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It's official! Booderee National Park's stunning Green Patch beach is the greenest in New South Wales.
Green Patch has won the prestigious 2009 NSW Keep Australia Beautiful Clean Beach Remondis Resource Management Award.
The award recognises Booderee's success in reducing its carbon footprint by cutting energy and water use and increasing its recycling.
And the park's 400,000 plus visitors a year are certainly doing their bit to help.
"They are so positive about all the changes and really help out with our specially-designed recycling program where there is almost no contamination," Visitor Services Manager John Harvey said today.
"Visitors have also helped reduce our water and power use at the park by an incredible 40 per cent in the past year."
Booderee installed ground-breaking water saving devices such as waterless urinals and touch-pad showers to help achieve this great result.
In May this year Booderee carried out a formal carbon audit, the first for Parks Australia.
"We found that Booderee had contributed 731.4 tonnes of carbon to the atmosphere last financial year - but with all the actions we're taking, we're hoping it will be well down this year," John said.
Visitors have also embraced energy-efficient electric barbecues, proving that going green is no bar to a great time at Booderee.
Inspired by its success, Booderee will continue its mission to reduce and recycle.
"Visitors flocking to the park this summer will give us a chance to review what we have in place and look at further changes to help reduce our carbon footprint," John said.
The Keep Australia Beautiful award comes just one week after Booderee won the prestigious 2008 NSW Indigenous Tourism Award.
For more information on Booderee National Park visit booderee.gov.au
Media contact: Booderee National Park Visitor Services Manager John Harvey on (02) 4442 2213.