Three stars for Boyne Island Tannum Sands

In 2017, the Boyne Island Lions Club embarked on a Lions Centenary project – entering Boyne Island and Tannum Sands in the Queensland Tidy Towns competition, run by environmental movement; Keep Queensland Beautiful. 

Keep Queensland Beautiful’s programs motivate people to enhance the quality of their local environment through personal initiative and community action programs. 

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Our flagship program; Tidy Towns, aims to recognise and reward work occurring in towns across Queensland.  

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Some members of the Boyne Island Lions Club had been involved in the earlier years with Keep Australia Beautiful (since 1974), the Tidy Towns competition across Australia has progressively changed, from a “tidy” town approach, moving towards sustainability awards, and now an accreditation (5-star rating) environmental focus program. 

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The Queensland Tidy Towns Accreditation program better reflects the comprehensive approach that has been a part of the Tidy Towns ethos for many years. 

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“It’s more than just a beauty contest”, says Keep Queensland Beautiful CEO, David Curtin. 

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Accreditation provides participating towns with a 1 to 5-star rating, based on progress in key focus areas; Environmental Innovation and Protection, Heritage and Culture, Community Spirit, Litter Action, Resource Recovery, Waste Management, Water Conservation and Energy Efficiency. 

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The change to accreditation allows every participating town, not just ‘award winning’ towns, to be recognised for their efforts through promotion in marketing campaigns, the Tidy Towns honour roll, Our Queensland travel guide and through the provision of signage and the Tidy Towns directory. 

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Boyne Island Tannum Sands was awarded a 3-star rating.

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Tidy Towns directory listing: http://www.tidytowns.com.au/boyne-island

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“The Boyne Island and Tannum Sands community should be proud, to achieve a 3-star rating in their first year is a great achievement.” expressed Curtin. 

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“Initiatives like capturing landfill gas at Benaraby for electricity generation provide a sustainable solution to what is otherwise a challenging task for small towns to address the growing energy needs of their community” 

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“The introduction of T Angler bins along the Boyne and Wild Cattle Creek to reduce fishing line litter contributes towards a tidy and enjoyable sea-side community” 

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Mayor of Gladstone Regional Council Matt Burnett said the effort by the Boyne Island Lions Club to enter the Queensland Tidy Towns competition reflected the strong sense of community within the neighbouring townships. 

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“Council has encouraged sustainable development within the Gladstone Region through a number of initiatives including the Benaraby Landfill Gas-to-Power Project and the TAngler bins, and it is great to see the Lions club and the Boyne/Tannum community share this value,” Councillor Burnett said. 

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“Boyne Island and Tannum Sands possess natural coastal beauty and a relaxed seaside atmosphere which can only be enhanced by the civic pride shown by community groups and residents to keep their townships in pristine condition and maintain a healthy local environment.” 

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Member for Gladstone, Glenn Butcher congratulated the Boyne Island Lions Club and the entire Boyne Island and Tannum Sands community who got behind this initiative.  

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“The Boyne Tannum area is one of the most beautiful parts of the Gladstone electorate and it is great to see the community passionate about being innovative, creative and sustainable,” Mr Butcher said.  

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With a combined population just shy of 10,000 residents, Boyne Island / Tannum Sands have been rewarded for striving towards a sustainable community, achieving a 3-star rating in the Queensland Tidy Towns accreditation program. 

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Some other projects that contributed towards a successful rating include;

-          Indigenous Garden makeover (facilitated by Creative Recycling Centre and St Francis Catholic Primary School),

-          Free disposal of green-waste at the Banaraby landfill,

-          BITS of Art Group – turning marine debris into creative pieces of art,

-          Establishment of the Gladstone Local Marine Advisory Committee,

-          Development of an educational marine debris video,

-          Marine Debris art installation at Wyndham Park Boyne Island,

-          Asset mapping,

-          Conservation Volunteers – engaging 202 local community members and removing 710kgs of marine debris over 87ha of coastline,

-          Future Leaders Eco Challenge in partnership with Reef Guardian Schools,

-          Port Curtis Harbour Watch,

-          Friends of Bindaree – weekly garage sales to reduce the amount of waste to landfill,

-          Boyne Island Mens Shed – provides a social outlet for more than 60 members,

-          Boyne Island Tannum Sands Hookup Fishing competition,

-          BAM (Beach Art and Music),

-          Lions Christmas Carols,

-          and the new Music Under the Trees community event.

The town of Hughenden, in the Flinders Shire, was awarded the prestigious “Queensland’s Tidiest Town” title for 2017. 

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The winning town receives a marketing campaign thanks to sponsor Dimension 8 Marketing, including a mobile billboard and social media advertising campaign that commenced in October 2017 to coincide with the Local Government Association of Queensland annual conference which was held in Gladstone.