Our most beautiful towns are winners
West has conquered east in the battle of the small towns, with Raglan crowned the fairest of them all.
But Waikato is the real winner. This year’s Keep NZ Beautiful Awards reveal it’s home to New Zealand’s two most stunning – and environmentally conscious – towns.
Taupo¯ took out the Most Beautiful Large Town, defeating its fellow finalist Timaru. And Raglan jostled with Waihı¯ for first place in the small town category.
The awards, run by Keep New Zealand Beautiful, celebrate effort taken by communities, businesses, schools, individuals and councils to enhance a town’s environment.
Judges had a strict criteria to follow, with four sections – litter prevention and waste minimisation, community beautification, recycling projects, and sustainable tourism – each worth 25 per cent. Winners were announced at a gala dinner last night.
Taupo¯ District Council did well to ‘‘walk-the-talk’’ in minimising waste, the judges found.
Most of the office’s rubbish bins were removed to minimise rubbish and compost bins were installed in each office to collect food scraps. Disposable cups were banished from the office’s water coolers.
Raglan – touted as the surfing mecca by some – is well known for its glittering black sands and bohemian style.
Judges praised a fierce pride and sense of ownership held by locals of the Waikato seaside town.
Raglan also took out the Supreme Award because of its ‘‘unprecedented commitment’’ towards beautifying the community.
Keep New Zealand Beautiful chief executive Heather Saunderson and NZ House and Garden editor Sally Duggan toured the country’s finalists in September.
Raglan has embraced minimising waste, so much so that it has become a brand in itself. It’s even become a selling point for local businesses, Saunderson said.
Initiatives such as Xtreme Zero Waste and Raglan Resource Recovery Centre divert over 75% of collected rubbish from landfill.
And single-use plastic bags had been removed from 90 per cent of local businesses, well before the Government’s single-use plastic bag ban announcement.
But Raglan found a strong rival in Waihı¯.
During their visit, Duggan said she had been ‘‘dead impressed’’ by the Waikato beach towns, both paving the way for the future.
Saunderson said every entrant into the awards should be celebrated.
Dunedin was named the country’s Most Beautiful City.