Macedon Ranges Shire Council’s flagship storm waste facility near Romsey has won its second award, taking out the Special Projects Initiative category at the 2023 LGPro Awards for Excellence.
The awards recognise the outstanding work by individuals and teams working in local government in Victoria, with the category recognising a project that reflects innovation, sustainability, clearly demonstrated outcomes, benefits relative to cost and the ability to meet specific needs.
The storm waste facility was established in partnership with Emergency Recovery Victoria in response to the severe 2021 storms.
The site has processed more than 65,000 tonnes of tree and storm debris from the Macedon Ranges and other storm-affected areas throughout Victoria.
Product has been returned to impacted communities in the form of free timber, fence posts, tree stakes, firewood, fish habitat, mulch, sawdust and more, totalling more than $35 million in market value so far.
Macedon Rangers Shire Council chief executive Bernie O’Sullivan said the award showed what could be achieved when collaborating with partner agencies to overcome diversity.
“In partnership with the Victorian Government we were able to implement the storm waste facility, which was used to efficiently process waste not only from our shire but also from across the state,” he said.
“I would like to thank everybody involved in this successful project. So many people and community groups have benefitted from the innovative ways storm waste has been recycled through this facility.”
