Published on Thursday, 17 September 2026 at 2:50:28 PM
Beautiful Streets
(Pictured: Andrew, Wendy, Keely, Wayne and Jeannette)
Carnarvon has been nominated in five categories in the 2026 Keep Australia Beautiful Council of WA Tidy Towns Sustainable Communities Awards, recognising the community’s commitment to environmental action, heritage, public spaces and grassroots leadership.
The nomination highlights the many ways residents, volunteers, businesses, community organisations and the Shire of Carnarvon are working together to create a cleaner, more welcoming and connected community.
Keep Australia Beautiful Council of WA judges Wendy and Andrew recently visited Carnarvon to learn more about the projects and initiatives included in the nomination. The visit provided an opportunity to showcase the work happening across the town and celebrate the people who contribute to these achievements.
The Shire’s nomination includes the following five categories:
- Litter Action – recognising Litter Legends, a community-led initiative that has grown from a successful pilot into a permanent weekly movement across Carnarvon.
- General Appearance – recognising Beautiful Streets: 6701 and the ongoing work to improve public spaces through murals, public art, landscaping, waterwise planting, community furniture and the revitalisation of local landmarks.
- Heritage and Culture – recognising the revitalisation of the Carnarvon Heritage Precinct and the ongoing work to preserve, interpret and share the stories of Carnarvon’s people, places and history.
- Leadership – recognising the contribution of community leaders Wayne and Jennette Taylor, whose commitment to Litter Legends has helped inspire greater participation and shared responsibility for keeping Carnarvon clean.
- Community Containers for Change – recognising the Carnarvon Old Bastards and their ongoing efforts to turn container recycling into meaningful support for local community causes.
Litter Legends: a community movement
A key focus of Carnarvon’s nomination is Litter Legends, which demonstrates the impact of community-led environmental action.
Over the past year, the initiative has resulted in 1,075 bags of litter being removed from the community. This included litter collected through 48 organised community clean-up sessions, additional activities led by Community Leads, and the resident-led program that enables people to collect litter independently.
The program brings together volunteers, residents, local businesses and cafés, with participating businesses supporting the initiative through volunteer vouchers and incentives.
Beyond the amount of litter collected, Litter Legends has helped shift litter management from being viewed solely as a local government responsibility to a shared community responsibility. Residents, families, businesses and visitors are increasingly taking part and showing greater pride in Carnarvon’s public spaces.
Wayne and Jennette Taylor have been nominated in the Leadership category for their ongoing contribution to the movement. Every Friday, they lead a 30-minute community clean-up, providing a consistent and accessible opportunity for residents to get involved. Their willingness to lead by example, welcome new volunteers and encourage participation has been central to the program’s continued growth.
Celebrating Carnarvon’s places and stories
The General Appearance nomination recognises Beautiful Streets: 6701, a broader placemaking and beautification program that has continued to evolve since its establishment in 2023.
Despite a challenging year that included cyclones, extreme heat and flooding, the community continued to invest in the appearance, activation and identity of Carnarvon.
Projects highlighted in the nomination include youth-led murals and public art, improvements to community recreation spaces, the relocation of the Carnarvon Cactus Garden, waterwise planting activities, the restoration of Humpty Dumpty, and the creation of colourful public furniture for Main Street.
The program demonstrates how public spaces can be improved with the community, rather than simply for the community.
The Heritage and Culture nomination recognises the work of the Carnarvon Heritage Group and its volunteers in revitalising the Carnarvon Heritage Precinct. This includes researching local history, restoring artefacts, developing exhibitions, preserving oral histories and improving the presentation of Carnarvon’s stories.
The nomination also acknowledges the wider investment in heritage through the Tramway Walk Trail, interpretation projects and the ongoing restoration and protection of significant heritage assets.
Recycling that gives back
The Carnarvon Old Bastards have been nominated in the Community Containers for Change category for their ongoing community fundraising efforts.
The group collects eligible containers donated by residents, businesses and community organisations, including through collection bins at local events. The refunds are then directed towards causes that support the community, including health and emergency services, schools, sporting clubs, seniors and organisations assisting people experiencing hardship.
The initiative demonstrates how a simple recycling activity can create broader environmental and social benefits, with the wider community contributing one container at a time.
Looking ahead to the awards
The judges’ visit was a positive opportunity to share Carnarvon’s achievements and acknowledge the many people who contribute to the town’s ongoing improvement.
The 2026 Tidy Towns Sustainable Communities Awards recognise regional and remote communities across Western Australia for their environmental action, community engagement and positive social outcomes.
Finalists will be announced in October, with the State Awards event scheduled for 27 November at Optus Stadium.
The Shire of Carnarvon thanks the volunteers, residents, businesses, community organisations and project partners whose contributions have helped make this nomination possible.
Regardless of the final results, the nomination is an opportunity to celebrate what can be achieved when a community comes together to care for its environment, heritage and future.
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