Now in its 22nd year, the awards received a record 68 nominations across four main categories — individuals, businesses, community groups, and schools.
Two special awards for exceptional effort were also presented at the ceremony, held at Dunedin Public Art Gallery and announced by Keep Dunedin Beautiful chairwoman Cr Mandy Mayhem.
Dunedin Mayor Jules Radich gave out the certificates and trophies.
In her welcome, Cr Mayhem congratulated everyone for their commitment to caring for the city and its environment during the past year.
"This is our chance to thank you for your mahi and to let you know how much the community appreciates you," she said.
Mr Radich agreed, saying it was a "pleasure and a privilege" to be part of the awards.
The first award to be announced was the Pod Award for individual effort, with 12 commended awards and seven highly commended awards also presented, before the runner-up was announced as Josh Smith.
The winner was Student Volunteer Army president Eleanor Dunn, who makes time for many hours of volunteer effort while also completing bachelor of medicine and bachelor of surgery degrees.
Next up was the Spiralis Sustainable Business Award, with five commended awards presented before the winning trophy which went to Cook Brother Construction.
The firm won the award for its leadership in finding solutions for the issue of construction waste, including rolling out its Sustainable Carpenter Programme in 2023. Carpenter Andy Armstrong focuses on reusing, repairing and repurposing construction waste to make items the community needs (for free), thereby diverting 20 tonnes of waste from landfill.
The efforts of schools across Dunedin were acknowledged in the Dunedin Amenities Society Best School Project Award, including two commended and two highly commended awards.
The winner was Portobello School for its project to introduce six donated chickens to the school, with children researching and building a chicken coop, gathering eggs for sale to the community, and placing unsold eggs in the school’s pataka kai along with produce from the school garden.
The Taylor Community Pride Shield acknowledged community groups’ efforts to improve their environment and work in sustainable ways across a broad range of areas, from fashion to dentistry. Eight commended awards and 14 highly commended awards were presented, before the winner was announced as Aroha Kaikorai Valley (AKV).
Formed in 2021, the AKV group has distributed 500 traps, catching 1954 predators so far; monitored the quality of water in Kaikorai Stream, removed rubbish and weeds, and planted natives; and has launched an air quality monitoring programme.
Cr Mayhem said AKV was "proof that when people come together with purpose, vision, and heart, remarkable things happen".
The final awards of the night were two special awards, given for effort going above and beyond, as well as a series of Friends of Keep Dunedin Beautiful awards.
The Jan Tucker Special Award was presented to Lilliput Libraries founder Ruth Arnison for the extraordinary achievement of establishing 400 individually decorated neighbourhood-run mini libraries in communities across New Zealand and even in Australia.
The Newcomer Award was presented to the Hold On To Your Friends group, a "by students for students" organisation advocating for safer student culture in Ōtepoti.
