Waihi in the running for a beautiful award
Waihi is one of two finalists for the Most Beautiful Small Town Award in this year’s Beautiful Awards run by not-forprofit organisation Keep New Zealand Beautiful (KNZB).
The town, which is vying for the title against Raglan, has been selected for being proactive with a number of local environmentally and sustainably focused initiatives.
The local group, Keep Waihi Beautiful, has run a number of town-wide clean-up events where residents help to remove litter from public spaces.
The organisation has also partnered with Waihi Beach artist Shane Walker and Waihi College students to remove graffiti on the A&P Shed along State Highway 2 and replace it with urban art.
Waihi is not only a finalist in the Most Beautiful Small Town category.
The region also features as a finalist in the Community and Individual categories.
Karangahake restaurant The Falls Retreat has also been announced as a contender for the Most Sustainable Small Business Award.
The award recognises New Zealand businesses with fewer than 20 staff, who have achieved extraordinary results through an environmental or sustainability project in the past year.
Co-owner Emma Walters says that she is thrilled to be a finalist.
“Over the past seven years our bistro has received various culinary awards, but this is the first time we have been recognised for our commitment to sustainability.
“We have always adopted a natural approach to life and business — we try to live and work sustainably and do business ethically using local and homegrown products and with a focus on protecting the environment,” she says.
The restaurant has hosted educational workshops and gardening courses and others promoting bee-keeping, preserving and fermenting, seed saving and cooking from scratch.
CEO of Keep New Zealand Beautiful Heather Saunderson says Waihi has demonstrated a number of environmental initiatives.
“Not only has the town excelled, local individuals and community groups have also demonstrated their incredible efforts towards sustainability and caring for the environment,” she says.
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 Auckland on Friday, October 26.