Williams, in Western Australia’s Wheatbelt region, has been named the national winner of the 2026 Keep Australia Beautiful Tidy Towns Awards, with judges praising a whole-of-community effort spanning youth, heritage, environment and local pride. Home to just over 1,000 people, Williams took out the overall national title as well as three category awards: Behaviour Change and Engagement, Heritage and Culture, and Young Legends. The win comes just six months after Williams Primary School narrowly missed the national title in Keep Australia Beautiful’s Paint Australia Beautiful awards. Six communities were shortlisted for the 2026 national title, each representing the best of their state or territory: Williams, Western Australia; Ikuntji, Northern Territory; Orange, New South Wales; Mornington Peninsula, Victoria; Huon Valley, Tasmania; and Cloncurry, Queensland. Val Southam, CEO of Keep Australia Beautiful, said Williams’ win reflected the power of practical, community-led action.
“Williams is a powerful example of what happens when a community decides, together, to take care of its place,” Ms Southam commented “That decision shows up everywhere, from children planting along the river, to volunteers preserving local history, to young people helping older residents at community events. This award isn’t just about one town. It’s a celebration of every community working to build a cleaner, kinder future, and we’re proud to support that mission.”
At the heart of Williams’ win is the Williams Community Resource Centre, which runs the Williams Wildlife Warriors program free to local families. The program gives children from pre-primary to Year 6 the chance to explore the Williams River and local reserves, learning about flora, fauna, soils and waterways while taking part in revegetation, litter removal and weed control. Williams also won the Heritage and Culture category for the Williams Historical Records Project, led by two volunteers who have contributed more than 2,000 hours cleaning, repairing and preserving local records damaged by fire, water and rodents. The town’s Little Helpers program rounded out its national wins, taking home the Young Legends category for encouraging children as young as seven to give their time to community events, school holiday activities and support for older residents. The Northern Territory community of Ikuntji, home to around 150 people, was highly commended for the overall national title, with judges recognising its outstanding work as a standout example of community-led action in remote Australia. Across the national program, finalists and category winners were recognised for projects spanning water conservation, waste reduction, youth leadership, heritage preservation, biodiversity, community engagement and environmental innovation. A full list of national winners and winning projects.
TOMRA Cleanaway CEO James Dorney said the organisation was proud to sponsor the awards and to support communities across Australia that were leading the way in sustainability and civic pride.
“These awards shine a spotlight on the extraordinary work happening in communities right across the country – from major regional centres to very small towns doing big things,” Mr Dorney commented “The fact that communities from every state and territory are represented shows that caring for place is a shared national value, no matter where you live. As an organisation focused on improving resource recovery and reducing waste at scale, TOMRA Cleanaway is proud to support a program that recognises practical action, local leadership and long‑term environmental responsibility. The Tidy Towns Awards celebrate the volunteers, young people and community champions who are quietly shaping cleaner, more resilient communities, and their efforts deserve national recognition,”
Ms Southam said the awards weren’t about ticking boxes. Their purpose was to spotlight the real, often quiet work that keeps communities moving forward.
“Regional towns are stepping up in powerful ways. They’re not just protecting their environments, they’re showing what’s possible when resilience, purpose and local leadership come together for a better future,” Ms Southam commented.