The small town of Guilderton, 95 kilometres north of Perth, has won the national 2015 Australian Clean Beaches Award.

Guilderton’s national win was secured over finalists Bondi Beach, New South Wales; Burleigh Beach, Queensland; Garig Gunak Barlu, Northern Territory; Port Julia, South Australia; and Richardsons Beach, Tasmania.

Environment Minister Albert Jacob said the national Keep Australia Beautiful title was well-deserved recognition for the small coastal town, which also won the national category for Environmental Education.

“Guilderton is at the mouth of the Moore River and is renowned for its sparkling, clear water and coastline but it does not just happen to be this way – there is a great deal of community effort supporting this beautiful environment,” Mr Jacob said.

“The town of 150 people attracts large numbers of visitors during the holiday season and with this influx come significant litter and environmental pressures.

“Guilderton is very proactive in protecting its beautiful coastline, removing litter and educating people on marine and wildlife ecosystems.”

The judges noted, ‘Its community association is sophisticated, committed and professional in the way it engages with traditional owners, key stakeholders and government agencies, and determined as they fight to maintain the character of their town, beach and freshwater estuary.’

‘In Guilderton, the engagement of both residents and visitors to the area in contributing to creating a diverse, sustainable community around the beach environment is demonstrated by the huge commitment to volunteer work.’

During this year’s Clean Up Australia Day, Guilderton volunteers gathered 74 bags of rubbish including food wrappers, cans, bottles, fishing lines and hooks and even discarded musical instruments.

Fact File

• Guilderton is built around an intact coastal estuary system on the Swan Coastal Plain
• The Moore River estuary and beach are a significant site for the Yued Noongar people
• For more information, visit http://www.kab.org.au/clean-beaches