Sandhills project wins heritage award

BYRON Bay’s Sandhills Wetlands restoration project has won the Landscape category at the 2026 National Trust (NSW) Heritage Awards.

The award recognises outstanding heritage projects, people, innovations and achievements across the state and comes after the project had earlier been shortlisted for several state and national awards.

The project has also been nominated for two other awards, the LG Professionals – Local Government Awards and the Urban Development Institute of Australia Awards for Excellence.

The original wetlands, on a 1.8 hectare site in the heart of Byron Bay near Clarkes Beach, were destroyed by sandmining in the 1960s and for many years the site was overgrown, degraded and attracted anti social behaviour.

Byron Shire Council director infrastructure services Phil Holloway said the award recognised one of council’s most significant cultural, environmental and drainage projects.

“The project restored the ecological function of the wetlands, reinstated the natural landscape and honoured cultural heritage,” he said.

“The project was co-designed with Arakwal and supported by Tweed Byron Local Aboriginal Land Council and Crown Lands.”

“The wetlands are also designed to reduce the impact of flooding in the Byron Bay town centre.”

The restoration of the Sandhills Wetlands was funded by the Australian Government through the Northern Rivers Recovery and Resilience Program, the NSW Government through the Public Spaces Legacy Program and council.

“On behalf of Council I thank the National Trust (NSW) for this prestigious award and for recognising the immense worth of the Sandhills Wetlands restoration project,” Holloway said.