Bellarine achievers vie for awards

A BELLARINE aged care centre and nursery will vie for awards later this month as part of the 2018 Victorian Regional Achievement an Community Awards.

The Homestead Estate in Wallington has been nominated for an Employer Excellence in Aged Care Award through the 2018 Victorian Regional Achievement and Community Awards, while the Queencliff Indigenous Plant Nursery has been nominated for Parks Victoria’s Environmental Sustainability Award.

In her nomination, Anne Derbyshire-Clarke said The Homestead Estate was a light and friendly home for her elderly mother, Shirlee.

“The staff are friendly and courteous to my mother and other patients,” she said.

“They are caring and take on board any questions or suggestions.

“They are respectful to the patients and greet each and every person whether patient or visitor.

“I cannot speak more highly of them.” In Queencliff Indigenous Plant Nursery’s nomination, the business was described as “an environmental champion of the Bellarine Peninsula”, producing over 10,000 seedlings each year for revegetation projects on public and private land.

“The hundreds of thousands of plants propagated over the years have grown into forests and other new habitats for a wealth of native fauna, at the same time sequestering tonnes of carbon from the atmosphere and combating climate change.

“The nursery is operated on a low-power-use basis with attention paid to water use while consumables are re-used or recycled.

“The new and enhanced habitats have varied knock-on effects such as more-attractive landscapes for visitors and residents and encouraging healthy, outdoor pursuits.”

The purpose of the Victorian Regional Achievement and Community Awards is to encourage, acknowledge and reward the valuable contributions individuals, communities and businesses are making throughout regional and rural Victoria.

Judging will take place on August 29 and finalists will be presented and winners announced at an Awards Gala Presentation Dinner on October 26.