Golden Plains Shire Council is thrilled to announce that nominations are now open for the Community Awards 2026.
The Community Awards are an opportunity to formally acknowledge incredible people and community groups who have made noteworthy contributions to Golden Plains Shire – from organising local events and cleaning up local recreation parks to supporting neighbours in need.
Nominations are invited in the following categories:
• Community Hero of the Year (all age categories considered for this Award)
• Senior Community Hero of the Year (65 years of age and over)
• Young Community Hero of the Year (25 years of age and under)
• Community Group Award (recognising a community group or team)
Council has made a change to the Awards this year. Now, every nominee for all three Community Hero categories will be eligible to receive the Community Hero of the Year Award. This is to ensure all contributions from people of all ages are recognised and celebrated.
Golden Plains Shire Mayor Cr Owen Sharkey encouraged community members to nominate a deserving person or group.
A Community Hero is a person or group that goes above and beyond to make Golden Plains a better place to
live, work and socialise. Nominations are essential to ensure these remarkable contributors receive the
recognition they truly deserve, Cr Sharkey said.
Nominees can encompass various fields, from community service to arts and culture, environment, business,
economic development, sports and more. There are so many Heroes who enrich our community daily, and we
look forward to celebrating and recognising them.
Nominations are open from Wednesday 1 October until 5pm, Friday 28 November 2025, and can be completed online at goldenplains.vic.gov.au/consultations. Hard copy nomination forms are also available at Council’s Customer Hubs in Bannockburn and Smythesdale.
All nominations will be carefully considered by the selection panel, which includes previous Community Award recipients, Golden Plains Shire Councillors and the Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
An awards ceremony, scheduled for early February 2026, will provide an opportunity to recognise nominees and unveil the Community Award recipients.
For further information, contact Council’s Communications & Engagement team at [email protected] or call 5220 7111.