NSW councils honored at Local Government Week Awards

Hilltops Council, Snowy Monaro Regional Council, and Wagga Wagga have been recognized at the 2026 Local Government Week Awards in Sydney.

Hilltops Council received the RH Dougherty Award for Innovation in Special Events for its Multicultural Cherry Fiesta. Held during the 75th National Cherry Festival in December 2025, the event featured various cultural performances and cooking demonstrations. Attendance was estimated between 18,308 and 21,440 people, with visitor spending reaching approximately $1.78 million. This follows a previous win in the Festivals and Community Events category at the NSW Local Government Excellence Awards in June.

Snowy Monaro Regional Council won the Excellence in Communication category (Division A) for its campaign regarding the introduction of usage-based water billing in Delegate, which was noted for successfully implementing the changes without resident complaints.