Clean Up Australia 'Community Awards' winners announced!

Australia’s environmental champions were announced last week as recipients of Clean Up Australia’s Community Awards. The inaugural awards recognised the ongoing commitment and environmental stewardship of individual volunteers, community groups, education champions and councils across Australia.

Among the honorees were Marjo Hallowell, who has cared for the environment in her local Wollondilly and

Wingecarribee community for decades and Michael Filby, who has worked tirelessly to Clean Up the stretch of

highway running through his town of Walpole in remote WA. Queensland’s Pioneer Catchment & Landcare Group, which has led impactful Clean Ups for decades received the Community Award with the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community receiving a Highly Commended. Joining them are Gippsland Grammar’s Green Team, trailblazers in school sustainability, and Blue Mountains City Council, whose innovative Clean Up efforts span challenging landscapes. The coveted Ian Kiernan Impact Award has been awarded to Venkataraj Jayaraj, a community leader inspiring collective action in Sydney’s Seven Hills.

Pip Kiernan, Chair of Clean Up Australia said: “It’s a proud moment for Clean Up Australia as we reach our 35th year and an exceptionally proud moment for these extraordinary volunteers who have done such wonderful things for our country. They embody Clean Up Australia’s ethos that each of us can make a difference in the care of the environment.

“Over the years, we have witnessed the power of community action as volunteers from all walks of life, from right across our vast nation unite for this common cause. We are delighted to celebrate their dedication and tireless support.”

The winners received their awards at a special breakfast event at Parliament House, Canberra, last week, hosted by Jeremy Fernandez and attended by special guests. The inaugural awards coincide with the 35th anniversary of Clean Up Australia Day which will be held on Sunday 2 March, celebrating the over 1 million volunteers who join their local community in Clean Up activities each year.

CLEAN UP AUSTRALIA COMMUNITY AWARDS WINNERS 2025

INDIVIDUAL COMMUNITY CHAMPION AWARD: Marjo Hallowell and Michael Filby (Dual recipients)

Since 1990, Marjo Hallowell has taken to the streets of her local Wollondilly and Wingecarribee community in

south-west Sydney to collect litter. Each week Marjo collects an average of one full bin of litter from her local area and is often spotted cycling the roads with up to four bags of litter at a time balanced on the handlebars.

For over twenty years Michael Filby has been cleaning up the stretch of highway running through his town of Walpole in remote Western Australia and working hard to share his litter-free ethos. Passionate about encouraging long term solutions to Australia’s battle with litter, Michael has dedicated over 20 years of his life to combating our nation's waste.

GROUP COMMUNITY CHAMPION AWARD: Pioneer Catchment & Landcare Group Inc

It has been a core part of the mission for Queensland’s Pioneer Catchment & Landcare Group to protect and restore the environment since its formation in the early 1990s. Hosting Clean Ups four times a year at both Harbour Beach and the Pioneer River in addition to their annual participation in Clean Up Australia Day in March, their Clean Ups have become a way to engage the community, raise awareness and make a tangible impact on the local environment. Over the years they have removed hundreds of kilos of litter from local ecosystems, hoping to protect marine life and improve the health of local waterways.

HIGHLY COMMENDED: Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Australia

Since 1989, the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community has been participating in Clean Ups with an estimated 42,500 hours spent by its volunteers cleaning up in the 35 years since. With volunteers taking part at sites across NSW, ACT, VIC, WA and SA, in 2024 they were proud to have 746 registered volunteers across over 30 Clean Up sites.

SCHOOLS SUSTAINED ENVIRONMENTAL AWARD: Gippsland Grammar-Bairnsdale Campus

The primary students at Gippsland Grammar have been actively participating in Schools Clean Up Day since 2014 and their commitment to our environment continues from there. They created the Green Team educational program in 2013, taking part in awareness programs such as Nude Food lunches and class competitions such as Trash Free Tuesday. The school has an integrated compost system across every classroom, the staff room and tuckshop, with the compost used to enhance the soil of the school's vegetable garden. They are working towards plastic free classrooms in the upper year groups - reusable white-board markers and pens are used.

OUTSTANDING COUNCIL AWARD: Blue Mountains City Council

Blue Mountains Council is celebrating 35 years of Clean Up Australia Day participation this year. They have

consistently strengthened community ties, linking community groups such as Rotary, Bushcare, Rovers, Girl Guides, climbers, walking groups and 4WD clubs and services like Council, NPWS, SES, RFS, NSW Fire & Rescue and Police Rescue through their contributions to the shared endeavour of cleaning up the national park and council reserves. The Blue Mountains and Garguree Swampcare have also run well-supported events on Clean Up Australia Day, collecting not only rubbish but also larger items like furniture and tyres.

IAN KIERNAN IMPACT AWARD: Venkataraj Jayaraj

Venkataraj Jayaraj has been participating in Clean Up Australia Day since 2013 and is a staunch believer that Clean Up events are a meaningful way to give back, lead by example and bring the community together. He has hosted Clean Up events across the Seven Hills area in Sydney and has been dedicated to instilling a sense of environmental stewardship in the younger generation, including his own children, by involving them in these activities and teaching them the value of sustainability and community service. By engaging local community leaders and using technology to generate interest and build awareness of his Clean Up events, he has created a foundation for a movement of individuals who are more engaged in their communities and more mindful of their environmental footprint.