Proud town: ‘Proactive’ Ongerup named finalist at the 2023 Tidy Towns Sustainability Communities Awards

The town of Ongerup may be small, but its proud residents have made a big impression on passersby after its inclusion as a State finalist at the 2023 WA Tidy Towns Sustainable Community Awards. Located in the heart of the Great Southern within the Shire of Gnowangerup, Ongerup has experienced a rejuvenation driven by relentless effort and unwavering dedication to ongoing projects. Gnowangerup Shire president Kate O’Keeffe said the town’s successes are off the back of “proactive” community involvement and diligent work from local volunteers. “Ongerup is a very proactive community and when they set their minds to getting something done, they do it very well,” she said. “We undertook projects to improve Weir Park, tidied up Godfrey Park and another project called the Main Street Beautification Program. “Those three things have a pretty significant impact on a town site. “They were all completed without funding — it was all through a huge community effort from volunteers.” Ms O’Keeffe said though they did not expect Ongerup to be named a finalist, it has provided extra motivation to go one better at next year’s awards. “The award certainly wasn’t a motivating factor. It’s just nice to be recognised for the effort of the community,” Ms O’Keeffe said. “I think it was really more about investing in and beautifying the place that you live. “If the place that you’re living in looks good, everyone feels better. “It’s great for momentum, it’s great for community spirit. to know that it’s possible to become a finalist in that category. “Our next step is working towards winning it.”